Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-30
Greatest of Worlds Dread
naughts Launched To-
day at Brooklyn.
10000 ARE PRESENT
ChriStened by Elsie Calder
Built by Government at
Cost of S1O,0OO,OOO.

New York. Oct 30.-The superdread-
naught New York, the greatest Of the .
worlds sea fighters. was launched to-
day at New York navy yard, Brook
lyn, in the presence OF 10000 persons,
including President Taft and the sec |
retary of the navy.
Miss Elsie Calder. daughter OF Rep |
resentative Calder OF Brooklyn, christ |
ened the ship.
Miss Calder failed TO break the .
champagne bottle on the vessels bow
She struck the vessel with the bottle
three times. but not with sufficient
force 10 break the bottle. AS the yes
sci was sliding down the ways. how
ever, a man grasped the rope 10 which
was attached the bottle and swung il
with such force that the bottle cleared
the prov and burst on the port side
with a great pop.
Before going 10 the launching Pres
ident Taft had a conference with
number OF republican leaders at
breakfast. Among his friends and
supporters at breakfast were Andrew
Carnegie. William Nelson Cromwell
and Chairman Hilles.
BUILT ny GOVERNMENT.
The New York is government built
and has been under construction
since Sept. IL. 1911. She slid from
the ways about 40 per cent completed.
II is estimated that another year
and a half will be required before
she is ready for her trials and can
take her place with the Texas. now
under construction at Newport News,
az the head Of the American navy. 4
From the time the New Yorks keel
was laid until the great hull was wa
ter borne a trihe more than l3
months elapsed. This demonstrates,
according to the navy authorities,
that the government at its own ship
yards is capable OF placing a dread
nOught In commission as rapidly as
any other nation. Had the demand
for the vessel been imperative it is
said at the Brooklyn navy yards, this
time might have been reduced a
month, probably two months.
with all stores and ammunition
aboard the New York will have a
NONdi hloPlthRFhA'AN VI -oE'Na WINS
which is about 1000 tons more than
the dreadnought Arkansas. the pride
OF the Atlantic feet at its recent
mobilization in the Hudson river.
Her length is 573 feet, and her
breadth 95.25 feet This will permit
her passage through the Panama can
al. She will be equipped with two
vertical triple expansion engines and
with IA boilers developing 2s,100
horse power. With this power, IL is
estimated. the great ship will make
Il knots on her speed trials. Both
the dreadnoughts Utah and North
Dakota exceeded this, making 21.O4
and 2l.0l knots respectively.
COST Is <IO.OOO.OOO.
The estimated cost OF the New York
at completion is 100000 The cost
Of the hull and machinery alone was
$1,000. 900. Her armament will consist
OF 10 l4-inch guns, the largest eyel
placed on a battleship in the world
The Texas also is being armed with
l4inch guns, and the Oklahoma and
the Nevada, the latest dreadnought.
ordered. will carry guns Of equal size
u
will be made up OF 2l 5-inch rapiC
fire guns; four three Founders fol
saluting, and four 21-inch submerged
torpedo tubes. In addition, there vii
be four 3-inch field rifles Sixty-thre'
officers and 1909 men will mann her
The vessels armour protection con
sists OF 12-inch plate 70 her wate
line belt. and above the belt and ex
tending 20 the main deck, 9-inch plate
Extending from the tunnels to IN,
turrets 12-inch plate will be used. Or
the gun houses 12-inch armor vii
protect the most exposed places
and S-inch plates will shield othe
parts
FIGHT PRIVATE CONTRACT.
The New York was authorized b!
act OF congress June "a, 1910. Cor
Eressman Calder and Congressman
Fitzgerald led in the fight to hav
the vessel built by the governmen
az the Brooklyn navy yard in prefer
ence to having the contract let TO
private ship yatd other battieship
built at the Brooklyn navy yard wer
the Maine which was blown up in tn
Havana hsrbor. the Connecticut. Rea
Admira. Osterhaus flag ship at
recent mobilization, and the Florid
OF the dreadnOught class
To give the name New York 70 III
latest and. with the Texas. the mos
powerful battleships OF the Unite
states navy. the cruiser that Dor
the hag Of Admiral Sampson 1T Ii