The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-02-13
LESSONS
IN new Vessel
Supefdreadnaught California Is
Nearly lmpregnable To Mines
and Torpedoes

DNop'Oo peihR I'm clcCt1cai mh w,
the new superdreadnought CALIFORNIA;
will be as near impregnable 70 mine
and torpedo attacks as Il is possible
TO make a modern warship. The armor
and other projection against these
weapons have been worked out in care.
ful study Of naval engagements in the
present European war.
For some time before the plans for
the California were made the Navy de.
psrtment experts satisfied themselves
by exhaustive tests that vessels OF
the proposed construction could not be
sunk either by striking mine or tor
pedo attack. II is understood that the
construction of the bulkheadg by an
improved method Ia. mainly relied upon
10 make the vessel impervious to tor.
pedo and mine destruction. They are
ia be Of steel, but will not be rigid as
Is the case in other, ships Also TO
sistance has been increased twenty-five
to thirty per cent.
Arrangement Unique
The main engines will be elec
trio, the electric generators being
driven by steam turbines Of $4,000
horse power, the steam supplied by
oil-burnihg water.tube boilers. Not
only the type of the machinery in
stallation but its arrangement is said
TO be entirely different from any ever
adopted for any previous warship.
Che win be fitted with two cage
masts bearing 6re-control platforms foI
controlling the fire of the guns, SINH
lar to the familiar type designed by
American constructors and now fitted
on all battleships of the United States
Navy. Another feature of her appear
ance that immediately attracts atten.
tion is the clipper type Of bow instead
of the conventional ram.
The use Of electricity throughout the
vessel will be most extended. In ad.
dition to the main propelling engines OF
the ship, the handling of the ammuni.
ton and firing Of the guns win be done
by electricity, boats will be hoisted in
and out, anchors raised, the vessel
steered, and yentilating blowers oper.
ated by electricity.
Other minor machines driven by elec.
trieity will be potato peeling, which il
performed in a separate compartment
the machine having capacity of 1000
pounds per hour, ice cream freezing
complete laundry, installation, printing
machinery, food and meat grinder
kitchen and cake machine of sixty
quart capacity, dough mixer Of two bar.
rels per hour, and dishwashing ma
shine that will handle 1000 dishes PEI
hour.
oharacteristics a.
The principal characteristics Of the
California are as follows:
Length over all, 624 feet. /
Breadth, 90 feet. t.l .
Depth, AZ feet 9 inches. .
Mean draft, 80 feet 8 inches.
Displacement Cat this draft,) $4,000
tons. rHjf,, 3#.a ,,, H..
Speed, 81 knots (twelve hours.)
Fuel-oil capacity (norma1,) 1000 tons
Armament:
Twelve l4-ineh 6o-calibsr breech
loading rifles.
Four submerged torpedo tubes.
Twenty-Five 5-inch rapid.fre guns.
-Four 6-popnder guns for saluting.
Two 1Ipounder guns for boats.
-Four 3;inch anti-aireraft guns.
One 3-inch landing gun.
Two 3Q-caliber machine guns,
The l4-ineh main battery guns are OF
an exceptionally powerful type and will
be mounted in threes, in four center
line, heavily-armored turrcts.
The complement of tho vessel is fifty
sight officers and 1929 men. Every
convenience necessary for the health
and comfort of officers and crew ha,
been carefully thought out in this ship
The name California previously
was borne by an armed cruiser Of the
Pacific feet, rechristened the Sar
Diego when her former name was as
signed-to the new battleship. The Sar
Diego now is the flagship of the Pacific
aeet. II is probable the California
when placed in, commission, will take
her place. 49,. -.