The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-19
ARIZONA GAN SHOOT
 BY GUNS IA MILES

washington, June 1S-Another fi9- teen million dollar battleship was launched for the American navy to- day when the superdreadnaught Ari- zona slid into the water at the New York navy yard. She is a. sister ship to the Pennsy1Vania, recently launch ed 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 battIeships to weight of arnor and against such a. ship as the Arizona with her broadside fire from twelve 14-inch guns and protection ofs more than a foot of the toughest steel that can be made around the ves- sells vital parts like a, wall, battle cruiser would be helpless and must depend on her speed and seek safety in flight. There are few ships in any navy fit to cope with the Arizona, ship to ship.
 The range of the Artzona's guns is from 12 to 13 miles as they will be set in her turrets. or as far as her gun-pointers and observers can see in
  carrying the 14-inch guns, the Ari- zona's main battery will have a, max inum elevation of nearly twenty de- grees. It would be possible, 1t is said, to almost double that elevation and add miles to the range of the guns; but already they can shoot and hit father than it is probable they will ever be called upon to do.
 The Arizona will carry the gun tur- rets which have been developed by American naval constructors, her big rifles being housed in four tur- rets, two forward and two after. In addition she will have g. secondary battery of twenty-two 5-inch, long range rifles for defense against de- stroyers, torpedo boats and subn1a- rines. The big guns can be fired over either broadside and around the en- tire circle with the exception of an arc of less than thirty degrees di- rectly forward for the after tuTre and directly astern for the forward turrets. Four of the secondary bat tery guns, two on each side, are so. placed that they can fire three de- grees across the, ships bow. taking the place of bow chasers of the old wooden ship days.
 Compared to the r1zonas the old bat t1eships of the Oregon class are al- most like toys. The new ship could engage as fleet of three of them at$tae 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 at pleasure, deveiopinge21 knots against their 16 or IT, The remark able thing about the great increase in size and gun power, however, is that each of the small ships would need as many or more men than. the Arizona which will carry a, conp1e- ment of 915 in her crew.
 The new sea fortress she took the water today cost more than sew en million dollars. That was for null and machinery alone. The guns and arnor will cost as much more and other equipment necessity to fit her for duty will add another million to her total cost. She is longer and wider than any but the newest trans Atlantic liners. If it is desired to put her through the Panama canal the locks and bends in thee hanne1 will be taxed almost to the limit to give her passage way
 The Arizona is the fourth battleship to be built in a government yard and her place on the ways will be taken at once by the California, a larger and faster hut similarly armed shin