Modernisation of American battleships USS New Mexico, Mississippi and Idaho approved according to the Dutch newspaper De Tribune dated 17 January 1931

USS New Mexico

An item reported that the American Senate with 73 against 13 votes approved a budget of 30 million US dollars needed for the modernizing of 3 battleships. Another newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 25th reported that the Naval Fleet Committee of the House of Representatives approved the modernisation of the USS New Mexico (1), Mississippi (2) and Idaho (3). The De Maasbode dated 18th reported that the reason that so many senators supported the budget was simply to preserve/create employment.

Notes
1. Nicknamed “The Queen’. Ordered in 1914 was she laid down at the New York Navy Yard on 14 October 1915, launched on 13 April two years later while christened by Miss Margaret Cabeza De Baca and a year later on 20 May 1918, at Philadelphia between March 1931-January extensively modernized, decommissioned on 19 June 1946 was she on 25 February of the next year stricken. Her scrapping started on 24 November and was July 1948 finished. With a clipper bow. Of the New Mexico-class with as sister ships the Idaho and the Mississippi, which succeeded the Pennsylvania-class and which was at her turn succeeded by the Tennessee-class. The reason that the New Mexico-class was nothing more than an improved design of her predecessor instead of a complete new for a 12-140,5cm battleships was lacking enough budget which was denied by Secretary of Navy Josephus Daniels.
2. BB-41. Laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding on 5 April 1915, launched on 25 January 1917, commissioned on 18 December 1917, stricken on 30 July 1956, decommissioned on 17 September 1956 and broken up in 1957.
3. BB-42. Laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation on 20 January 1915, launched in 30 June 1917, commissioned on 24 March 1919, decommissioned on 3 July 1945, sold on 24 November 1947 and broke up at Newark, New Jersey between 1947-1948.