The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-15
BIGGEST WARSH|P
FOR UNITED STATES
Constructors Now Preparing to
Lay Keel of Fighting
Monster.

New York. July lathe naval con-
structors at the New York Navy Yard
In Brooklyn are busy completing the
arrangements for the laying of the
keel Of the oattleship No. 80. which Is
to DO sister ship of the new Penn
sylvania. and which. with that ship,
Will share tho honor of being the
worlds biggest and most powerful.
both extensively and defensively, SUI
perdreadnonEht ever constructed
The keel of the newest superdread-
nought will be laid down on the ways
vacated several months ago by the
New York. now nearing completion
alongside the cob dock In the navy
yard The new ship will not be known
long as No. 80. In a few weeks the
Navy Department will announce Its
permanent name. which, it is believed,
will be either the Arizona, the New
Mexico or the North Carolina.
31,4OO Tons Displacement.
When completed the new dread
nought will displace 31,400 tons, which
means that 1t will be a vessel twice as
big as the famous old around the
world flagship Connecticut, more than
1000 tons greater than the dread
noughts Delaware and North Dakota.
and almost 5000 tons bigger than the
mighty Wyoming. the new flagship of
the Atlantic feet.
No. 80 will be COS feet long. 81 feet
wide. and will have a speed that must
reach a maximum of twenty-onc knots
an hour. More than LOO officers and
men Will be required to man It. and 1t
Will be fitted to burn oil as we'll as
coal It's engines will be of tho latest
improved turbine type. 1t will cost,
| exclusive OF armor and armament,
about s1.435. 900. When ready for com
missioning 1t Will have cost the gov
eminent about Sl6,OOo.00O
The armament will consist OF twelve
fourteen-inch guns, mounted in turretS,
all OF which can be fred In single
broadside either to port or starboard.
four submerged torpedo tubes that
will be supported by torpedo defense
battery of twenty-five five-inch guns
| in addition to Il battery of guns OF
smaller calibre.
In the construction Of No 80 more
| than 1000 skilled mechanics will be
employed and it is the hope of the
for launching some time in the late
| spring or early summer of next year.
1t will probably be about three years
before the new ship will be ready
to take her place in the first division OF
the Atlantic fleet. Naval Constructor
John E. Bailey, United States Navy,
who had charge of the construction of
the New York. will also be the direct
| ing head of the construction corps in
| charge of the new ship.
OF the new Dreadnoughts now in
process of construction, the Texas is
nearest completion. the latest report
showing that she is more than 90 per
cent finished. The sister ship. the New
York, is 81 per cent finished; the Ne
vada is 81 per cent, the Oklahoma 33
per cent and the Pennsylvania, the sis
ter OF No. 80, about per cent on its
way.
The navy-yard will be visited and in
| spected tomorrow by the Committee
on Naval Affairs OF the House OF Repre-
sentatives. Chairman Padgett will head
| the visiting Congressman, among whom
| will be congressman Gregg, of Texas
Talbot, of Maryland; Hobson., of Ala
| bama; Macon, of Arkansas; Estopinal
Of Louisiana; Riordan, of New York
Georgia; Buchanan, of illinois,; Bath
rick. of Ohio; Lee. of Pennsylvania
Foss, of Illinois: Witherspoon. OF Mis-
sissippi; Hensley, OF Montana; Koop
of Wisconsin,; Butler, OF Pennsylvania
Roberts. of Massachusetts: Loud, OF
Michigan; Bates, of Pennsylvania, and
| Browning, OF New Jersey
The committee will come to New
York on the presidential yacht May
flower. and after inspecting, the big
plant in Brooklyn will proceed to New
port, Boston and other Eastern cities
TO inspect the government plants at
| those ports.