The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-16
|M|CHT|EST
FIGHTING SHIP
IN THE WORLD
THE PENNSYLVANIA lAONCheO
TO-DAY TAKES HER PLACE IN
THE LEAD OF ALL THE NAVlES
OF THE WORLD.

When the new Super-dreadnauShtl
Pennsylvania slipped from the ways
into the historic waters of Hampton
Roads here today, she took her place
in the lead of the navies of the world
as the mightiest fighting machine
afloat.
, In size and gun power the Pennsyl-
vania is greater even than the Queen
Elizabeth of the British navy, which
led the recent terrific assault OF the
allies on the forts of the DardaneIIeS'
While the British monster carries
larger guns, her main battery is only
two-thirds the size of that OF the
PENNSYLVANIA in number and the
American battleship is 5000 tons
greater in size.
The main battery of the Pennsylva-
MIA will consist of twelve Finch, 45-
calibre rifles, set in four turrets, three
guns to a turret the plan of big gun
ARRANGEMENT adopted in the sister
ships which preceded here, the Nevada
and Oklahoma. Her tonnage measure
ment is 31.4OO against 27500 for the
Nevada and Oklahoma and the Queen
Elizabeth The latter, however car
ries eight 15-inch rifles, As calbre, set
two to a turret, while the Nevada and
Oklahoma have ten 14-inch rifles each
in two 3-gun and two 2-gun turrets.
In all theses hips, including the Penn
sylvania, the turrets are all on the
center line to concentrate their fire
on either broadside.
Five battleships of the British navy
yet to be launched, will have less ton
mage than the Pennsylvania, the ships
of the Royal Sovereign class being of
24,50O tons displacement, and none
will equal the Pennsylvania in arma-
ment Each is designed to carry
eight 15-inch guns.
Details of four other British battle
ships, already authorized, are not
known here officially.
Five ships of the Japanese navy, es-
timated for in 1914 and known as the
Fuso class, will not equal the Penn
sylvania in tonnage with their dis
placement of 10000 tons, but will car
ry the same main battery of twelve
14-inch rifles They will exceed the
Pennsylvania in speed, estimates call
ing for 22 knots against q knots for
the Pennsylvania.
The 1914 estimates for the German
navy call for three ships of the Kai-
ser Friedrich III class, with a dis
placement of $4,000 tons, and carry
ing eight 15-inch rifles.
The British ships of the Queen
Elizabeth class greatly exceed those
of any other navy in speed, require
ments calling for 25 knots an hour,
while the Royal Sovereign class will
make at least 225 knots.
Since the outbreak of the war de-
tails as to foreign naval programs
have been jealousy guarded and it is
probable that Great Britain, Germany
and France have laid down many YES
sells of which no report has been
made So far as is known, however,
no vessels have been planned which
will exceed in size the three American
ships of the California class, work on
which has barely started.
These will have a displacement of
80 900 tons each and armament equal
to that of the Pennsylvania.
The cruising radius of the Pennsyl-
vania will be considerably increased
| by the fact that she will be equipped
| for oil fuel exclusively and will have
capacity of 1922 tons of fuel oil.
.. The Queen Elizabeth has a capacity
, of 1000 tons of oil because of her
high speed requirements.
From her enormous main battery
the Pennsylvania will be able to hurl,
! with the pressure of single firing
! lever, 71a tons of steel on either broad
side. In addition she will carry a Sec
ondary battery of twenty-five 5-inch
rifles for defense against torpedo
boats. She will be fitted also with four
submerged 21-inch torpedo tubes and