Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-08
IDAHO MIGHTEST
OF BATTLESHIPS
Dreadnought Just Finished
Here Alone Could Sink
Big Armada
GREAT GUNS INNINCIBLE
Main Batteries Could Send
Shells Crashing Into Enemy
Ships Is Miles Away

Delaware. Wyoming. Arkansas. Okla
homa and North Dakota are considered
frst-class fighting ships. only few
years ago they were launched and
America acclaimed them the last word
IN warship construction and the best
ships afioat, but II that entire grand
feet met tie Idaho. tncle Sans latest
fighting craft. and gave battle there
would be nothing left of them except
wreckage and a few surviving sailors.
The Idaho, with its great guns, could
steam in circle and sink the entire
feet without getting so much as n
scratch. for not gun aboard any OF
the so-called crack dreadnoughts could
land shell on the giant fighting craft
that goes into commission next wednes-
day or Thursday.
So far as the older lighting ships are
concerned--those launched ten years or
more ago---the Idaho could give battle
to all Of them.
Strategy Unchanged
Naval strategy s just the same today
as in the days Of John Paul Jones.
Briefly, II is the trick of hitting the enc
my with the greatest amount Of shells
before he hits you. The Idaho fills the
bill. for not only has the craft been fitted
with the longest range guns in the
world. but her great speed, more than
twenty-five miles an hour. permits her
to stay out of the range of any battle
ship afoat.
Says Captain G. r. NoRelgesang. COM
mander OF the ship: "The Idaho ts the
greatest fighting machine In the world.
There Is not u ship In our navy or any
other navy that can touch her. The
average first -cIass battleship can he sunk
by tho guns of the Idaho Mt q distance
+ Of tweI.. ---...s and lighter craft sent to
tho bottom nj distance OF htecn miles"
As he stood on the bridge OF this won
der ship Captain NogelgesanE watched
an army OF workers make final adjust
ments of electrical signal and steering
! apparatus.
Don't forget that this fine lady was
| built and equipped in Philadelphia he
said. ITO be technical I might say
Camden. but the two cities are virtually
one. so we won't haggle over such nice
! ties. It is an achievement, though. that
/ is worthy of n great city. and Phlladel-
| phia has cause for boasting when this
warship steams down the Delaware
Going to Navy Yard
The Idaho is now at the Camden yard
| OF the New York Shipbuilding Company
pIant. hut VII steam across the river
| next Tuesday, and on Wednesday or
! Thursday will be placed in commission
at the navy yard. Because Of the ships
/ size and power the event is to assume
unusual dignity and significance.
! Then the ship will proceed to New
, York and, after taking on more machin-
! cry, will start on her maiden cruise. The
/ crew of 400 men is being assembled at
| the navy yard and Will be aboard the
! craft by Monday night.
! There are other navy ships. but
lust one Idaho, and. view the craft from
any angle you wish, it Is Impossible to
describe her without drawing on your
store of adjectives. AS skipper Nogel-
pesang puts it. "The Idaho Is tho big
/ gest. mightiest and grandest ship that
| floats"
s,der that the Idaho mounts twelve four
| teen inch guns. These are arranged in
| four turrets of three guns each. Two
turrats are forward and two aft, but
thase are so arranged that the entire
battery can be fired at one time,
what these great guns are capable OF
doing can be drawn from the work Of
our navy guns in France
Power of Guns
They had a range of more than thirty
miles The Idaho shooters are of SINH
lar proportions, but of shorter range.
zach gun hurls 15o0-pound projectile
through the air at the rate of $500 feet
ner second, and is capable of firing three
shots every minute. The entire battery
Of fourteen-inch guns can hurl $4,000
mounds OF metal at one time and do 1t
three times each minute.
To supplement the big guns the craft
has fourteen five-nch guns and four big
anttaircraft guns. Then there are a
number of small six-pounders and rapid
frers.
The sister ships of this craft the New
Mexico and Mississippi are now in COM
mission, but neither approaches the
Idaho in power.
"Our naval experts who were attached
TO the war fleet in European waters
said the captain of the Idaho. gained
/ n fund of valuable knowledge concerning
battleships, and this knowledge has been
utilized in the Quitting Of the ship.
Many changes have been authorized to
meet the demands of the naval experts
and among them the arrangement of the
lighter guns.
operating in heavy weather makes
the handling of ships secondary bat
tery very difficult, but difficulties have
been eliminated on this ship. The five
inch guns have been placed so high
above the water that they can be oper.
ated regardless of weather conditions
That will give the ship a distinct ad'
vantage"
Most notable Of all the newer features
is the system OF controlling the torpedo
tubes, but the details cannot be given
IN l.. al nf Lii ura, MD a