New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-17
NEW BRITISH WARSH|P
The Queen Elizabeth, First Oil
Fuel BattIeship, Launched.
HAS TEN 15.!NCH GUNS
Space Saved by Absence OF Goa
Bunkers Used to Increase
Crafts Armament.
fBy Cable TO The Tribune.l

London, Oct. 1.-THE battieship
Queen Elizabeth was successfully
launched at Portsmouth yesterday by
Lady Meux, wife Of Admiral Sir He'd
worth Meux. The weather was beau
tifully fine, and twenty thousand per-
sons saw the great ship take the water.
There are many record breaking
features about the Queen Elizabeth. 10
many, in fact that the launching marks
a new epoch in the history Of the Brit
ish navy. She is the first battleship to
be launched which will use oil fuel ex-
clusively for steam raising purposes.
Also she Is the largest and most costly
ship yet built for the British navy
and the first ship to mount 1b-inch
guns I'm the main battery. a fact which
makes her the most powerful fighting
vessel atioat.
She will have a broadside Of 1880
pounds, compared with $500 Of the
Dreadnought.
The estimated cost Of the Queen
Elizabeth is s11,750,000. about half as
much again as the cost of the ships or
the King Edward VII type. which
not so many years ago we're the pride
OF the navy and the finest battleships
ahoat.
Portsmouth Oct. ia novelty In the
way Of battleships. the Queen Elizabeth,
carrying an immense armament and using
oil instead OF coal for her motive power,
was launched at the Royal Navy dock
yards here to-day for the British navy.
The new vessel. whose keel was laid On
October 81 1912. Is OF an entirely fresh
type, and the details of her construction
have been kept secret.
1t is generally believed. however. that
her armament is to consist OF ten 1b-inch
guns, mounted in pairs in b.irbettes, while
her secondary armament Of 4-inch or
6-inch guns il also to be placed behind
protective armor. This is big advance
over the ornaments of her predecessors
Under ordinary circumstances the car
rying OF such big battery would imply
considerable increase in displacement,
but this has been obviated by the utiliza-
ton OF oil fuel for the engines, In place
of coal. The substitution OF oil tanks for
coal bunkers means great economy Ia
weight and space. and In this way II has
been possible 20 increase the offensive and
defensive armament, and at the same
time keep the size and displacement OF
the warship within limits.
Should the oil fuel in the case OF the
hot al al In ~ A.
warships OF the British navy will In
future use H. The Queen Elizabeth
therefore Is somewhat OF an experiment.
The new vessel was not quite year on
the building ways. and will be ready for
service In less than two years from the
time her first keelplate was laid. Far
more work was done on her before launch
Ing than is usually the case In battleships.
Her launching weight was about looO
tons. being the heaviest vessel ever sent
afoat from building slip in any Of the
British naval dockyards.
Washington, oct l6.-Navy Department
designers were interested in the descrtp-
ton OF the giant warship Queen Eliza
beth, launched to-day for the British
ravy. principally because OF the large cali
bre Of her main gun batteries. The vessel
will carry ten l5-inch guns instead OF the
twelve 14-inch rifles sheltered In the tur-
rets OF the latest type Of American
dreadnaughts.
II was pointed out at the Navy Depart
ment that the United States had already
taken the lead in the use OF oil exclu-
slvely for fuel In that no fewer than four
of the latest battleships nearing compile
ton are fitted with oil tanks. instead of
coal bunkers Several Of the ships already
In service are equipped for the use OF oil
or coal, or both.
An interesting feature OF this departure
on the part of the British naval design
ers Is the fact that they must have de-
cided 10 take their chances on accumu-
lating q sufficient supply of oil at con-
yenient stations to carry the British navy
through a war. The neutrality laws
would make IL impossible to secure fuel
from other countries. and Great Britain
produces practically no petroleum within
her own territory.