The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-01-14
United States Battleship Ar
kansas Launched at Cam
den Ship Yards with Usual
Ceremonies.
BIG DREADNAUCHT
HAS A SISTER SHIP
Wyoming Is Being Built Few
Miles from Camdcn-Both
Are Armed with. Twelve
l2-inch Rifles.
(Amyican News Seryice)


Camden. N. j.. Jan. Unsurpassed
by none and equaled only by her sis
ter ship now under construction a few
miles down the river on the Pennsyl-
vania side. Americas latest and great
est warship, the battleship Arkansas.
was launched today into the waters OF
the Delaware river. on whose shores
80 many of Uncle Sans formidable
defenders have been built. Built by
the New York Ship Building company
at South Camden, the Arkansas. a
sister ship OF the Wyoming. under
construction at Cramps shipyard on
the Philadelphia side. of the Delaware.
is about so per cent completed, and
will be turned OVERSIZE the government
probably before the end of the year.
The launch OF the Arkansas was en-
tircly successful and was witnessed by
many invited guests. including promin.
ent officials Of tho navy department at
Washington, naval officers from An
napolis, Norfolk. New York and other
points. and the United States sena-
tors and representatives from Arkan-
sas. The sponsor was Miss Macon.
daughter Of Representative Macon of
Arkansas.
Took Plunge Easy.
Tho giant battleship slid down the
tallow creased ways with the light
ness OF n frail !ifeboat. As the great
hulk plunged into the water wild
hu2zas went up from thousands OF
throats. while bands played. guns
doomed. and the sirens OF the shipping
assembled In the river joined in the
chorus with deafening shrieks of their
whistles.
The Arkansas Ia declared to have
no equal afloat as u first class fight.
Ing machine. The heaviest man OF war
given TO the water so far is the Brit.
ish battleship Lion. which has dis
placement of $50 tons more than the
battlcship launched today. The Arkan
sas, however. will carry much heavier
nrmor than the Lion and in several
other respects she Is reckoned as su
rerior 10 the British warship.
The Arkansas has length OF $50
feet. nearly half hundred feet long
err than the Delaware. the first Am
erican dreadnought. The beam is %
feet 3 inches. the displacement 26.OOC
tons and the contract speed 205(
knots.
She will be the first battleship ol
12-inch guns. These guns comprising
her main armament. will be mounted
In five turrets on the central line ot
the ship. Two turrets will be forward
one amidships andrwo aft. Each tur
ret will be protected by armor eight
and twelve inches thick and will be
supplied with ammunition by electric
hoists from the magazines and shell
rooms Immediately below. The entire
handling of the great guns will be b,
electric motors. Twenty-one 5-incf
eurfh protected by armor will be pro
vided for defense against torpedo at
tacks. Close subdivision and stron,
bulkheads will form additfonal.. pro
lection against mine and torpedo OK
plosions.
Is Well Protected.
The Arkansas also will be fitted
with submerged torpedo tubes and will
have ten small guns for boat servic,
and saluting purposes. The main arm
or belt of the great ship will be abou
eight feet wide. with an average thick
ness OF ten inches. Above this will b,
another belt of an average thickness
OF nine inches and still higher will b,
the easement arrnor protecting tn,
secondary battery and funnel bases.
Ten turbines. six for ahead and fou
for astern. capable of developing 2s,
600 horsepower will be installed
Steam will be supplied by twelve wat
or tube boilers and coal or oil may b,
used for fuel. There will be com
plete protective deck from stem Z,
stern. The most complete arrange
ments for ebviating the dangers O
turret explosions. farebacks and 9th
er accidents which have caused $,
many disasters in the navy will b,
used to protect the men who will han
die the great guns of the ship. Sh
will be equipped with powerful search
lights and her masts will be arrange,
for wireless telegraphy.
The Arkansas will be fitted for
flagship and her complement as sue
will consist ofsa crew of about on
thousand. OF whom sixty will be off
GERS. To make life of the men be
low agreeable as possible, particula
attention Is TO be paid to the ventila
ton.
Tho ship will be up to date through
out. She will be lighted by electricit,
provided with telephones, voice pipe.
call bells. buyers, gongs. annuncia,
ors. engine and steering telegraphs
revolution and rudder indicators. hee
ing indicators. automatic fire alarms
warning signals and alarm signal.
All these devices will be electricall
operated.