Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-25
UNCLE SAM NOW TO JUNK
TWO MORE SEA MONSTERS
South Dakota and Indiana,
Destined to Have Been
PrideS of American Navy
Will Be DiSmantIed
BY ROBERT Il. SMALL
Ueased Wire Service 10 The Journal.)
lCnnvriohf 1929.

Copyright, 1929
NEW YORK, Aug. 23.-The
cIangor of pneumatic hammers on
steel, the glow and hiss of the
acetylene torch and the clamor of
the overhead travelling crane again
are to be heard in the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. The work of 1unking
two great battleships that were to
have been the pride of the Ameri-
can navy has begun. The proca-
nation of the arms treaty at WASH
ington after Frances tardy ratifi-
cation, has set in motion the ma
chinery to carry out Americas sac
rifice in the heavier ships of belted
steel and bristling turret.
The uncompleted hulkS of the
mammoth super-dreadnaughts South
Dakota and Indiana, abandoned on
word from President Harding when
the agreements of Washington We're
signed, are being torn apart For
more than a year they have stood
like great red skeletons in the
black steel cradles which were erect
ed to serve as maternity beds for
the battleships that were to help
the United States climb to the
highest peak of world naval power.
Year OF inactivity
For a year scattered steel plates
and bars and beams had remained
lust where the workmen had left
them when the Washington confer
ence had completed it's work.
From the moment work was
Jumped on the behemoths of the
ways-destined never to reach the
.waves-it was known that the task
OF construction must give way to
the rougher work of destruction.
But, technically, the orders could
not be given until the last of the
naval powers officially had sanctioned
the treaties. Technically the United
States wanted to remain in the posi-
ton where it could go ahead on the
South Dakota and the Indiana if
the treaties finally failed in any
quarter. But the naval experts
knew that nothing could save the
two battleships. Rust and the neg
lect of a year had left them more
or less as derelicts on the ways. !
The Indiana, which was to have
replaced the famous Indiana Of
Spanish war days and of "Ffghting
Bob" Evans "reminiscences, was laid
alongside the South Dakota in l920.
Mammoth Twins
These twins of the heavy fighting
line were to have been the largest
electrically driven, orpedoproject-
ing battleships in the world. Each
was to have been of $4,000 tons dis
placement. The new naval treaty
limits the navies of the world to
craft of 10000 tons and less, except
for the replacement now and then
of the heavy ships authorized TO be
retained as a first line of defense.
The South Dakota and the lndl-
ana were to have mounted eight 10
inch guns in four turrets.
1t is interesting. in this connection.
to note that two new battleshlps
which Great Britain was authorized
10 construct in order to MAINTAIN her
position in the famous 5-5-3 ratio,
are to mount nine 16-inch guns IN
three turrets. The triple gun tur-
rets were adopted in the American
navy some years ago. but ABANDON
ed in the design Of the latter SHIPS
which came under the ban OIL the
Washington conference.
Maximum Gun Power
Great Britain's long experienced
naval engineers did not approve oil
the triple mounting. but they have
adopted it in their two new super
dreadnauehts. the Nelson and the
Rodney. in order to get the maxi
mum of power within the dlspiace-
ment weights prescribed by the co1-
ference. The British ships will carry
one more 16-inch rifle, therefore,
than their nearest rivals in any fof-
eign country.
Az compensa ton against the con-
struction of the two so-called Brit
ish Hoods" the United States com
nIeted the West Virginia and the
MARYLAND, and Japan completed her
beloved "Mutsu;" and the commls-
sioners at Washington SAID they
dared not suggest that she be
scrapped. The "Mutsu" was con-
structed with money raised by popu-
lar subscription.
The knocking down of the Soutn
Dakota and the Indiana is a part
of the Hughes proposal at the lIrs0
meeting of the Washington CONFER
ence. when the secretary OF state
said: ,
."The United States is now com
n,etine it's program of 1915, calling
for ten new battleships and SIX pat
tie cruisers. One battleshlp mas
been completed. The others are IN
various stages of construction; IN
some cases from sixty to over eighty
nor cent of the construction has
been done.
Staggering Sacrifice
"On these fifteen capital ships now
being built over $3.50, 100000 mas
heen spent. Still the United states
is willing in the interest OF an I'M
mediate limitation Of naval arma-
ment TO scrap all Of these ships.
The Indiana and the South Dako-
IA were about one-third completed.
Most of the work on their outer nuns
had been done and boiler, lnstalla'
lions were in progress. The nun,
dreds of tons of steel plates anu
iofnines and the boiler parts VIII
he sold for Junk. Probably the prices
reslized for the material Will noi
| cover the cost of dismantllng, pu'
| the treaty must be carried out.
Then, too, they are hopeful al
the navy yards that once the apan
doned capital ships are gotten out OF
the way. the cradles can be used 1ol
new construction-of cruisers ahe
airplane carriers and the various
other craft upon which no limits
were placed. The new era III tht