The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-17
BOYS LAY KEEL OF
! NEW DREADNOUGHT
Overalled Youngsters Fasten
First Plates of No. 80
at Brooklyn Yard.
RECORD MAY BE BROKEN
COmmandant Hopes for Launch
ing Within 10 Months
F. d. Roosevelt Present.

Two small boys, clad In workmaniIke
Overails and three other youngsters.
wearing the blouse and bell mouthed
trousers OF man % -warsmln. clambersd
UP yesterday into the great framework In
a corner OF the Brooklyn navy yard. where
the New York, greatest OF the navy's
present nghting ships, was born, and
slipped stay bolts into the first two keel
plates to be laid down for new super
dreadnought that has only a number as
yet in place OF a name. This great ship
to-be. now "battleship No. 49," and her
sister ship, the Pennsylvania, which the
Newport News company is finishing. will
be the most formidable OF the worlds sea
fighters.
Usually they don't make much fuss over
the birth OF a battleship. all the ceremony
being reserved for her christening day.
But Uncle Sam Is mighty proud OF the
men who proved that the navy can build
It's own ships by turning out the New
York In record time. and so yesterday
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Franklin
d. Roosevelt came up from Washington
to see the big travelling cranes swing the
first section Of "No. 39's" vertebre into
place. with him came Senator James A.
O0orman and Congrt William NJ
Calder and James =. Maher. They were
received by Capt. Albert Gleaves. COM
mandant Of the yard, and his stan.
Long before the guns OF the receiving
snip Washington announced the arrival
Of the Assistant Secretary the crowd had
gathered about the ways where the new
ship 10 to be built. Every officer and
biuejacket of duty in the yard was on
hand, and there were enough women
present to make striking display Of
spring nnery.
Naval Constructor Robert stocker gavo
NJ nal ha Nat ha nHia lbs
as easily as a woman Yields the sugar
tongs picked up the keel plates and
dropped them easily in place. the small
boys in overalls slipped In the bolts and
mo. 80" had begun TO grow. Secretary
Roosevelt, the Congress delegation and
the naval officers barred their heads, tho
navy yard band played THE Star Span
gled Banner and the first part OF the
ceremony was ended.
Hut before the workmen clustered about
and began work on the other plates
there was q short speech by Conmandant
0leaves and another ceremony. which the
workmen and sailors regarded as most
important OF all.
Said the commandant: "If the time In
which Naval Constructor Bailey Is finish
ing the New York is any criterion we
may expect this battleshlp to be ready
for launching within ten months.
great advantage to he enjoyed in the
construction OF the new ship will be the
cooperation of the same workmen who
are jus. now finishing the battleshlp New
York. There are 900 more o. these
expert workmen who within few days
now will be steadily pushing upward the
work from this keel to the main deck.
The New York will have taken thirteen
months tho Connecticut took seventeen
months and In the construction OF NO.
80 ! think we shall find that record
will have been established for quick
work"
Then the Official party climbed down
from the anidships section OF the frame.
work and went up TO the head of the
ways where the ships bow will stand
when she Is ready for launching. The
band struck up a uulckstep and the work
men hammered silver nails into a silver
the building ship.
The boys who gave the new dread
nouRht her start are w T. Burd. son of
Capt j. f. Burd. chief engineer Of the
yard r. NJ. Stockor and Jesse j. Stocker.
sons OF Naval Constructor Stocker: W. r
Cluverius. Jr.. grandson OF Rear Adj
mirai Sampson william Williams. Jr..
son OF Naval Constructor Williams. and
J. f. Bailey. Jr, son of Naval Con-
structor Bailey.
Beneath the silver horseshoe at the
head OF the ways Is sign which saws
~. g. d. Battleship. No. 80. Keel laid
March l6, 1914. Length, COS feet
breadth. 81 feet Y inch displacement.
inches.
mo. 49," so the gossip about the yard
goes, will probably be christened the
North Carolina, although both New Mex
leo and Arizona would appreciate the
honor Of naming her.