View source for Arkansas-class monitor

{{short description|Last class of four naval monitors}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Arkansas-Class Monitors Underway.jpg
| Ship caption = USS [[USS Florida (BM-9)|''Florida'']], [[USS Arkansas (BM-7)|''Arkansas'']], and [[USS Nevada (BM-8)|''Nevada'']] underway
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Builders = *[[Newport News Shipbuilding|Newport News SB&DD]] ''Arkansas'' (M-7)
*[[Bath Iron Works]] ''Nevada'' (M-8)
*[[Crescent Shipyard]] ''Florida'' (M-9)
*[[Union Iron Works]] ''Wyoming'' (M-10)
| Operators = [[File:Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg|20px]] United States Navy
| Class before = [[USS Monterey (BM-6)|''Monterey''-class]]
| Class after = 
| Subclasses = 
| Built range = 1899–1903
| In commission range = 1902–1926
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 4
| Total ships completed = 4
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 4
| Total ships scrapped = 
| Total ships preserved = 0
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Monitor (warship)|Monitor]]
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|3225|LT|t|lk=on}} (standard)
*{{cvt|3356|LT|t}} (full load)
| Ship length = * {{convert|255|ft|1|in|lk=on}} ([[length overall|overall]])
* {{cvt|252|ft}} ([[Waterline length|waterline]])
| Ship beam = {{cvt|50|ft}}
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{cvt|12|ft|6|in}} (mean)
| Ship propulsion = *2 × [[Vertical triple expansion#Multiple expansion engines|vertical triple expansion engines]]
*2 × 16' [[screw propeller]]s
| Ship power = *''Arkansas'' – 4 × [[Thornycroft boiler#Thornycroft boiler|Thornycroft boilers]]
*''Nevada'' – 4 × [[Niclausse boiler#Niclausse boiler|Niclausse boilers]]
*''Florida'' – 4 × Mosher boilers
*''Wyoming'' – 4 × [[Water-tube boiler#Babcock .26 Wilcox boiler|Babcock & Wilcox boilers]]
| Ship speed = *{{convert|12.5|kn|lk=on}} (design)
*''Arkansas:'' {{convert|12.03|kn}}
*''Nevada:'' {{convert|13.04|kn}}
*''Florida:'' {{convert|12.4|kn}}
*''Wyoming:'' {{convert|11.8|kn}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship complement = 13 officers 209 men
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = * 2 × [[12"/40 caliber gun|{{convert|12|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/40 caliber]] [[breech-loading rifles]] (1×2)
* 4 × [[4"/40 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/40 cal guns]] (4×1)
* 3 × [[QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss#American service|6-pounder {{cvt|57|mm|1}} guns]]
*4 × [[1-pounder gun#United States service|1-pounder, rapid fire]] guns
| Ship armour = 
| Ship armor = *[[Harvey armor]]
*[[Belt armor|Side belt]]: {{cvt|11|-|5|in}}
*[[Barbette]]: {{cvt|11|-|9|in}}
*[[Gun turret]]: {{cvt|10|-|9|in}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{cvt|1.5|in}}
*[[Conning tower]]: {{cvt|8|in}}
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Arkansas''-class monitors''' were the last class of four [[monitor (warship)|monitors]] ordered for the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]].

==Design==

Single turreted monitors, these ships mounted the most modern heavy guns in the US Navy at the time they were built, [[12"/40 caliber gun|{{convert|12|in|adj=on|0}}/40 caliber guns]]. The ''Arkansas''-class monitors did not see any combat during World War I and instead served as [[submarine tenders]]. Alexander C. Brown, writing in the ''[[Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers]] Historical Transactions'' noted in a penetrating comment that:

{{blockquote|Monitors found their final employment as submarine tenders in World War I for which their low freeboard hulls made them well suited. It is significant to note, however, that in this humble capacity they were ministering to the needs of that type of craft which had logically replaced them for as initially envisaged monitors were designed to combine heavy striking power with concealment and the presentation of a negligible target area }}

They had a displacement of {{convert|3225|LT|t ST|lk=on}}, measured {{convert|255|ft|1|in|lk=on}} in [[length overall|overall length]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|50|ft|1|in}} and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in}}. They were manned by a total crew of 13 officers and 209 men.{{sfn|Friedman|1985|p=452}}

''Arkansas''{{'}} were powered by two [[Vertical triple expansion#Multiple expansion engines|vertical triple expansion engines]] driving two [[screw propeller]]s with steam generated by four [[steam boilers]]. The engines in the ''Arkansas''{{'}} were designed to produce {{convert|2400|ihp|lk=on}} with a top speed of {{convert|12.5|kn|lk=on}}, however, on [[sea trials]] only {{USS|Nevada|BM-8|2}} had top speed over 12.5 knots, {{cvt|13.04|kn}}, the rest came in below. The ''Arkansas''{{'}} was designed to provide a range of {{convert|2360|nmi|lk=on}} at {{cvt|10|kn}}.{{sfn|Friedman|1985|p=452}}

The ships were armed with a [[main battery]] of two 12-inch/40 caliber guns, either Mark 3 or Mark 4, in a Mark 4 turret.{{sfn|Friedman|1985}}{{sfn|DiGiulian|12"/40|2015}}{{sfn|Friedman|1985|p=452}} The secondary battery consisted of four [[4"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|adj=on|0}}/50 caliber]] Mark 7 guns{{sfn|DiGiulian|4"/50|2015}} along with three [[QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss#American service|6-pounder {{cvt|57|mm|1}} guns]]. The main [[belt armor]] was {{cvt|11|in}} in the middle tapering to {{cvt|5|in}} at the ends. The [[Gun turret#Warships|gun turrets]] were between {{cvt|10|and|9|in}}, with {{cvt|11|to|9|in}} [[barbette]]s. The ''Arkansas''{{'}} also had a {{cvt|1.5|in}} [[Deck (ship)|deck]].{{sfn|Friedman|1985|p=452}}

== Construction ==
In response to increasing public pressure regarding the state of the nation's coastal defense forces and hastened by the outbreak of [[Spanish–American War|war with Spain]], the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] passed the Naval Appropriations Act of 1898 on May 4, which, among many other things, authorized the appropriation of $5 million to build four new [[Monitor (warship)|Monitors]], each of which were to cost no more than $1,250,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=theNavyCWO.com - Naval Appropriations Act of 1898 |url=https://www.thenavycwo.com/the-archives/legislature/download/12-legislature/84-naval-appropriations-act-of-1898 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=www.thenavycwo.com}}</ref> The new ships, created for harbor defense, were designed by Chief constructor [[Philip Hichborn]] with the original plans calling for a length of 225&nbsp;ft and a beam of 50&nbsp;ft, with a displacement of 2700 tons, a coal capacity of 200 tons, and a side armor belt of 11-inch thickness. For armament, the ship was to be equipped with a main battery containing a single turret with two [[12-inch/40-caliber gun|12-inch guns]] (Hichborn balanced), and four rapid-fire breech-loading rifles, with a secondary battery consisting of three 6-pound and four 1-pound rifles. Powered by two vertical triple-expansion type engines and twin-screw propellers, the ship would have a maximum speed of 12 knots.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 25, 1898 |title=TO HAVE THE GREATEST FIGHTING VESSELS IN THE WORLD |pages=41 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]}}</ref>

=== Contractors ===
Bidding began for the construction of the new monitors on October 1, with the following results, including price:<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=October 2, 1898 |title=BIDS FOR MONITORS |pages=4 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]}}</ref>

* [[USS Arkansas (BM-7)|USS Arkansas]] - [[Newport News Shipbuilding|Newport News Shipping & Dry Dock Company]] - $860,000<ref name=":0" />
* [[USS Nevada (BM-8)|USS Connecticut]] - [[Bath Iron Works]] - $862,000<ref name=":0" />
* [[USS Florida (BM-9)|USS Florida]] - [[Crescent Shipyard]] - $825,000<ref name=":0" />
* [[USS Wyoming (BM-10)|USS Wyoming]] - [[Union Iron Works]] - $875,000<ref name=":0" />

Following the bidding, the Navy announced the names of the ships.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 1898 |title=NAMES FOR NEW MONITORS |pages=4 |work=[[The Kansas City Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 13, 1898 |title=Names for the New Monitors |pages=2 |work=[[Norton Courier]]}}</ref>

=== Criticism and Proposed Redesign ===
The new Monitors were met with criticism by many, as their design and armament made them no greater than any of the older navy Monitors, such as the [[USS Monterey (BM-6)|Monterey]], [[USS Monadnock (BM-3)|Monadnock]], and [[USS Terror (BM-4)|Terror]]. The main complaint was the single turret, rather than a two-turret design as seen on the USS Terror.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 3, 1898 |title=TO IMPROVE MONITORS |pages=6 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=November 3, 1898 |title=THE NEW MONITORS |pages=7 |work=[[The Fall River Daily Herald]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Bureau |first=Eagie |date=November 18, 1898 |title=FOUR NEW MONITORS WILL BE LARGER THAN FIRST EXPECTED |pages=6 |work=[[The Brooklyn Daily Eagle]]}}</ref> There were also those that argued that the entire building of four ships was a waste of money, as the monitors that participated in the Spanish-American War were met with considerable criticism, most chiefly from Rear Admiral [[William T. Sampson]] who criticized the slowness of the vessels and their firing accuracy.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 2, 1898 |title=PASSING OF THE MONITOR |pages=2 |work=[[The Evening Times (Washington D.C.)]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 28, 1898 |title=Sampson's Opinion of Monitors |pages=1 |work=[[Public Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 17, 1898 |title=The Inefficient Monitors |pages=1 |work=[[The Morganton Herald]]}}</ref>

In response to these criticisms, [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]] [[John Davis Long|John D. Long]] ordered that all construction on the new vessels be halted while the Bureau of Naval Construction met to decide on changes in early November.<ref name=":2" /> [[Lewis Nixon (naval architect)|Lewis Nixon]] of the [[Crescent Shipyard]], the contractors of the USS Florida, submitted a new design for the Monitors which the Navy appears to have favored.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 3, 1898 |title=New Monitors to Have Two Turrets |pages=2 |work=[[The Evening Journal]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 3, 1898 |title=The New Monitors to Have Larger Guns |pages=2 |work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> The final proposed changes included the following:<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=November 24, 1898 |title=NO TRUST AMONG SHIPBUILDERS |pages=9 |work=[[The San Francisco Call]]}}</ref>

# Replacing the single turret of two 12-inch guns with two turrets of two 10-inch guns in each 
# Increasing the maximum displacement from 2700 tons to 4000 tons 
# Increase the coal capacity from 200 tons to 400 tons 
# Lengthening the vessels by 30&nbsp;ft

The Navy was confident that changes could be made to the design within the $1.25 million budget set by Congress as they were surprised at how low the bids were for the four ships, with the highest contract, costing $875,000, leaving a minimum of $350,000 left over for each ship. The four ships were originally contracted at a price of $3,422,000 altogether. Throughout November the Bureau and shipbuilders discussed possible design changes, with the shipbuilders stating that their proposed changes would still go over the budget set by the Naval Apportions Act. Eventually, the two sides came to an agreement, which included the following:<ref name=":3" />

# Retention of the single turret with two 12-inch guns
# Increased displacement by over 500 tons
# Increased coal capacity
# Lengthening the vessels from 225&nbsp;ft to 255&nbsp;ft

In the end, the most prominent point of contention, the main armament, was kept the same with the Navy receiving, on paper, most of what they wanted asides from that.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 1, 1898 |title=THE NEW MONITORS |pages=11 |work=[[The Helena Independent]]}}</ref> Due to the new changes, the contract place of all monitors were increased by $100,000.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/sim_armed-forces-journal_1898-12-03_36_14 |title=Army, Navy Journal 1898-12-03: Vol 36 Iss 14 |date=1898-12-03 |publisher=Gannett Co. |language=English}}</ref>

=== Armor ===
As November drew to a close, it was reported that the new Monitors would be armored with [[Krupp armour|Krupp Steel]], which would be a first for a vessel in the U.S. Navy.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 29, 1898 |title=THE NEW MONITORS, The First Vessels to Wear the Krupp Armor |pages=1 |work=[[Los Angeles Herald]]}}</ref> However, Congress only authorized a maximum payment of $400 a ton for armor, a price that was too low to purchase Krupp Steel. In June the Navy would instead outfit the ships with [[Harvey armor]] instead, which they purchased from both [[Carnegie Steel Company|Carnegie Steel]] and [[Bethlehem Steel|Bethlehem Ironworks]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 2, 1898 |title=Krupp Armor Costs Too Much |pages=5 |work=[[The Clay County Republican]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 9, 1899 |title=ARMOUR PURCHASES FOR THE NEW MONITORS |pages=1 |work=[[Lincoln Journal Star]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 16, 1899 |title=WILL FURNISH ARMOUR |pages=1 |work=[[Montpelier Evening Argus]]}}</ref> Contracts for this armor were made in August and September 1899, totaling 2,152 tons. The armor was of great want to the Navy in a timely manner and did not wish to have any delays.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 4, 1899 |title=ARMOUR PLATE FOR NEW VESSLES |pages=2 |work=[[The Butte Miner]]}}</ref>

=== Connecticut Renaming ===
The same year it was launched, ''Connecticut'' would undergo a change that had been lobbied for since 1898, though not in its design but rather its name. The state of [[Connecticut]] protested that a small monitor was named after the state rather than a Battleship, as had been the case with ''[[USS Rhode Island (BB-17)|Rhode Island]]''. The Navy eventually relented, and the name was removed, with the former ''Connecticut'' being referred to as "Monitor No. 8" until another candidate was chosen. [[Oklahoma]] and [[Arizona]] both offered up their names before it eventually went to [[Nevada]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 25, 1898 |title=CONNECTICUT WINS |pages=2 |work=[[Hartford Courant]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 1, 1900 |title=A MONITOR OKLAHOMA |pages=4 |work=[[The Tahlequah Arrow]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 30, 1900 |title=MONITOR "NEVADA" |pages=1 |work=[[Lyon County Monitor]]}}</ref>

=== Launch and Commissioning ===
Construction progressed throughout the remainder of the 19th century and in the fall of 1900, ''Wyoming, Arkansas,'' and ''Nevada'' were launched, with ''Florida'' following a year later. All Arkansas-Class Monitors were commissioned by the summer of 1903.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Dept |first=United States Navy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rXijAAAAMAAJ |title=Ships' Data, U. S. Naval Vessels, 1911- |date=1914 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=53 |language=en}}</ref>

== Ships of the Arkansas-Class ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Ship Names
!Launched
!First Commission
!Last Decommission
!Fate
!Notes
|-
|''Wyoming (Later Cheyenne)''
|September 8, 1900<ref name=":4" />
|December 8, 1902<ref name=":4" />
|June 1, 1926<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=USS Wyoming / Cheyenne (BM-10) |url=https://tvd.im/naval-warfare/4012-uss-wyoming-cheyenne-bm-10.html |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=Military Equipment Guide With Photos}}</ref>
|Sold for scrap, April 30, 1939<ref name=":5" />
|Underwent several Recommissioning and Decommissioning
Last Monitor Warship of the U.S. Navy<ref name=":5" />  
|-
|''Arkansas (Later Ozark)''
|November 10, 1900<ref name=":4" />
|October 28, 1902<ref name=":4" />
|August 20, 1919<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/uss-arkansas-3655/ |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>
|Sold for scrap, January 26, 1922<ref name=":6" />
|
|-
|''Nevada (Later Tonopah)''
|November 24, 1900<ref name=":4" />
|March 5, 1903<ref name=":4" />
|July 1, 1920<ref>{{Cite web |title=Convention Center – Tonopah, Nevada |url=https://www.tonopahnevada.com/convention-center/ |access-date=2022-08-09 |language=en}}</ref>
|Sold for scrap, January 26, 1922<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nevada I (Monitor No. 8) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/nevada-i.html |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=NHHC |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|-
|''Florida (Later Tallahassee)''
|November 30, 1901<ref name=":4" />
|June 18, 1903<ref name=":4" />
|March 24, 1922<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=World Battleships List: US "New Navy" Monitors |url=https://www.hazegray.org/navhist/battleships/us_bm.htm#ark-cl |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=www.hazegray.org}}</ref>
|Sold for scrap, July 25, 1922<ref name=":7" />
|
|}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite web
  |last = DiGiulian
  |first = Tony
  |url = http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_12-40_mk3.htm
  |title = United States of America 12"/40 (30.5&nbsp;cm) Mark 3 and Mark 4 
  |publisher = Navweaps 
  |date = 9 May 2015 
  |access-date = 10 May 2016
  |ref = {{sfnRef|DiGiulian|12"/40|2015}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  |last = DiGiulian
  |first = Tony
  |url = http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_4-50_mk9.php
  |title = United States of America 4"/50 (10.2&nbsp;cm) Marks 7, 8, 9 and 10 
  |publisher = Navweaps 
  |date = 15 June 2015 
  |access-date = 9 July 2016
  |ref = {{sfnRef|DiGiulian|4"/50|2015}}
  }}
* {{Cite book
  |last = Friedman
  |first = Norman
  |author-link = Norman Friedman
  |year = 1985
  |title = U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History
  |publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
  |location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  |isbn = 978-1-59114-247-8
  }}
* {{cite web 
  | last = Yarnall
  | first = Paul R.
  | url = http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/arkansas.htm 
  | title = M-7 USS ARKANSAS 
  | publisher = NavSource 
  | date = 24 June 2016
  | access-date = 9 July 2016
  }}

== External links ==

*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arkansas-ii.html}}
*[http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/battleships/us_bm.htm#ark-cl World Battleships List: US "New Navy" Monitors]
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/ozark-ii.html}}

{{Arkansas class monitor}}
{{USN monitors}}

[[Category:Monitor classes]]
[[Category:Arkansas-class monitors| ]]