South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-23
LAUNCH ELECTRIC
DREADNAUGHT At
VALLEJO DOCKS
CteateSt BattIeShip AfIoat
Represents Ultimate in
Naval Warfare.

VALLEJO. Calf. Nov. 22.-The
third electrically-driv superdread-
nought was added to the United
states navy afoat today when the
California vas launched at the
Mare Island navy yard here. In
the use OF electricity as a means
OF propulsion, the new fighting ship
follows the example set IN the build
ing OF the New Mexico and
Tennessee.
The California is expected TO cost
more than 100000 and will
carry II 14-inch guns Besides
being electrically driven, the new
warship will Do electrically operated
from her guns 70 her participating
machine.
As the great craft slid into the
water she was cheered by Gov. VIII
liam d. stephens OF California, his
daughter. Mrs. Randolph T. Zane,
who sponsored the war vessel and
thousands OF spectators. While her
berth was still warm the keel OF
great companion superdreadnought,
the Montana. was laid within il.
Greatest Ship.
Designed by master minds sharp
ened by the urge of war. the Cali
fornia represents the ultimate in
fitness. Bulked along side the
fretworI Of the ways where she had
been pulled by tugs after the launch
ing. the great vessel showed herself
10 be the embattIed floating city that
she is All that has been learned
in the war e. regard TO the fitting
mp OF dreadnoughts has been put
in this latest addition 10 the Amer
lean navy.
The CALIFORNIA; keel was laid
oct. IS. 1915, but during the war
the men who fabricated her turned
their tools 20 the knocking together
of other and smaller warcraft de-
signed TO fight the submarine. For
two years not a rivet was driven
but upon the signing OF the armis-
tice the great hull again swarmed,
cIanked and rang with life and Il
was heated. beaten and turned into
the mighty craft that was launched
today.
In commission. the California Will
have a crew Of 1929 men and 5S
officers. full complement She has a
length over all Of GA feet, a breadth
of 90 feet and a depth OF Az feet.
Her displacement at her mean
draught of 3O.5 feet would be $4,000
tons She has an estimated speed
OF 81 knots an hour and a normal
fuel capacity of 800 tons.
IL is estimated that she is fully
60 per cent better protected than
any other vessel in the United States
navy. not including the New Mexico.
Her great turbines Of $4,000 horse
power are the principal unit of the
CALIFORNIA; electric system. The
guns will be fired by electricity. Her
ventilation, steering, supplying OF
power 10 the drive shaft. launder-
ing printing, ice cream freezing.
Cage-making and dishwashing all
will be electrically operated. Al
though this has brought her total
cost TO something in excess OF SIS,
600. 900. a saving in fuel is expected
quickly to offset this cost Her hull
alone cost s7.S0O.0OO.
Strong Armament.
In armament the California will
rank high. Besides her u 14-inch
guns, she viii carry four submerged
torpedo tubes, % two-inch rapid fire
guns. four six-pOunders. two one
Founders, four threo-inch anti-air-
craft guns. one three-inch landing
gun and two 3O-calibre machine
guns. She will be a fitting example
OF the "1ast word" IN battleship de-
signing and hitting and viii be the
first ship OF her class TO be turned
out I'm a Pacific coast shipyard.
The award for the California was
made at the same time the Tonnes
see was contracted for. The Tennes-
see. built IN an eastern shipyard,
was 10 be a sister ship Of the Cali
fornia. but she was launched before
many of the improvements EoinE
into the California were reduced 20