Semi-weekly herald., 1913-09-01
ARGENTINEs GREAT
EST BATTLE SHIPS

that the biggest bsttleship in the
world was Argentine's super-dread-
nought Rivadavia, which was for a
few days docked at the Brooklyn navy
yard, where the bottom Of the ship
was scraped and some repairs made.
While the ship is one of the big
gest in the world, she cannot be said
to be the biggest, as there are at
present at least three larger battle
ships under construction and as her
sister ship, the Moreno, is identical
in size and equipment with the Riv-
adavia. However the two ships are
bigger than any in the United States
navy, and better equipped for effec-
tive service than any ships that have
been built for South American coun-
tries in the past, or for any other
country as far as that is concerned,
for it was not until little over year
ago that any country attempted to
build ship the size of either of these.
and they will add vest deal of
strength to the already powerful Ar
gentine sea fighting force.
To the layman, figures as applied
to battleships and most other forms
Of mechanical masterpieces, mean
little. But few figures may clarity
a comparison between these giant war;
riors and those of some other nations.
The Rivadaiva and Moreno, neither
of which is quite completed as yet,
each has a displacement of $4,000.
Brazil it at present having battle
ship built which will be named the
"Rio de Janeiro" and which will have
precisely the same displacement. Chile
is building the Constitution" and her
sister ship the "Libertad," whose dis
placement will be 27,5O0 respectively.
England is building ten battleships,
three protected crusiers, and five
battle crusiers at present, and of
these two are to be bigger than the
Argentine ships, namely the Queen
Mary" which will have displace-
ment of 28,s50; and the "Tiger" whose
displacement will be also 28,s5O. These
two, although they like the Argentine
ships are to be sister ships, will not
have the same speed, as is the case
of the former ships. The speed of the
"Queen Mary" will be 2s and that of
the "Tiger" 80. The speed of both
the Rivadaiva and the Moreno is 225.
The United States is building only
six battleships, the largest of which is
smaller than either of the Argentine
ships or the British ships referred
to. The two largest of the American
ships are the Nevada and the Okla
homa, each of which will have dis
placement of 27,000 and speed of
2O.5. Work on the construction of
these was begun only recently.
To Japan must go the honor of be-
ing the builder of the biggest battle
ship under construction. This is the
"Fuso," whose displacement will be
10000. Her speed, however, will be
only %, though this is greater than
the two big American ships. The hull
of this ship was laid in March of
1912. Japan is building two battle
ships at the present time, four battle
crusiers, and three protected cruisers
The armament of the Rivadavia and
the Moreno will consist of IL 12-inch
and IL 6-inch guns apiece. Both are
being built in the United States. The
armament of Brazil's 'Rio de Janeiro"
will consist of IA 12-inch guns and
20 6-inch. Although the hull of this
ship was laid in February 1910, its
construction was greatly delayed by
the modification of the design. 1t
will be 632 feet long and will have an
SO foot beam. Its side armor is to be
nine inches, as will be the case with
the turret armor, and there will be
three armored decks.
To one unfamiliar with projects now
under way in South America, it may
seem that ship the size of the two
now being built will be white ele-
plants on the hands of the naval
authorities of the countries because of
their very size, which would defy ac--
commodation in any but an immensely
large port. But Argentine has a mag
nificent port on the Plata river, and
the construction Of the new port at
Valparaiso will provide harbor facili-
ties for the largest modern ships, In
addition to which 1t will include a
GAS foot breakwater; a 2066 quay
wall; and 800 by 1923 foot jetty; a
656 by 100 coal wharf, which will in
clude cranes, railway, hoist and coal
transports; and other modern facili-
ties. Forty feet will be the depth Of
the new harbor when it is completed.
A NEW MILL FOR sILvERTON.
Silverton Miner.