The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-06-29
new SEA FORTRESS
GIVEN LAUNCHING
Superdreadnought Arizona Is
=. Last Word In Fighting
- p Machines ....,

WASHINGTON, June sl9-ADother
fifteen million dollar battleship was
launched for the American navy today
when the superdreadpaught Arizona slid
into the water at the New York navy
yard. She s'a sister to the Pennsyl-
vania, recently launched at Newport
News, and in size and armament one
of the largest and most powerful craft
ever built for any navy.
Ships of the line, like the Arizona,
are built to give and receive punish
ment in sea battles. Their mission has
little in common with that of the battle
cruisers which have been the largest
ships to engage each other during the
European war. Speed is sacrificed in
the construction of the battleships to
weight of armor and against such a
ship as the Arizona with her broadside
fire from twelve l4-inch guns and pro-
lection of more than foot of the
toughest steel that can be made around
the vessel vital parts like a wall,
a battle cruiser would be helpless aud
must depend son her speed and seek
safety In fight. There are few ships
in any navy to cope with the Arizona,
ship to ship. Il
Shoot Remarkable Distance
The rangeiof. the Arizona 3 guns is
from IL to ~ miles a. they win be
set in her turfets, or as far as her gun,
pointers and observers can see in bright
asst weather. As previous ships carry
inc the 14ineh guns, the Arizona 3
main battery win have maximum
elevation Of nearly twenty degrees. II
would be possible, it is said, to almost
double that elevation and, add miles to
the range of the guns; but already
thew can shoot and hit farther it is
probable they would ever be called upon
to do. II SIS
The Arizona will carry the three gun
turrets which have been developed by
American naval constructors, her twelve
big rifles being housed in four turrets,
two forward aud two after. In add
ton she will have q secondary battery
of twenty two 5-inch, long range rifles
for defense against destrOyers. torpedo
boats and submarines, The big guns
can he fred over either broadside and
around the entire circle with the ex-
c"ptiOn Of an are of less than thirty
degrees directly forward for the after
tuTrets and directly astern for the for
ward turrets. Four of the secondary
battery Guns, two each side, are so
placed that they can FIRE three degrees
across the ships bows, taking the place
Of bow chasers of the old wooden ship
days, 1T ~ - - - =
Other chips Like Toys "
Compared to the Arizona the old
battleships of the Oregon class are al,
most like toys. The new ship could
engage a feet of three Of them at the
same time, turning upon each as many
guns as it could bring to bear and her
guns would be bigger and of longer
range. In addition she could steam
away from them or overtake them mt
pleasure, developing 21 knots a ainst
their 10 or II. The remarkable thing
about the great Increase in size and
gun power, however, Is that each of the
smaller ships would need as many OF
more men than the Arizona which will
carry a cOmplewent Of DIS in her crew
The new sea fortress as she took the
water today cost more than seven mil
lion dollars That was for hull and
machinery alone The guns and armoi
ment necessary TO ft her for duty vii
aU" aHok4eT mllllOh 70 ner toIdl COST
She is longer and wider than any but
the newest Transatlantic liners. II
it is desired to put her through thu
Panama canal the locks ami bends il
the channel will be taxed almost Il
the limit to give. her passage way.
! The Arizona is the fourth battleshiJ
to be built in q government yard am
her place on the Ways viii be 'takel
at once by the California, a lar ,er an'
tnster but similarly armed ship.