THE AMERICAN FLEET

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 190, 16 July 1925, Page 10

THE AMERICAN FLEET

POWERFUL ARMADA. BIG SHIPS COMING. When the'American Battle Squadron, under the command of Admiral S. SItohinson, comes to the Dominion New Zealanders will sec the most powerful fleet afloat. Chief among -the eight battleships arc the “West Virginia, Maryland and• Colorado, the glory of the United States Navy. These three ships form the fighting ace of the fleet, the spearhead of the attack. They are the most powerful ships in existence, rivalling the Japanese battleships Mut.su and Kongo, and they will not he excelled until the British Rodney and Nelson are commissioned next year.

Although nearly 10,000 tons lighter, these ships are in some respects superior even to Britain’s famous battlecruiser Hood, which visited New Zealand last year. The American ships have a heavier punch, a longer reach and could probably stand more hammering.

With all her eight guns in action, the Hood could hurl 15,360 pounds of steel-cased explosives and could fire 70 tons of shell in ten minutes.

But the fire of the American ships would lie still more formidable. Their full brodside weighs 16,800 pounds and they can fire 75 tons of metal in ten minutes.

Moreover, the American ships, since they have higher-powered guns mounted at the same angle, of 30 degrees, could outrange the Hood by several thousand yards. The water line of the American ship is protected by steel armour 16in. thick, whereas the Hood is protected by 12in. armour. But the Hood is ten knots faster than the American ships, and could catch them at any time. This high speed, however, has been gained at the expense of hitting and resisting power. THREE NEW BATTLESHIPS. The three American battleships are each of 32,600 tons, and were only recently completed. They have a speed of 21 knots and very powerful armament, consisting of eight 16in. guns and twelve Sin. guns. These 16in. guns are the largest afloat and are mounted in pairs. They are the most conspicuous objects on board and dominate the ships. Each guns weighs 105 tons and fires a shell wieghing 21001 b.—little short of a ton in weight. This shell leaves the gun with a muzzle energy of 98,406 foot-tons, a full broadside having a muzzle energy of 800,000 foot-tons, sufficient to lift the ship clean out of the water over 25ft, in the air. The extreme range is 32,000yd5., equal to 18 miles, a distance at which the target or enemy would be out of sight. These ships cost rather less than the Hood, the exact figures being:—Hood, £6,564,000; Maryland, £5,206,324; Colorado, £5,214,386; West Virginia, £6,564,000 ; Maryland, £5,206,324 ; pleded first, on July 21, 1921, the Colorado .on August 30, and the West Virginia on December 1, 1923, so that they are practically brand new ships. Each ship has a total complement of 1167 officers and men.

All the- furniture ;fnd fittings are of metal, and airplanes can be catapulted from the deck. The ships are so well divided into numerous compartments that they would have to be shot to pieces before sinking. Everything on board is electrically operated. Part of the steam generated in the boilers is utilised to run half a dozen turbo-generators, which supply current for weighing the anchors, workshop lathes, refrigerating plant, bakeries, laundries, etc. The guns are operated electrically, the ship is steered electrically, and in fact every item of equipment down to potato peelers and ice cream freezers is run by electric power. - Each ship carries 3000 tons of oil fuel, which has entirely supplanted coal. FIVE OLDER BATTLESHIPS. In addition to these three giants, the battleship squadron visiting the Dominion will comprise five other equally powerful but somewhat older vessels. These are the California, New Mexico, Mississippi, Idaho, and Tennessee. This latter ship is incorporated with the former three to form Division 5 qnder the command of Vice-Admiral H. A. Wiley. The remaining four ships form Division 4 under Rear-Ad-miral W. V. Pratt.

These ships are almost as powerful as their sisters, but are five years older and have 14-inch guns instead of. 16inch. The eight battleships, formed in two divisions under the supremo command' of - Admiral Robison, constitute the most formidable array of fighting strength ever seen in these waters. Even the uninitiated will sense the tremendous power of these monsters. They are practically impregnable, urn -.likable, and the destructive power of their 64 big guns is almost incredibly great. In constant attendance on these proud ships are the three oil-tankers, Kanawha, Coyama and Neelies. These three ships carry between them 25,000 tons of oil fuel for the battleships, which is pumped into their bunkers at the rate of several hundred tons an hour. The Kanawha is the oldest- and ugliest, and no' one can mistake her with her four enormous ventilators sticking up in the air. The Bridge is the provision ship, and is fitted up very completely as a refrigerator. Practically all the meat required for the fleet is carried in cold store on board this ship, in addition to very large quantities of vegetables, fish, etc. (j Last, but not least, is the hospital ship Relief, looking like a magnificent ocean yacht. She is conspicuous by the large red cross painted on her funnel •and bulwarks and by the broad, red band which runs from bow to stern, in accordance with the conditions of the Geneva Convention. Six hundred and ninety-four officers and 10,633 men are contained in this mighty armada.

THREE ADMIRALS. Admiral Robison commands the battle fleet, is 58, and graduated at the Naval Academy at Annapolis 37 years ago. He received bis first commission as an ensign two years later and saw active service in the war with Spain. He lias commanded innumerable ships, and during the Great War was in charge of the American submarine forces in the Atlantic employed in . hunting down German submarines. Tile admiral is a Pennsylvania man, , and when the fleet returns to America he will succeed Admiral Coontz as Commander-in-Cliief of the United States Fleet, the highest position attainable for an American naval officer.

Vice-Admiral Henry Ariosto Wilev, who commands battleship division 5, which includes the “flower, of the fleet,” hails from Alabama. He entered the navy at the same time as Admiral

Robison, and also saw service in the war with Spain. Rear-Admiral William Veazie Pratt is 56, and has had a particularly distinguished career. During the Groat War he commanded a destroyer flotilla in the Atlantic and has been assistantchief of naval operations. He went to Europe with President Wilson as Naval Adviser at the Versailles Conference, and was promoted rear-admiral in 1921.