The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-17
(Ry Associated Press.

(By Associated Press.)
Philadelphia, Pa, IAN, 14.-"1th
the traditional bottle Of champagne
broken on her bows, the battleship
Arkansas, the largest Warshlp ever
constructed IN this country. was
launched this afternoon from the
yards Of the New York Ship0uildlng
Company at Camden. N. J. Miss Mary
Macon. daughter of Rep. Robert 3.
Macon, Of Helena Ark, was the spon-
sor for the ship.
A heavy fog which has enveioped
his section for several days was still
present. Just before the great ship
left the ways the sun broke through
the mist but for only a moment. There
was one unusual feature OF the
launching. the absence Of an official
delegation representing the State gov
eminent of Arkansas. The failure OF
Governor Donaghey or other represen-
tatiNes to attend was due to q contro-
Tersy between the Governor and the
Navy Department at Washington over
the fate Of the launching.
There was. however. quite a large
delegation OF Arkansans present. 1t
Included Congressman and Mrs. Macon
and other members of the Arkansas
congressional delegation. all Of whom
had been invited by the shipbuilding
company. The Navy Department was
represented by Secretary Meyer and
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy Win
thrOp.
Miss Macon, carrying a large buech
Of American beauty roses, was the
center OF attraction as she stood on
n raised christening platform with
wa If n o. fnr -r>rl 80 49, o-oo4
ship. With her was Miss Edna Eller-
bee, daughter of Congressman J. T.
E!terbe, of South Carolina, the parent,
Ut both young ladies and others con-
shutting the christening party.
There was doubt in the minds Of
some OF the spectators as to the con-
tents Of the beribboned bottle Miss
Macon held. Some people in Arkansas
wanted her to use water Q her ma
tive State, but she said she would use
whatever the shipbuilding company
gave her. When the great hull quiv-
cred and slowly began to move Miss
Macon crashed the bottle against the
receding PROV and exclaimed:
Il christen thee Arkansas The con
tents Of the broken bottle foamed up
as it splashed yer the nose of the
ship, and all doubt as to the character
of the fluid was dispelled.
Following the launching the officials
or the entertained the guests
at a luncheon. spread in one of the
big buildings of the plant.
The principal dimensions Of the lat
est and largest addition to the navy
are:
Length over all 562 feet: beam over
armor, So feet; ass inches: draft 2S
feet 6 inches; displacement $4,000
tons.
The contract for the ship calls for
a speed Of 20 IL knots an hour.
When completed the Arkansas will
have the greatest gun power in broad
side Of any ship afloat. The main arm
ament will consist Of twelve 12-inch
breech-loading guns mounted in six
heavy armOr-protected turrets. For
defense against torpedo boat attacks
there will be a battery OF twenty-one
5-inch rapid fire guns. The totaI
weight Of b~road-side will be abou,
1900 pounds. The armor belts viii
have IAN average thickness OF ter
inches,
The Arkansas will be turbine driver
and will have 2S, 900 horsepower. The
vessel will be fitted for a fligship and
her complement will consist og IS Off.
GERS and 1880 men.
The keel Of the Arkansas was laii
last January and at present the shit
is about sixty per cent completed.