Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-02-18
y. s. Battleship New Mexico
Declared Most Powerful Ves-
sci; Electrical Drive Des-
tined to Revolutionize Navy.
l4-INcH SHELL OF ARMoR
Even More Remarkable War
ships Planned by Daniels
$4,000 Tons Displacement
With IL Sixteen inch Guns.
BY ARCHIBALD HURD.

BY ARCHIBALD HURD,
(The Famous British Naval Writer)
London, Feb 1S.-The electrically
driven battleship was sure to come
and now it has arrived.
Mr.. Josephus Daniels, naval secre-
tary, is beating up support for the
greatest naval program of ship con-
struction that any country has ever
undertaken. and, in the course of his
campaign to interest public opinion. he
has been telling congress of the BATTLE
ship New Mexico, which has Just been
completed for sea. He is quite accur-
ate in describing this vessel as "the
most powerful naval vessel afloat";
where error has arisen is in suggest
ing that there is anything new about
her electric installation.
The people of the United States have
good reason to be proud of the New
Mexico the most costly ship of any
description-for the purposes of peace
or Warwick has ever been built. She
Is q wonderful creation. She was laid
down as long ago as October IA, 1915,
in the New York navy yard, so there
is nothing about her that has not been
known for many months by those who
keep pace with naval affairs She dis
places $4,000 tons, as compared with
27,500 tons of the Queen Elizabeth,
Admiral Sir David Beatty's flagship;
her main armament comprises twelve
14-inch guns whereas the Queen Eliza
beth has eight 15-inch; her speed is
over 81 knots, while the British vessel
steams three or four knots faster; and
she is far more heavily armored, hav-
ing a main belt IA inches thick
GENERATES OWN JUICE.
But the feature which really distin-
guishes her from every other warship
is her electrical equipment. The sys-
tenn was given trial in the American
collier Jupiter before the war opened
that is, five or six years ago-and the
results were so satisfactory that it
was decided to fit in the New Mexico,
and now it will go nto every United
States vessel built in future, for the
trials have confirmed every anticipa
ton. The ship produces her own cleo
tricity, having boilers fed with oil fuel
like other ships; the current Is con-
veyed by cables to motors which oper-
ate the four shafts. At first the idea
was not regarded certainly not in this
i country, WIFI I11utIl itlNpl, tilpuo' ~
enables a ship to go astern ALMOST as
fast as ahead. But the American eX-
perirnents have proved that the electric
drive economies fuel to the extent OF
rs per cent, and as more oil can be
carried, the vessel can go further; 1t
is said that the New Mexico will have
a radius of action greater than any
other batteshp hitherto built; the I'M
l1t,4
provement is put at 90 per cent, out
that is probably an exaggeration.
But the New Mexico has ceased to
be a seven days wonder, for while we
were fighting in 1914 and onward, the
technical staffs of the navy department
at Washington were busy on the de-
sign of even more remarkable battle
ships; they entered then on race for
concentrated power in single unit,
The new ships are included in the
three year program adopted in 1910,
it was originally to cost, ships alone,
lust over $500, 900, 900 but owing to the
rise in the price of material and labor,
IT is officially admitted that the sum
will be between $750,000,0o0 and $780,
100000.
This program makes provision Tor
building 10 battleships, six battle
cruisers, besides cruisers, destroyers
and submarines.
WAR CALLED HALT.
Progress was delayed owing to the
war, which called for destroyers and
submarine chasers and work is in ar
rears. But, though some of these ships
even now have not been laid down, Mr..
Daniels is asking congress to agree to
another program as large, and Rear
Admiral Charles Badger. acting chair
man of the general navy board, an ad-
yisory body, told congress the other
/, day that 1t was proposed to submit yet
n third program of similar proportions
n the next two or three years.
The naval strength of the United
states is not our business, for not we,
but the American people will have to
foot the bill, probably rising to $5oo,-
O0O, 600 The more country spends
on ornaments, the higher the cost OF
living manufacture and transport We
hold our own in trade because in pre-
war days our naval and military COM
4 nitments in men and money were low
2 considering the size and wealth OF the
i British empire
You cannot have your cake and eat
& 1t, too.
But my immediate purpose Is to say
something of the new American battle
ships, which, driven by electricity, and
practically torpedo-proof also, Will our
rival the New Mexico. The navy de-
partment has. let congress know that
the battlesbips, six in number, which
are about to be laid down, will have
these remarkable features;
Displacement, $4,000 tons.
Speed, 20 knots.
Main armament, twelve 16-inch guns.
Armor-H Heavier than has been hith-
erto provided for any battleship in the
world.
Cost. $27.121.ss5.
These ships. Judging BY statements