Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1908 — LAUNCH OF A TERROR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LAUNCH OF A TERROR

Battleship North Dakota Slides Off the Ways Into Her Destined Element. SORTS DAKOTA GIRL NAMES HER Governor Burke I» Present at the Im* portant Naval Event Ship Is Our First cf the Dreadnaught Class and Her Armament Is One of Tremendous Power

Quincy. Mass.. Nov. 10.—Amid the shrieking of steam whistles, the flapping of flagg and the cheers of a crowd of Invited guests and shipyard officials and employes the new battleship North Dakota slid off ,the ways here at noon today. As the great vessel quivered before taking her first

plunge Into the water Miss Mary L. Benton, of Fargo, N. D., native daughter of the state from which the battleship takes her name, broke over her bow a bottle of champagne, declaring as she did so. “I name thee North Dakota.” Governor Burke is Present. Among the invited guests who witnessed the launching of the battleship was John Burke, the newly elected governor of North Dakota. The launching of the North Dakota means the introduction of a new type of warship In the American navy. She will be the first American all-big-gun battleship or real Dreadnaught to fly the stars and stripes. NEW SEA-TERROR DESCRIBED Carries Ten Twelve-Inch Besides a Bunch of Five-Inch Guns. The North Dakota, which Is siphlar In all respects to the Delaware, which is under construction at Newport News, Va.. will have a long forecastle deck extending from the bow almost to the center of the ship. The ten twelveinch guns are arranged in five turrets, two to a turret, the forward turret being so located that the axes of its guns r- .....

are twenty-four feet above the water line, and just abaft thin turret is another, the barbette Of which is of sufficient height for Its guns to clear the roof of the forward turret Abaft the break at the forecastle deck and also situated on the axis of the ship are two more twelve-inch gun turrets, the guns of the forward turret In. this pair firing over the roof of the after tlirret. Abaft end near the stern to the fifth and last of the big turrets. Naval men declare that no navy In the world possesses a ehip of the Dreadnaught type in which the guns are better arranged. J--For repelling torpedo attack the North Dakota will carry a secondary battery of fourteen flve-lncb guns. These guns are all mounted broadside The vessel will be driven by turbines and is expected to attain a maximum speed in excess of twenty-one knots an bour.

JOHN BURKE.

MARY L. BENTON.