The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26

Latest OF the worlds great fighting
craft to 20 into commission, the United
States SUPERINTENDENT New York,
whose equal in size and fighting efil-
cheney anywhere is only found In her
sister ship, the Texas, has hoisted her
flag at the New York Navy Yard. Par
uculariy impressive were the cere-
monies attending her official ~atrsnce
into the United States navy because 1t
took place at n critical time in our re-
lations with Mexico and also because of
the size and impressive appearance of
this mighty lighting machine.
OF equal size and war strength a. the
Texas, which went into commission at
the Norfolk Navy Yard only three weeks
earlier, she Is OF $1,000 tons dispace-
ment and 2S,100 horsepower and car
ries battery of thirty-thrce guns. all
of which are heavier than inch calibre
and ten of which are Ia inch rifles.
This great ship. like the Texas, Is
1000 tons larger even than the SUPER
dreadnought Arkansas, flagship Of the
Atlantic fleet and the latter's sister
ship, the Wyoming, 5.O75 tons larger
only carries twcnty-six guns, and 1000
tons again heavier than the other dread.
noughts. the Delaware and North Da-
kota, each OF which carries but twenty
four guns. The New York IL almost
twice the size IN tonnage Of those mon
stcrs Of the sea the Georgia. the Viz
gina, the Nebraska and the New Jer-
sey each OF which has but twenty-four
guns of heavy calibre.
Should only ten OF the New York's
heaviest guns be discharged against an
enemy al the same time there Is no ves-
sci now on the seas which could with
stand such "A terrific assault, for il is
only fair to assume that her crew will
prove itself as efficient in Workmanship
as did the crew OF that of the other
leviathan the Arkansas. some time ago.
when every shot fired from her turrets
ali fired In less than one minute-hlt
the target many miles away
on tho water line the New York Ia
500 feet long. with a length ten feet
more over all Her beam Is % feet
. inches. Her engines are Of the re-
ciprocating type and are capable Of
using either coal or oil as fuel.
But while the New York and the
Texas divide the honors of maximum
not continue long in these days. When
the Nevada and the oklahoma are COM
pleied. each of 1880 tons. the New
York and the Texas will be compelled
to take second place as superdread-
noughts so far as tonnage is concerned.
hut not in the matter OF horsepower,
for the latter vessels will have but
24.s0o horsepower and only thirty-one
guns each.
They in turn Will he exceeded by the
superintendent Pennsylvania and
what is officially known as battleship No.
80, both now under construction. Their
tonnage Is 81 400 while their Indicated
! horse power Is $4,000. OF guns larger
than inch cal.bre these new ships are
to have thlrty-four. forming the first
battery.
/ VIII battleships even larger be built
/ In the near future? Even United
| States naval constructors themselves
are not willing to express decided
| opinion on this point. When the Ar
kansas and the Wyoming We're designed
II was confidently asserted that no
larger ships would b" built for many
years but IL was not long afterward
that the New York and the Texas were
planned
The New York was constructed BY
the Government AT the New York Navy
Yard and the Texas by the Newport
News Shipbuild!ng Company, and there
was keen rivalry between the build
ers as 10 which vessel would be COM
pleted first. The Texas was 95o per
cent. completed in October last, while
the New York was slightly in excess
OF this. So confident were the CON
structors NJ the New York Navy Yard
that the New York would be ready to go
into commission ahead of the Texas
that they regarded the fact as settled:
but in naval construction as In many
other things In civil as We'll as in Off
cia affairs something happened to de-
lay the final completion OF the New
York with the result that the Texas
was the first to hoist her flag by
margin Of three weeks
on the other hand the New York
thereby gained the advantage or dis
advantage, as one may regard II. OF
being the first dry" ship in the United
States navy. as a result OF the recent
order issued by Secretary of the Navy
Daniels forbidd!ng liquor on board any
ship Of the navy or within the limits
Of a naval reservation. Among the crew
OF more than 600 who form the fight
ing force OF the New York there IL not
one who IA not ardently hoping the
great New York will not prove TO be y
hoodoo ship as a result OF the Secre-
tary'a order