Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-28
WARSH|P ARIZONA
NOW AMONG BEST
Vessel Carrying Hoover Mod
ernized in Record Time
at Norfolk.
BY Radio to The Star.

BY Radio to The Star.
ABOARD u. S. S. ARIZONA, March
% (N.A.N.A) Close cooperation be-
tween the ships officers and the Norfolk
Navy Yard resulted in a record job in
the undermining of the Arizona, now
homeward bound with President Hoover
after his visit to Porto Rico and the
Virgin Islands.
The ship is now as modern and as
powerful as any in the United States
Navy The changes embodied in the
Arizona cost $7,250,000. Other Navy
ships modernized at approximately the
same cost fer each include the New
York, Texas, Florida. Utah. Arkansas,
Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and
Nevada.
This work of modernization is vital
to the national defense, because the
Navy has no ship equal or superior to
the British Nelson and Rodney, and 1t
is essential to offset that superiority.
After modernization is completed a
ship usually remains at the yard where
the work was done 80 to so days for
Quitting. But thanks to the activity
of the Arizona's officers this ship was
ready for sea Immediately, and sailed
48 hours after the work of undermining
her had been completed, going into
rough weather.
Latest in Equipment.
The Arizona is equipped with many
of the latest devices, some of them
secret and not yet generally used. All
the ships batteries were fired at their
extreme elevation and at various angles,
with q full charge for the longest battle
range.
Two planes were launched success
fully from new type catapult A third
plane to be carried on the turret, will
be added to complete the aviation equip
ment.
During this shake-down voyage the
radio compass was calibrated II the
compass of the destroyer Du Pont, which
was scheduled to meet the Arizona last
Saturday, had been calibrated, she
would have kept her rendezvous on
schedule, no doubt.
In the final stages of the moderniZa-
ton of the Arizona the work was in
charge of Capt. Freeman, Comdr. Thorn
son, executive officer; Lieut.. Comdr.
Woodruff. engineer officer, and Lieut.
Comdr Callahan, gunnery officer, who
worked with the navy yard, so the usual
f1lling-out work could be done stimuli
taneouSly with the finishing Of the navy
yard work
The Arizona was allowed IS officers
and they voluntarily assumed tasks in
addition to their routine duties which
cut the navy yard cost 100000.
Ready for Competitions.
Because Of the speed of the work and
the ships return to active service the
Arizona will be able to participate fully
in the gunnery and engineering COM
petitions for the year, starting July !,
thus making her an effective unit.
Two features in which the Germans
excelled at the battle of Jutland are
now Incorporated In the Arizona. One
is 'blisters," or experimentation, Civ
| ing greater security against torpedoes
and aircraft bombs. The other is new
type searchlight, by which a light is
put on the target simultaneously with
the discharge of the guns.
Offsetting the addition of the "blis-
| ters' and a 3.000-ton addition to the
Arizona's displacement, making her
treaty tonnage $4,000, her power has
been increased to maintain the feet
speed of 81 knots. while giving her
more economical cruising speed.
| New equipment also includes loud
! speaker system, installed throughout the
! ship at cost Of $45, 1000, making it pos
sible to summon any officer or man
! from any part of the ship at any time.
An automatic telephone with double
dialing system represents another adj
vance.
High points in the modernization
program include the alteration of the
main battery of twelve 14-inch guns,
largest in the Navy, to allow 3O-degree
| elevation. arrnor- encased protective deck,
an additional deck for new aircraft
guns. the replacing Of the old battery of
/ 3-inch guns with a battery of eight
5-inch guns. installation Of perfected
method Of fire control. and the Substitu-
ton of tripod masts of the British type
for the old-fashioned cage masts.
| copyright, 1881. by the North American
Newspaper Ailianee5