The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-04-23
MEN ON FLAGSHIP
PUBLISH A BOOK
Annual of the Super.Dread-
nought Arkansas Gives Pic
ture of Life AfI0at.

To the enlisted men OF the super
dreadnought Arkansas. flagship of the
First division OF the Atlantic fleet,
goes the honor of producing the first
of the navy's ANIMALS, a beautifully
illustrated book which would reflect
credit on the students OF any college
IN the land. The contributors are the
600 bluejackets and marines who
lake up the enlisted personnel Of the
-reat flagship. and any body who reads
the book can be sure OF getting a good
insight into the life that the men be-
hind the guns live when afloat.
The Arkansas is. in the opinion OF
her sailors. the creates. battleship that
sails the seas. This fact should be re-
membered in reading the excerpts from
THE Annual of the Ark" that are to
follow. The Arkansas went into COM
mission on September II. 1912. and on
that day Capt. Roy c. Smith. then as
now, her commanding officer. sent
telegram to the governor OF Arkansas
telling him how proud the officers and
men of the Arkansas were OF their
ship and of the State whose name sne
honors.
Notified Governor of Arkansas.
1T must have been with touch OF
pride" the Annual of the Ark says
that our commanding officer sent that
telegram to the governor Of Arkansas
The commissioning Of the greatest OF
battleships was a memorable event.
Never before in the history OF our
great navy has a ship slid Into the
active list of Uncle Sans fighting craft
with such deliberate ease. At p. m.
September II, 1912, the commission pen
nant was hU!sted, and at 2:3o p. m.
the same day almost q thousand souls
were settled and established in their
new home. 1t was easy to predict tnat,
from the exDresstors Of earnestness ana
sincerity on the thousand faces that
day. startling records were to be made.
49,. ,.S ~xIuer.uI sIa.. "a ..is $50
was to deliver the goods.
Records began to develop before the
first mornings were loosened; stores
were taken on board, and the great
ship was ready for sea in less than
forty-eight hours. She moved down the
Delaware and UP to New York without
a pilot. Then the glorious debut Inc
Arkansas was famous In few days:
She was hera,ded as the greatest of
all the dreadnoughts. In her nrst year
she was chosen for special duties. such
as taking President Taft to and from
Panama, and the special escort OF the
UdlllCsiip OSo
ing Brazirs foreign minister, DIR. Null |
THE spirit which dominates her has |
been displayed often, even during her 1
less than four months with the fleet
when she made ALA knots. excelling
her designed speed of 2o.5 knots; |
when a record. never before equalcd. |
was esta blished by taking on hs7 tons
of coal in one hour. when getting out |
six shcts, making six hits from NO. |
~ a t,Nr rn q n
ing the worlds record and again In
giving a ships ball and smoker that
few rival and all look up to.
Then follows the story OF how the |
Arkansas broke the coaling record in
August Of last year when she took on
board 5s7 tons of coal in a single
hour: the narrative Of her splendid
speed guns when off Rockland. Me-,
she steamed at q speed of nearly %
knots an hour, almost two full knots |
greater than the speed reuirements |
designated in the building contract.
The stcry Of how the men OF No.
of the six big 12-inch turrets broke |
the worlds record at target practice
and here 1t Is as told in the Annual
of the Ark -
Made Target Record.
These men. led by Lieut.. J. Howard |
Ingram and c. T. C. Miller. made a |
new worlds record of getting out six |
shots. making six hits in 81 seconds. |
on their second run over the range in |
elementary target practice. On the |
first run they put out six shots and |
six hits in / minute and % seconds.
The success of this turret Is glow |
ing reflection Of credit on every one |
concerned, but particularly so on Lieu |
tenant Ingram. A record. such as this |
one mnde for the speedy and efficient |
Of a turret. supersedes all ,
other successes: for the battle efficiency !
Of ship Is determined by such grand !
work. and It Is needless to say that 1
not only from No. 4, but from every one !
Of the Ark's six turrets was this ships ,
high standard Of efficiency well demon !
strated when our heavy guns made Sc
per cent hits.
The annual also tells all about the
athletic prowess of the sailors of the |
Arkansas. Her baseball team won
eight games and lost one In the New |
port series, her football team was one |
of the best in the navy. and her bas- !
ketbalI team won the championship |
of the dreadnought division of the |
Atlantic fleet. Likewise the ship boasts |
q fine track team, and in her crew are