The Washington herald., 1917-04-23
Army and Navy News
Best Service Cslunn IN Clfy.

The utmost precautions against any
cntoward incident have been taken for
the launching Of Uncle Sans newest sea
monster, the DreadDought NeW Mszioo.
which win take place at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard this morning. The custom
ary invitation. the luncheon and other
festivities win be omitted, only naval Of
ncers and Newspaper men being admit
ted to witness the big warship take the
water.
The New Mexico's sponsor WIN Be Miss
Margaret c. De Baca- daughter OF the
governor OF New Mexico, who was se-
lected for the honor by the late Gov.
Mhiam c. Mcdonald. Gov. De Baoa's
predecessor.
The New Mexico Is a sister shIp Of
the Mississippi. recently launched al ths
works OF the Newport News Shipbuild-
ing and Dry Dock Company, and OF the
Idaho. still on the ways at The works
OF the New York ShipbuildinE Company.
Camden, n. J. These vesselA when com
meteo. VIII compare fsyorabIy In sizA
ana both Offensive and defensive power
With any battleship afoat Their prin-
cipal dimensions are as follows:
Length over all GA feet: breadth, ex-
treme' to outside OF arnnor. 81 feet ~
inches; displacement, ZOO tons: mean
draft 30 feet; speed. q knots
The armament carried BY these vessels
VIII be u H-inch guns. 2 5-inch gunN
three-pounders 4 anti-aircrAft guns and
two torpedo tubes.
The New Mexico win be manned by
nfty-six officers and llA men. She viii
burn oil exclusively and will be the frst
battleship built by this or any other na-
uon equipped with the electric drive. This
system OF propulsion has been thoroughly
tried out in service on the collier Jupiter,
Nhere Il has proven extremely sstisfsc-
tory.
The keel Of the New Mexico was LAID
on october u. lslh Although her con-
struction has been materially DELAYED,
que TO difhculty and delays IN obtaining
material and to the scarcity Of skilled
labor, II Is expected 60 finish her within
the thlrty-six months allowed by the con
tract She is now about 81 per cent com
As soon as the New Mexico has been
launched preparations viii iumedistelv
be begun for the laying Of the keel OF
the tennessee, the next battleship TO be
constructed at the New York yard. A
large amount Of the structural material
Tor the Tennessee Is already In the yard
ana considerable progress has been made
In fabricaung this material preparatory
TO commencing the erection
With the plant heavily guar6ed and
only few government officials in at
tendance. the submarine N-6 WAS launch
ed Saturday by the Lake Torpedo Boat
Company, at Bridgeport Conn. Mrs.
John A. Kissick. wife OF an ofhicisl OF
the Lake company, christened the SUB
marine. 49,
James L McGovern. collector OF tbs
port; Lieut. Leonard II. Dyer and Rob
ert Maynicke were present Other Euests
were MAJ Henry A Beebe, commandant
or the troops doing duty here: Capt. Ar
thur c. Bennett and Lieut. Camille Ma
zesu. Of the Fourth Company, Connect
cut Coast Artillery. The entire Fourth
Company OF the Coast Artillery was on
guard about the shipysrd during the
launching.
Commsndsnt William l. Howard an
nounces that the newly constructed sub
marine La the first to be built at the
Portsmouth Navy Yard, will be launched
this morning Mrs. John E. sloane, a
daughter Of Thomas A. Edison. the in
ventor, will act as sponsor for the craft.
Frank +. Eenney, Of Portland. OreE,
has invented a new type Of torpedo, de-
signed 20 travel in the air or through
the water. He is declared TO have recriv-
ed an offer for the device from the Eng
lish government hut refused Il TO give Il
20 the United States government
Tests OF the torpedo have been made at
Pacific Coast naval stations. Il Is de-
clared that when tested. the torpedo.
after travelling more than I'VE miles
through the air. dropped into the water.
rfghted itself. plunged through steel nets
and struck a traget al which Il had been
aimed.