Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-05-23
AMERICA BOASTS
MIGHTIEST WARSHIP.
The SuperdTeadnOught Texas, Launched At
Newport News Last Saturday, is The
Worlds Greatest Sea Fighter.

With the launching at Newport News,
Saturday of the esuperdreadnought Texas
the American navy counted as its proud
possession the biggest and the most
powerful battleship the world has ever
seen. The Texas, with all her stores
aboard, will displsce %, 367 tons or l, 200
tons more the Dresduought Arkansas,
now about ready for commission. She
is 573 feet long, 95 feet q inches beam,
so that she will have almost Is feet to
spare in passing through the Panama
canal locks. Her draft will be % feet
inches, and her speed 81 knots. The
$1,000 horsepower required to maintain
this speed will be developed in the case
of the Texas by twin screw vertical,
triple expansion engines of the old type,
which American naval engineers declare
are the most economical and reliable for
battleship practice.
The Texas was launched 13 months
from the date her keel was laid, prac-
tical demonstration of the ability of
American shipwrights to turn out war
ships as rapidly as any nation in the
world. The Texas will be the first ship
in the world to carry 14-inch guns. She
will have 10 of them distributed in five
turrets, arranged on a central line from
stem to stern. The biggest guns now
afioat in the American navy are the 49,
inch rifles of the famous old Oregon
type, while the best the British navy
can do is to point their 13 5-inch guns
on their latest battle ships. In addition
to these monster guns the new Ameri-
can ship will carry 16 5.inch rifles in
place of the little and 4-inch guns that
were formerly regarded as sufficient for
the secondary battery. The increase
ing size and power of the torpedo boat
destroyers and the enormous speed of
the cruisers has brought about this
doubling of the power of the secondary
battery, which must be relied upon for
quick work in meeting these attacks.
The Texas will be clothed with armor
in plenty; not only over her vitals, but
even over the ordinarily exposed ends
of the ship. In conformity with the
new rule adopted by the Navy depart
ment, the details of it's thickness and
and general disposition are withheld
from publication. The Texas will not
90 into commission until December 18th,
next year. AS she emerges from the
builders hands her total cost will be
about $40, ZOO, 600.
The launching of the great ship drew
to the yards of the Newport News Ship
building Company q notable gathering
of distinguished persona. President
Taft was represented 10y Secretary
Meyer, who came down from Washing
ton with his family and his naval aid,
Lieut.. Commander Palmer, on the
Presidential yacht, Hsyfower. There
was liberal sprinkling of senators and
representatives, most Of the heads of
the great naval bureaus, Gov. Colquitt
of Texas, with numerous delegation
from that State, Gov. Mann of Virginia
with his staff, and little Miss Claudia
Lyon, daughter of Col. Cecial Lyon,
Republican National committeeman
from Texas, sponsor of the Texas
The New York which is being built at
the New York navy yard, and which
will probably be launched in July, is a
sister-ship to the Texas.