The Cordova daily times., 1919-04-26
LAUNCHING OF BAT'TLESHlP TO
 BECALAEVENT

VALLEJO, Cal, April 26 (by Asso- ciated Press) When the 58 officers and 1922 men to be assigned to the battleship California now in process of construction at the Mare island navy yard near here, take up their quarters on the latest and most for midable of the nations fighting craft of her class, they will find every mod ern convenience provided for their safety and comfort.
 While every known protection will be provided against mine and sub- marine attack, and naval officers con- sider the California will be as nearly impregnable aginst destruction as it is possible to build a ship, the crea- ture comforts of the men will include dental office, barber shop and score of conveniences usually associa- ted with hotels. An electric potato peeler which can handle 1000 pounds
 
 ectric food and meat grinder, electric cake machine with 60 quart capacity and dish washing machine which will handle 1000 dishes an hour will be among the conveniences which will both speed up and tighten the work
 
 Electricity will play an important part on the great battleship for, it's use will be extensive. The main en- zines of the vessel will be electric, the electric generators driven by steam turbines of 2S,000 horsepower, the steam supplied by oil burning water tube boilers. Electricity will handle the ammunition, fire the guns, raise and lower boats and anchors, steer the ship and regulate the ventil- ating blowers.
 The California keel was laid on October 25, 1916 and she soon will be ready to leave the ways. Her sister ship the Tennessee, building at the
 
 New York navy yard, will be launch ed, according to official announcement made by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt, the last of this month or the first of next and the California will not be far behind her.
 Work on the dreadnoughts was aI IIrr~ 10 in order that right of way might be given to vessels more needed and at Mare island this resulted in con centration on destroyer building and the conversion and repair of naval vessels for war purposes.
 Since the signing of the armistice the work on the California has been resumed Her cost when the award was made to Mare island three years ago was placed at $7,413,516. Her dimensions are: Length over all, SPA feet; breadth, 96 feet; depth, AZ feet, 2 inches; mean draft, 30 feet inches; displacemnt at this draft, 32,3OO tons; speed 21 knots for l2 hours; fuel capacity (normaD 1900 tons. Her armament will consist of twelve IA inch, 50 caliber, breech loading rifles, four submerged torpedo tubes, twenty two 5 inch rapid fire guns; four six pounder guns for salut- ing, two one pounder guns for boats, four inch anti-aircrart guns; one 3 inch landing gun and two 30 caliber guns. The 14 inch main battery guns are of exceptionally powerful type and will be mounted in threes in four centerline, heavily armed turrets.
 The California is built with a clip per type of bow instead of the usual ram. She will be fitted with two cage masts bearing fire control platforms for controlling the firing of the guns. She will carry high power motor boats of the hydroplane type. A con- plete carpenter and machine shop, with each machine independently, el- ectrically driven, will be provided. When the keel of the vessel was laid the first rivet was driven by an honorary .riveting gang headed by Senator James D. Phelan as rivet tester.
 The launching of the California, the first battleship ever built in a navy yard on the Pacific coast, will be made gala event. Already Mare island has orders to build another super dreadnought and as soon as the Cali fornia leaves the ways they will be widened so as to accommodate the even larger vessel which is to be con- structed. Later slip for the con- struction of battle cruisers will be built