AMERICAN WARSHIPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20507, 18 March 1941, Page 2

AMERICAN WARSHIPS

VISITORS TO AUCKLAND THE BROOKLYN CLASS HEAVILY ARMED Launched from 1936 onward, the six United States warships that have arrived in Auckland are among the most modern in the United States Navy. All were ordered under the emergency programme of 1933, the cruisers Brooklyn and Savannah being a direct reply to Japan’s programme of building similar cruisers of the Mogami class.

The two light cruisers are of the Brooklyn class, of which the United States has nine ships. The first of the class to be launched and completed, the Brooklyn, which has a displacement of 9700 tons, was laid down at the New York Navy Yard in March, 1935, launched on November 30, 1936, and completed on July 18, 1938. The Savannah, third of the class, was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation on May 31, 1934, launched on May 8, 1937, and completed on August 30, 1938. She has a displacement of 9475 tons. The ships were built at an approximate cost of 17,000,000 dollars each. Cruisers’ Armament

Heavily armed, the Brooklyn and the Savannah have 15 Gin. guns, eight sin. anti-aircraft guns, four threepounders, five one-pounders, and three machine-guns. A hangar included in the hull right aft is provided with a lift and can accommodate eight aircraft, although four is the normal peace complement. The hangar accounts for a very wide fiat counter and high freeboard aft, which also gives the after guns higher command. Two catapults for launching the aircraft are mounted as far outboard as possible, and a revolving crane is placed at the extreme stern. Armour plating on the ships’ sides is from ljin. to 4in. thick; on the decks, 3in. and 2in.; the gunhouses, 3in. to sin.; and the conning tower, Bin.

Geared turbines drive four shafts, the 100,000 horse-power giving a maximum speed of 32.5 knots. Ships of the Brooklyn class have a cruising radius of 14,500 miles at 15 knots. Although officially termed light cruisers, ships of tbp Brooklyn class are much heaviel* and more heavily_ armed than the average light cruiser. Mahan Class Destroyers

Also built under the 1933 programme, the destroyers Case, Cummings, Shaw and Tucker are of the Mahan class, and have a displacement of 1500 tons. All were completed early in 1937 at costs ranging from about 3,500,000 dollars to 3,750,000 dollars each. They have a top speed of 36.5 knots, a radius of 6000 miles, and carry five sin. guns. They also have 12 21in. quadrupled torpedo tubes. The normal complement of the Brooklyn and the Savannah is 868 men each, and each of the four destroyers carries about 150 men.