Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-10-16
Azcusrc leNG1WzAll1p0y

between the bottom of the ship and the main
deck.
All the baking is done electrically-electric
motors operate the dough mixers and dough
kneaders while the loaves are baked in electrical
ly heated ovens Next visit the electric laun
dry with its many ingenious machines electrically
driven. Electricity also plays it's part in other
places such as the crews library, reading room
and recreation quarters; the barber shop; the
sick bay, with its up-to-date operating room Capt
A. L. Wizards quarters. the officers wardrooms.
etc.
The New Mexico nas IL 14-inch guns and
many Of smaller caliber, including battery of
antiaircraft guns. The larger caliber guns, three
In each Of four turrets, operated by electric
ity. The turrets are revolved and the guns ele-
waited by electric motors Ammunition hoists run
electrically and there are electric gun leaders.
while even the big guns are fred by electrical
means, but the smaller caliber guns are generally
oprated by hand.
In examining into the control Of these great
batteries of destruction, come to of the
most interesting spots on the ship-the coming
tower Navy regulations designed to withhold
important matters of military design, forbid us
from obtaining picture of the coming tower.
But 1t Is permissible to describe it briefly. The
coming tower is wellshaped shaft extending
perpendicuarly through the ship from top to bot
tom with ladders running up and down the sides
and convenient methods Of transmitting instruc-
ing an action the vessels commanding officer
usually stations himself in this tower which il
also known as of several fire-control stations
and transmits Instructions
Up on one of the masts we encounter one Of
the big ''eyes" Of the shp-an electrical eye which
can see for miles in inky darkness. The current
for the operation of the searchlight comes from
one Of the turbO-generators heretofore described.
Is the electrical propulsion of marine vessels
opening up an entirely new era Of scientific adj
vancement and will the day come when the seven
seas will be dotted with electric ships? So far as
our own navy Is concerned, Secretary Daniels
expressed the essence of the idea when he said:
II think this country has cause to be proud Of
this achievement in engineering, not alone because
of the pronounced success in this particular in
stance (referring to the New Mexico), but because
of the assurance 1t gives of the superiority of
our capital ships to those of foreign countries"
saThe New Mexico is the first and only dread
naught of any nation to have electrically operated
propelling machinery" continued Secretary Dan
iels. "On this account she has been an object of
SURPRISING interest to the officers of our own navy
and to those of foreign navies as WELL and to
electrical engineers in general.
"The result was satisfactory from every point
Of view and confirmed the judgment of all who
were in any way concerned in its design and adop-
ton. There was not the slightest mishap with any
part of It, everything worked to perfection, and
crew was as enthusiastic over the performance
machinery as is the department proud in
ssession of such an efficient dreadnaught.
When we entered into contract for the ma
chinery we stipulated that in addition to being
capable Of developing the maximum power she
should also give an economy at cruising speed
very much superior to that obtainable with the tur
bine installations previously used. This stringent
requirement was also met. AS matter Of fact
the New Mexico will steam at ten knots on less
fuel than the best turbine-driven ship that pre-
coded her."
Anyway, electrical engineers are now turning
their attention to the adoption of similar princi
pies to the driving of merchant ships and to large
passenger vessels.