The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-04-10
NAVY READY FOR ORDERS.

Naval officers are waiting for orders to mob
ilize, and as soon as they are received the fleet
in the Atlantic will be increased by all the reserve
battleships and many vessels of other types, in
Guiding a large feet of auxiliaries, the latter rang
ing in size from the motor boat submarine chaser
to the finest of private steam yachts, such as J.
p. Morgan's Corsair, Vincent Astor's Mona, and
scores of other noted pleasure craft.
The force which will be called into active SER
vice upon mobilization amounts to about 10000
tons. 1t includes fourteen battleships of the
dreadnaught type, thirty-two second line battle
ships, three armored cruisers, three scout cruis-
ers, ffty-one destroyers, and six division of SUD-
marines.
! The fourteen first line dreadnaughts, begin
ming with the fleet flagship Pennsylvania and end
ing with the 16, 0OO-ton South Carolina, total in
displacement 339, 450 tons. In the main batteries
of these ships, which make up the four backbone
divisions of the Atlantic -1eet, are sixty-four a.
inch guns of the latest types, which hurl proiec-
tiles weighing 1,400 pounds and which, if neces-
sary, could unite in single broadside salvo Of
l4-inch projectiles the combined weight of which
would be $4,000 pounds.
In addition to these 14-inch batteries there is
also in the first line squadrons the same number
Of guns of the 12-inch type, which, firing in e
single broadside, can hurl $500 pounds Of pro-
~iectiles, each weighing $40 pounds, at an enemy
fleet. This gives to the first line ships a broadside
fire in which the :projectiles total in weight, per
broadside, more than seventy-two tons, or, to be
exact, 145,280 pounds.
The main line batteries of the thirty-four sec
ond line battleships, the total tonnage of which is
329,585, embrace twenty-eight 13-inch and sew
enty-six 12-inch guns, the former firing projectiles
weighing 1,130 pounds and the latter $40 pounds.
The 13-inch broadside weight is therefore 3D.
$40 pounds, or a little more than fifteen tons, while
the weight of the 12-inch broadside in this second
line totals 97,760 pounds, or not quite forty-nine
tons. If all the big guns in both the first and Sec
ond line divisions were fired at the same time, the
total weight of projectiles, of the three major cali
bres, would be 274,O 80 pounds, or approximately
1877 tons.
Next in fighting strength to the battleships
are the three armored cruisers operating with the
active and reserve Atlantic organizations. Each
of these vessels mounts a main battery Of four
lO-inch guns, firing projectiles weighing SIC
pounds, and each mounts a secondary battery OF
sixteen guns of the 6-inch type.
The destroyer force ready for instant service
totals ~ffty-one vessels, of which forty-nine are in
he main torpedo hotillas and two are attached
70 the submarine division as tenders. The aver
age battery consists of four 4-inch, or an equal
lumber of 3-inch, guns and four torpedo tubes.
Each destroyer is manned by about 100 off,
GERS and men. These are the ships which will
be relied upon to protect the dreadnoughts and Sec
ond line battleships from submarine attack in the
event of hostilities, in addition to doing patrol
duty along the transatlantic ship lanes leading
from the principal Atlantic ports.
At present the submarine strength of the At
lanic fleet totals twenty-four vessels, but in the
event of war another division Of new Il" boats
could be made ready for service in a few weeks.
Also in commission, or ready to be called into
service, are nine small cruisers, three scouts, and
eighteen gunboats. To reinforce these ships,
which would be a part of the coast patrol, arc
l~.scores of private yachts owned by Americans and
the entire fleet of revenue cutters now in Allan
tic waters, which would add about 100 vessels.
In the event of hostilities the feet in the At.
|lantic which will thus be Immediately available
for service totals 154 vessels of all types. Revenue
cutters, private yachts, and other craft would ado
at least another 100, while supply ships, Golfers
ammunition ships, and other auxiliaries would
number at least fifty, making total strength Of
the sea-going fleet about 300 vessels of all classes
The man who will command this armada is
Admiral Henry T.. Mayo, commander-in-chie oil
the Atlantic fleet. Under him and exercising divi
sion commands are Vice Admiral De Witt Coff,
man, Rear Admirals Augustus F. Fechtel, I. S
Rogers, Herbert o. Dunn, and Harry S. Knapp
In command Of the reserve divisions is Rear AID
niral John Hood, whose division commanders viii
be appointed Immediately when that force is called
into active service.
nnh
BROOMSTICK ARMIES.
n.nA
Ten thousand Americans are training for wal
lin Brooklyn, and III the department Of the East