The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-06-19
Superdreadnaught Arizona
Also Has Sacrificed
Speed to Vitality
TWELVE 14-INCH GUNS
MAKE FORMIDABLE
Great Battleship for U. S.
Navy Was Launched
To-day

Washington, d. c., June l9.-Anothe
the American navy to-day when the su
perdreadnaught Arizona slid into the wa
ter at the New York navy yard. She il
sister ship to the Pennsylvania, recent
ly launched at Newport News, Va, ane
in size and armament one of the largest
and most powerful craft ever built fol-
any navy.
Ships of the line like the Arizona are
built to give AID receive punishment in
sea battles. Their mission has little in
common with that VI the battle cruisers
which have been the largest ships to en-
gage each other during the European
war. Speed is sacrificed in the construc-
ton of the battleships to weight of ar
NOR, and against such ship as the Ari-
IONA with her broadside fire from IL IA
inch guns and protection of more than a
foot of the toughest steel that can be
made around the vessels vital parts like
a wall, battle cruiser would be help
less and must depend on her speed and
seek safety in fight. There are few ships
in any navy fit to cope with the Arizona,
ship to ship
The range of the Arizona's guns is
from IL to Is miles, as they will be set
in her turrets, or as far as her gun
pointers and observers can see in bright
est weather. As previous ships carry
ing the l4-inch guns, the Arizona's main
battery will have a maximum elevation
of nearly 90 degrees. 1t would be pos
sible, it is said, TO almost double that
elevation and add miles to the range OF
the guns; but already they can shoot
and hit farther than it is probable they
would ever be called upon to do.
The Arizona will carry the three.gun
turrets which have been developed by
American naval constructors, her IL big
rifles being housed in four turrets, two
forward and two after. In addition she
will have secondary battery of % five
inch, long grange rifles for defense against
destroyers, torpedo boats and subma-
rines. -Four of the secondary battery
guns, two on 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
Compared to the Arizona the old bat
tleships of the Oregon class are almost
like toys. The new ship could engage
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 add
ton she could steam away from them or
overtake them at pleasure, developing 81 |
knots against their l6 or IL. The re-
markable thing about the great increase
in size and gun power, however, is that
each OF the smaller ships would need as
many or more men than the Arizona,
which will carry complement of 9l5 in
her crew.
The new sea fortress as she took the
water to-day cost more than S70O0000.
That was for hull and machinery alone
The guns and armor will cost as much
more and other equipment necessary to
II her for duty will add another $1,000
400 TO her total cost. She is longer and
wider than any but the newest trans.
Atlantic liners. If it is desired to put
Ter through the Panama canal the locks
md bends in the channel will be taxed
Ilmost TO the limit TO give her passage
way.
The Arizona is the fourth battleship to