The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-04-14
NORTH CAROLINA
M|GHT|EST SHIP.
Signature Fighting Craft Now
Being Built at New York
Yards
CANAL LIMITS BEAM
CANAL LIMITS
BEAM
Gigantic Fighting Craft Now
Named After Tar Heel State
Is Larger and Mightier Still
Than Any Before-Tonnage
Greater Than Oregon, In
diana and Massachusetts


By II. $. CARRAWAY.)
New York March 2S.-The keel
Of the new battleship No. 80. a sister
ship OF the Pennsylvania, now under
construction, was laid with fitting
ceremonies at the New York Navy
Yard on Monday afternoon. No
name las officially been selected for
this latest and greatest Of fighting
machines. but it is well understood
that she will be named the North
Carolina, in honor of the native State
OF the present Secretary Of the Navy,
Josephus Daniels. In that case the
name of the armored cruiser North
Carolina will be changed TO Ashe-
Vile, Charlotte, Raleigh or some
other city of the State.
Most Heavily Armed.
The new battle ship will be more
heavily armed than any United States
or European battleship. Were it not
for the limitations OF the Panama
Canal locks the new ship would have
a greater beam. AS it is the vessel
will measure sos feet in length, have
a bean OF 81 feet and a displacement
Of 31,400 tons. She will cost, in
Guiding armor and all equipment, up
wards of $4,000, 000-enough to
build tho Woolworth building, the
tallest building in the world.
Guns Mounted i'm Pairs.
The most striking feature of No.
80, or the North Carolina, as we
may as well call her. will be her tur-
ret arrangement. Hitherto our tur-
ret guns had been mounted in pairs.
In the Wyoming n her class, twelve
12-inch rifles are mounted l. pairs.
The North Carolina will carry an
equal lumber of guns. but they will
be of the 14-inch calibre and will be
carried In four turrets, three guns in
each turret.
We were very proud Of the stout
old Oregon when that vessel came
out. Many then thought that she and
her sister, the indiana and the Masso
chusetts, marked the high level OF
battleship construction. The tonnage
Of the North Carolina Is greater thar
the combined tonnage of that earliel
trio, while her offensive and defensiv,
power is infinitely greater.
DiSplaceS the Texas.
1t is only a year or so ago that tn,
Wyoming and her big sister, the Ar
kansas. came out. They were the
easily the most powerful vessels un
der the American flag. They remain
ed as such until a few months age
when the bigger and more powerful
Texas relegated them to second place
Soon the Pennsylvania and her burl
sister, the North Carolina, will in tur
displace the Texas and her sister, u.
New York. Likewise the two late
constructions. whose plans the Nav
Department il; now preparing, wi
succeed to premier place by virtue c
greater size and power.
And so 1t goes, each generation {
battieship marking a distinct lea
over the one that had gone befor,
The advance in naval constructio
has simply followed in the ~footster
of the merchant marine. where Sci
via have given place to Etrurias TO
W by I.ucanias, Lucanias by Lus
tanias, and Lusitanias by Aquitania
NOtables at Ceremonies.
\ distinguished party of notabl,
led by Assistant Secretary of tt
Navy Franklin d. Roosevelt took pa
in and viewed the ceremonies su
rounding the laying of the keel of IL
North Carolina Monday. In the O
fetal party. besides Mr.. Rooseve
were Senator James A. O'Gorma
Representatives J. p. Maher and w.
liam NJ. Calder and Captain Abe
Gleaves. Commandant of the n G
York Navy Yard. Captain Gleayt
i'm a brief speech. aid
W are here today to witness t
laying of the keel of the forty-fl
battleship OF the United States ma,
We want to make a worlds record
length OF time between the laying
the keel and the launching of Il
ship. Judging by the records of I
navy Edru III the past, with the &C
necticut. the Florida and the y
York, l do not think i, is any exa
geration to say that the North Ca
lima should be ready to slide do,
these ways in ten months from
day.
But you must bear in mind I
to achieve this record it will be nee
sary for all who work on her to
their strength and Energy faithfu
into the work in order that pert