The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-06
NAVY'S 4 GREATEST
SHIPS READY IN 1916
New First Line Exccls Total
L.. s. Sea Power in
Civil War.
FIVE OTHERS TO FOLLOW

WASHINGTON. Dec. 5-A complete rev,
division OF d~rcadnoughts, consisting o.
four OF tho largest and most powerful
battleships In the world, costing aho1,
sec, o0O, 900, will be added to the United
States navy within tho next twelve
months. These new vessels, the Ncttd,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Al 1ua
nov nearing completion and to~tAlII,r
gross tonnage of more than Hanna
represent the last word in A,npric4,
naval construction up 10 the pre.cI,
time, although plans drawn for five 9th.
dreadnoughts already authorized call f..
even greater measurements and rch,.r.
mower. These vessels will have "a con.
blned defensive and offensive stie7.,F
greater than the entire American navy
at the time of the civil war. Mount IA,
heavy ~ inch guns, ten and Twelve Ia ,
ship. each with a range OF about nftc.
miles and carrying large secondary hs,.
teries OF smaller guns. with four torpelo
tuies each, the new vessels are esnec.aJ
to take the place of the present frs, d..
vision as soon as all four are In commits.
sion.
The Nevada. first Of the quartet ,o
be completed, has successfully made he
trials and Is now having her engine.
cleaned and certain alterations mad.
that were suggested nv the trials Sh.
will be put In commission about lan
uary 16 and be commanded hv Cap,
w. S. Sims. whose place ~ head ~
the destroyer flotilla has been taken H.
Rear Admiral Gleaves.
The Oklahoma. II Is expected. viii,
be completed In time TO join tine Zee,
next Spring. She Is to be commanded
by Capt. Roger welles. lately commau.
dant OF the naval training station ~
Newport. The Pennsylvania. flagship
of the feet. Is TO be completed by June
or July. Pending her commission the
Wyoming will continue "a Admiral
F~1etcher's flagship. No commander has
been selected for the PENNSYLVANIA
Five months later, Navy p%epArtmeat
officials expect. tho Arizona also vii,
be with the fleet. The selection OF her
commander still Is to be made.
Tho addition of these four vesst,.
will cause the Texas and New YORK 10
be moved back from the nrst to IN.
second division, as also Will ne the cas-.
with tho Wyoming and Arka nsas, al.
though there a been some talk Of add
ing a fifth unit. making FIVE instead o.,
our new dreadnoughts.
INV 10 ~ ~ 'FVIL gu
through squadron man1uvres off tr.
| Atlantic coast, returning for Week ends
to Hampton Roads. ON December %.
tho third and a part OF the second DIV
sions will go to Charleston for the annua
meeting OF the Southern CoTanercia
Congress. In the meantime the rest g.
the fleet II to continue squadron 0-a
tice and or or about December 20 a
the ships will return to their respect =
home yards for the Christmas holiday
Early in January The entire fee. W
go to Guantanamo, Cuba, FOR win,
man9uvres and target drills. TIE
Nevada is expected to Join tho fs
there.
The Navy Department received a -
port from the commander Of tee cri.s,
Des Moine at Jana, Syria. tlss afte
noon saying that IN December : o..
Dies Moine and the collier Cesar We >
caught in a terrific gale as a resul, ~
which each ship lost an anchor. IT,
Dies Moine also lost a steam launch aaG
both suffered other damage. No Ives
were lost