The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1917-04-11
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 fleet 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. It 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 sub
marines.
The fourteen first line dreadnaughts, begin
ring with the fleet flagship Pennsylvania and end
ing with the 16, OOO-ton South Carolina, total in
displacement 339 ,45O tons. In the main batteries
Ct these ships, which make up the four backbone
divisions of the Atlantic fleet, are sixty-four a.
inch guns of the latest types, which hurl projec-
tiles weighing 1,4OO pounds and which, if neces-
sary, could unite in a single broadside salvo Of
14-inch projectiles the combined weight of which
would be 8 $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 a
single broadside, can hurl 5000 pounds Of pro-
~jectiles, each weighing $40 pounds, at an enemy
! feet. 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
Fexact, las ,280 pounds.
The main line batteries of the thirty-four sec
ond line battleships, the total tonnage of which is
20, 585, embrace tWenty-eight 13-inch and sew
enty-six Pinch guns, the former firing projectiles
weighing 1,13O 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 97,76O pounds, or not quite forty-nlne
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
ores, would be 274, $3.50 pounds, or approximately
L67 tons.
Next in fighting strength to the battleships
are the three armored cruisers operating with the
active and reserve Atlantic organizations. Each
IF these vessels mounts a main battery OF four
lO-inch guns, firing projectiles weighing $40
yOunds, and each mounts a secondary battery OF
5ixteen guns of the 6-inch type.
The destroyer force ready for instant service
otals ~fifty-one vessels, of which forty-nine are IN
he main torpedo fotillas and two are attached
0 the submarine division as tenders. The aver
.ge 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 pf0tect the dreadnoughts and Sec
md line battleships from submarine attack in the
went of hostilities, in addition to doing patrol
iuty along the transatlantic ship lanes leading
rom the principal Atlantic ports.
At present the submarine strength of the At
anic 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
ervice, are nine small cruisers, three scouts, and
eighteen gunboats. To reinforce these ships,
which would be a part of the coast patrol, are
scores of private yachts owned by Americans and
he entire fleet of revenue cutters now in Allan
5ic waters, which would add about 100 vessels.
In the event of hostilities the fleet in the At
antic which will thus be Immediately available
or service totals 154 vessels of all types. Revenue
~utters, private yachts, and other craft would add
It least another 100, while supply ships, Golfers,
ammunition ships, and other auxiliaries would
number at least fifty, making total strength OF
he ~sea-going fleet about 800 vessels of all classes.
The man VINO will command this armada is
S Admiral Henry T. Mayo, commander-in-chief of
he Atlantic fleet. Under him and exercising divi-
{ sion commands are Vice Admiral De Witt Coff-
Il man, Rear Admirals Augustus F. Fechtel, T.. S.
e Rogers, Herbert O.. Dunn, and Harry S. Knapp
n command of the reserve divisions is Rear Ad-
niral John Hood, whose division commanders will
into active service. -
n -
BROOMSTICK ARMIES.
II a
Ten thousand Americans are training for wa,
in Brooklyn, and i'll the department of the East
j with broomsticks. n