National Affairs: New Dreadnaughts

It was announced at the Navy Department that two new super-dreadnaughts, the Colorado and West Virginia, will be put into commission on Aug. 30. These are the last two ships of their kind which will be built in this country for ten years, under the Limitation of Armaments Treaty. The West Virginia and Colorado will supplant the Delaware and North Dakota, which will be scrapped.

These two ships, with the Maryland (already in service), will constitute the heaviest fighting units of the United States Fleet, each being equipped with eight 16-inch rifles. It is expected that they will be assigned to the Pacific.