LAST WORD IN SUPER-DREADNOUGHTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2116, 17 April 1920, Page 1

LAST WORD IN SUPER-DREAD-NOUGHTS.

equippeiTelectkically in EVERY DETAIL. The super-dreadnought California, was launched recently at Mare Island Navy Yard (California). The brakes rigged up to slacken the momentum of the big battleship as she slid from the ways failed (o hold, and she crashed into a pier, tearing away piling, but the damage was slight, and no one was injured.

The California is the third electrically driven super-dreadnought of the United States Navy (says the Springfield Republican). In the use of electricity as a means of propulsion, the new fighting ship follows the examples set in the building of the New Mexico and Tennessee. The California is expected to cost more than £3,000,000, and will carry 12 14-inch guns. Besides being electrically driven, the new warship will be electrically operated from her guns to her potato-peeling machine. As the great craft slid into (lie water she was cheered by Governor William D. Stephens, of California, his daughter, Mrs Randolph T. Zane, who sponsored the war vessel, and thousands of spectators. While her berth was still warm the keel of a great companion super-dmulno-imlit, the Montana, was laid within it.

The California's laud was laid on October Kith, 101(5, but during the war the men who fabricated her turned their tools to the knocking together of other and smaller warcraft designed to fight the submarine. Eor two years not a rivet was driven, but upon the signing of the armistice the great hull again swarmed, clanked and rang with life, and it was heated, beaten, and turned into the mighty craft that was launched (o-day. •In commission (he California will have a (‘few of 1,022 men and 58 officers, full complement. She has a length over all of 024 feet, a breadth of !)0 feet, and a depth of 47.2 feet. Her displacement at her mean draft of 30.5 feet would bo 32,000 tons. She has an estimated speed of 21 knots an hour, raid a normal fuel capacity of 1,900 tons.

It is estimated that she is fully 30 per cent, better protected than any other vessel in the United States Navy, not excluding the New Mexico.

Her great turbines of 28,000 horse power are the principal unit of the California’s electric system. The guns will bo fired by electricity. Her ventilation, steering, supplying of power to the drive shaft-, laundering, printing, ice-cream freezing, cake-making, and dish washing all will be electrically operated. In armament the California will rank high. Besides her 12 14-inch guns, she will carry four submerged torpedo tubes., 25 two-inch -rapid-tiro guns, 4 three-inch anti-aircraft

guns, one three-inch landing gun, and two 30-calibre machine-guns.