Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-19
DREADNOUGHT ARIZONA
GDES DOWN WAYS
INTO THE EAST RIVER
Worlds Greatest Sea
Fig ter Successfully
Launched at Brooklyn
Navy Yard Before Vast
Crowd of 0nlookers.

NEW YORK, June 1o.-The superdread
nouEht Arizona. the most powerful bat
tleship In the world, was successfully
launched this afternoon at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard She took the water at LII
o'clock.
The launching and christening Of the
Arizona passed of without Incident
While 1900 persons IN and around the
navy yard and thousands upon the Brook
lyn and Manhattan bridges and other
points OF vantage cheered. and the Brook
lyn Navy Yard marine band crashed out
martial music, the giant man-of-war slid
down the ways and plunged into the
waters OF East River
Although Governor Hunt or Arizona
had brought jug Of the first water that
rppied over Roosevelt dam for the christ
enlng 1t was not used. Miss Esther Ross
Of Prescott, called the prettiest girl in
Arizona" smashed a bottle OF champagne
against the hull as she exclaimed:
II christen thee Arizona"
A prayer was delivered by Bishop At
wood, of the Episcopal Diocese Of Ari-
sona.
Among those on the stand were secre-
tary of the Navy Daniels, Rear Admiral
Usher. commandant OF the Brooklyn
Navy Yard and Mayor Mitchell.
Secretary Daniels In an address preced-
Ing the launching asserted that the Ari-
Eona was the fourth ship to be con-
structed at the Brooklyn yard and de-
clared every navy yard should be able
to build the country's naval craft. Ho
added:
THE backbone of the navy stin is the
powerful dreadnought that can keep the
seas In any weather and which, with its
great armament of powerful guns and
secondary batteries, and with protection
against submarine torpedo can concen-
trate its power.
we viii. II we are wise. make every
navy yard capable of constructing our |
naval craft Two years ago we could |
build only in one yard on the Atlantic |
and one yard on the Pacific coast In |
q time of national crisis this capacity |
of all our navy yards to do actual con- |
struction as well as repair work would |
be OF inestimable value" The Secretary
declared that while dreadnoughts are to
be constructed at the Brooklyn yard a
destroyer and Golfers are being built at
the Mare Island yard and the largest
transport ever authorized by Congress is
about to be constructed at League Island,
philadelphia. Its keel being laid today.
Al the Boston yard. he said, a supply
ship is under construction and sub
marines are to be built at Portsmouth
N. II. He added that the II battleships
now under construction or just completed
make "a very credible showing" for the
American navy for one year.
After the launching Secretary Daniels
ana other notables were guests at
luncheon at the navy yard.
ARIZONA SPEEDILY BUILT
The Arizona is a great triumph for Rear
Admiral Nathaniel r. Usher head of the
Brooklyn navy yard and his subordinate
directors. She was built in 10 months
DR. three months less time than the prI-
'ately built Pennsylvania. On the ways
1n which the Arizona was constructed tho
California will be begun at once. The
California will be the first electrically
iriven battleship in the world, which will
be thousand tons larger than the craft
launched today.
The Arizona, In the opinion of secre-
AIRY Daniels, could meet and vanquish
he Queen Elizabeth. the best ship in tho
British navy.
She will be able to throw from her 70
4-inch rifles broadsides of $500 pounds
! distance OF 20 miles, and engage in ef-
ective target practice at IL miles
She Will displace 3l,4O0 tons light and
more than $1,000 tons when fully equipped
md manned. The nearest approach 10
uch tonnage is made by the four new !
Ireadnoughts being turned out for Ger
many and the four under construction Cor I
apan. These ships dlsplace about 10000 L
rms.
On the water line she will measure 500
eet and will have an overall length ~ G
lS feet. Her beam is 97Ia feet and her :
1ean draft almost 20 feet. She will have
We decks, with a bridge and two pIat-
orms. There are "a main traverse water
ght compartments and about 400 com n
artments in all She will develop about v
1000 horsepower and make almost % Il
nots q