The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19

tain's and rear-admiral's quarters, for
tho Texas will be fully equipped as n
haEship. so that in case she is need
cd as such alterations will not have
to be made after She goes into com
mission
There will he two huge skeleton"
masts. These masts will he 100 feet
nigh, and will be constructed Of steel
tubing and steel wires. It will be
practically impossible to shoot these
masts away On the big platform at
the top of thc masts viii he the fire
control There in time Of battle will
he stationed the range finders The
fire control platform is connected with
tho turrets by means of telephone
lines aud the range finders signal the
Sunncrs. giving the range for tho
firing. Besides the range finders there
VIII be men equipped with powerful
glasses who will observe the firing
and notify the gunners whether tho
shots are falling short or long. or
whether or not they are hitting.
There aiso will be two smokcstacks
located about am!dships. The CON
ming tower. pilot house and bridge
Will be at the forward end OF tho
supcrStructurc. SearchliEhts will be
located in tho skeleton" masts on
then there will he two searchIights
mounted on pcdcstals twenty feet
above tho main deck. The four three
pound saluting guns will be located
on Tho bridge and there Will be two
hNe-inoh rapid fire guns on the super
structure. These will he used in
Warding off torpedo attack
Few Small Boats.
In spite of tho agitation about life
saving boats the Texas will carry
Few small boats. provision being MAJ do
for only one launch. four big cutters
two whale boats. and one admiral's
barge
The dimensions and general char
actcristics Of tho Texas arc as follows.
Length over all, SO feet: extreme
breadth a52 feet; draft on trial. 2s.s
feet; trial displacement, $1,000 ions.
iui! load displacement. 10000 tons;
coal bunker capacity. $500 tons.
cruising radius, 5000 miles: indicated
horsepower 10000: speed on trial,
twonty-onc knots
For offensive nEhtinc. tho rcxas w,,,
be the superior OF any warsi,:p We, dc.
signed for foreign navy In hcr
main battery she will carry ton a.
I men brccch- loading rifles of the LAT
est and most improved design These
guns "lll b" mounted In pairs in clcc-
tricai!y controlled. clIiptical turrcts.
located on the centre line of tho shin,
Powerful Brondsidc.
! II viii he possible to fire all ton of
/ th"so rifles on either broadside thus
giving this ship the most powerful
| hro"dsidc fire Of any battleship in the
/ world. as she is the nrs, to he equip
ped with liinch rifles the other dread
( thoughts Of the navy carrying l2-inch
rifles.
| Two of tho turrcts will he located
| forward Of the superstructurc and tho
remaining three will be abaft the
! tunnels. All four of the rifles in tho
! two forward turrcts can be fred dead
ahead. and four OF tho six rifles in the
three after turrcts can be fred dead
astern. This is made possible by the
elevation of two of the turrcts above
| the others. The extreme forward tur-
J ret sits up two feet above the deck
I but the next turrct. or turrct No o
as ii viii be designated. is elevated in
, barbcttcs above the forward turrct
/ so that the guns can shoot dead ahead
! likewise, the middle turrct Of the
three located art of the smoke fun
nels Will be elevated above the other
! two. so as to FIRE over the extreme
| after turret The arc OF IRE OF tho
! forward turrets is about 26O degrees
I ana that OF the after turrcts ia slight.
] IL more than that. The turrets re