The Mena weekly star., 1920-12-30
U. S. SOON 7 BE
MASTER IF SEAS
CsmpIetion of Ships Now Ordered
viii Give America the Strong
at Navy in the WorId-Prin-
cipal Characteristics.

Washington, ID. c., Dec. 25.-The
United States navy will be the most
powerful in the world by 1928, when
ALPS now under construction are
completed, Secretary Daniels an
sounced today. Ship for ship and gun
for gun, Great Britain's fighting fleet
Aew holds first rank, but with the
recent decision by the British Admiral
~ TO undertake no new building pro-
gram, it undoubtedly will soon drop to
second place.
Navy officials are much interested in
reports of a strong movement in the
House of Commons to increase the
British navy to a strength equal to
that of the combined forces of Ameri-
ca and Japan, but until there is some
definite announcement at London Of
such policy no recommendations will
be made to Congress.
Three new types of ships for the
United States navy which will round
out the fleet and add tremendously to
its effectiveness are now under con-
struction. The first of these, the new
battleships authorized in the 1916
building program, will be the largest
and most powerful in the world. Next
come the fleet Of submarines, three of
which are being built at the Ports
mouth Navy yard. These superunder-
sea craft win have sufficient speed and
cruising radius to enable them TO ac-
company the fleet under all conditions
They have been designed after thoro
investigation Of the best types in for
eign nayies and are expected to in
clude features entirely new to sub
marine construction. The last of the
trio is the Langley, which is being
fitted with the most powerful equip
menl for handling naval aircraft.
Huge Fighting Ship.
In addition to these new types OF
vessel, the necessary complement OF
scout cruisers and destroyers is also
under construction.
The new uperdreadnaught, which
are to form the backbone of the
feet" are the South Dakota, Indiana
Montana, North Carolina, Iowa anc
massachusetts. They have displace.
ment of 1920 tons, and will cost
about S21, 100000 each. Two of the
monster ships are under construction
at the Navy Yard, New York; one al
Navy Yard, Mare Island, Calf; one al
Navy Yard, Norfolk, Va, one at New.
port News shipbuilding yards, New.
port, Va, and one at Bethlehem Ship.
building Works, Quincy, Mass.
The principal characteristics Oh
these battleships are: Length, 68l
feet; breadth, LOG feet; draft, 33 feet
displacement, 1920 tons; shaft horse
power, 10000; speed, 30 knots; arma.
ment, ~ 16-inch guns; 16 6-inch guns
3-inch guns; 2 21-inch submerged
torpedo tubes. All will be oil burners
with electric drive. Their complement
will include about 20 officers and 1,50C
men.
Four battleships Of $4,000 tons dis
placement are also under construction
They are: The Maryland, West Vir-
ginia, Colorado and Washington.
The aircraft-carrier Langley will be
equipped with a flying deck of about
525 feet IN length, an arresting de.
vice for facilitating landing, and cat
apults for projecting planes at the
necessary speed for flight. Cranes will
be provided for hosting aircraft from
the water and moving them to the va
rious decks. There will also be al
adequate machine shop for repairing
damaged planes.