USS Florida (BM-9)

USS Tallahassee (formerly USS Florida) tending to submarines K-5 and K-6 in Hampton Roads, 1919
History
Name:	Florida (1899–1908) Tallahassee (1908–1921) IX-16 (1921–1922)
Namesake:	The State of Florida Tallahassee, Florida
Ordered:	4 May 1898
Awarded:	11 Oct 1898
Builder:	Crescent Shipyard, Elizabeth, New Jersey
Cost:	$1,508,881.84
Laid down:	23 January 1899
Launched:	30 November 1901
Commissioned:	18 June 1903
Decommissioned:	24 March 1922
Renamed:	Tallahassee (M-9), 1 July 1908 Tallahassee (BM-9), 17 July 1920 IX-16, 20 July 1921
Identification:	Hull symbol:M-9 Hull Symbol:BM-9, 17 July 1920 Hull symbol:IX-16, 20 July 1921
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, 25 July 1922
General characteristics
Type:	Arkansas-class monitor
Displacement:	3,225 long tons (3,277 t) (standard) 3,356 long tons (3,410 t) (full load)
Length:	255 feet 1 inch (77.75 m) (overall) 252 ft (77 m) (waterline)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Draft:	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) (mean)
Installed power:	4 × Mosher boilers 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) 2,336 ihp (1,742 kW) (on trials)
Propulsion:	2 × Vertical triple expansion engines 2 × screw propellers
Speed:	12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) (design) 12.4 kn (23.0 km/h; 14.3 mph) (on trial)
Complement:	13 officers 209 men
Armament:	2 × 12 in (305 mm)/40 caliber breech-loading rifles (1×2) 4 × 4 in (102 mm)/40 cal guns (4×1) 3 × 6-pounder 57 mm (2.2 in) guns
Armor:	Harvey armor Side belt: 11–5 in (280–130 mm) Barbette: 11–9 in (280–230 mm) Gun turret: 10–9 in (250–230 mm) Deck: 1.5 in (38 mm) Conning tower: 8 in (200 mm)

The USS Florida (BM-9) was an Arkansas-class monitor in the United States Navy.

Florida was ordered on 4 May 1898, and awarded to the Crescent Shipyard, Elizabethport, New Jersey on 11 October 1898. She was laid down 23 January 1899 and launched 30 November 1901 by Lewis Nixon and Arthur Leopold Busch, a marine engineer who worked at the Crescent Shipyard; sponsored by Miss S. Wood; and commissioned 18 June 1903, with Commander John Charles Frémont Jr., in command. The total cost for the hull, machinery, armor and armament was $1,508,881.84.

The Arkansas-class monitors had been designed to combine a heavy striking power with easy concealment and negligible target area. They had a displacement of 3,225 long tons (3,277 t; 3,612 short tons), measured 255 feet 1 inch (77.75 m) in overall length, with a beam of 50 feet 1 inch (15.27 m) and a draft of 12 feet 6 inches (3.81 m). She was manned by a total crew of 13 officers and 209 men.

Florida was powered by two vertical triple expansion engines driving two screw propellers with steam generated by four Mosher boilers. The engines in Florida were designed to produce 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) with a top speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph), however, on sea trials she was only able to produce 2,336 ihp (1,742 kW) with a top speed of 12.4 kn (23.0 km/h; 14.3 mph).Florida was designed to provide a range of 2,360 nautical miles (4,370 km; 2,720 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph).