The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-25
Are RiVitGd On Great Battle
Shi P RivadaVia
And Which Has Been Turned
Over To Argentine

tine Government, for which country the
huge superdreadnought was built. The
transfer was made in Boston Harbor
and was accompanied by ceremonies
customary to such an occasion. Of
fcers of the Argentine navy and a
crew of thousand men have arrived
here to take the vessel to Buenos
Ayres.
An international mystery has sur
rounded the construction of the Riva-
davia and her sister ship, the More
no, now nearing completion at the
yards OF the New York Sbipbuilding
Company, at Camden, N. ]. The two
vessels have been built for the Argen-
tine Republic, but their sale by that
country has been considered almost
certain. Members of the Argentine
Commission now in this city admit
that within the last two months sever
| al European Governments have made
very attractive offers for the Rivada-
via. Owing to the fact that the Riva-
davia has no superior in the world as
| a fighting machine, much speculation
exists as to which nation may eventu-
ally own her.
| The Rivadavia, though built for &
| foreign power, was designed by a
former United States naval officer of
worldwide renown. He Is Francis
r.. Bowles, until recently president of
the Fore River Shipbuilding Com
pany, former head of the Bureau of
Construction and Repair Of the United
States Navy, and an officer of emin-
ent capability.
In the Rivadavia Admiral Bowles
has designed a ship that was the
"last word" in marine fighting ma
chimes at the time her keel was laid
down. There have been no improve
ments made in her style since, al.
though some navies recently have
equipped their ships with heavier
| guns.
The displacement of the Rivadavia
is 27,500 tons, a displacement that
| Is supposed to guarantee steady
boat and insure a high offensive and
| defensive efficiency. Her length is
585 feet breadth, 9S feet, and normal
draft, q feet inches. The super
structure on the upper deck is sup
pressed completely to avoid obstruc-
ton to the arc of fire of the main
guns as well as to reduce the target
surface offered the enemy
The armor protection of the Rlva.
davia is 12 inches thick, 200 feet long
extending feet 9 inches above and
3 feet inches below the normal
water line. This belt Is continued
75 feet more at each end until II
comes abreast the extreme turrets
but its thickness is reduced to 1C
feet. On top of the main belt for lts
whole length of 400 feet there Is Q
inch armor and beyond the central
reduced the armor is inches thicl
forward and 4 inches thick aft
. Below the water line the ship Is
, protected by means of double bot
tom, transverse and Longitudinal
bulkheads, dividing the vessel into
watertight compartments, fitted Will
electrically.driven centrifugal pumps
which can be operated even when the
compartment is entirely flooded Elk
ternaily, in time of war, the Rlyada
I via Will be protected By a steel tor
pedo net which will be held In pac,
30 feet from the ships sides.
! The battery of the RiyRdayia Is
formidable one. She will have ,
dozen 12.inch, 50-caliber guns, mount
ed In pairs In six turrets arranged 81
, that all can be fired on either side
These twelve guns are capable o
3 perforating an armor plate of cement
ed steel of 14-inch thickness at dis
tance of 5000 meters.
AS secondary battery the Rivada
via viii carry twelve 6.inch, 50cali
ber guns, and twelve 4-inch, 50-cali
ber guns, Besides these guns the shil
will carry many small field and salut
ing guns.
Electric power win be supplied tn,
ship by two main stations In duplic
. ate, each fitted with turbo-dynamos
capable OF generating all the powe
required Ia action and located within
the armored easement There Is ais
third installation, operated b.
! heavy oil motors Of sufficient power Il
illuminate the ship and also handl
some of the turrets in practice.
The ship is equipped with twelv
!, screws, being one of the first vessel
completed with Curtis marine tur
bines, to have more than two prope
lers. The builders figure that tn
Riyadiyia will be able to go 1910
s at ll-knot speed, 1900 knots at i5-kuo
speed. and 5000 knots at 22,5-kno
speed