The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-22
LAUNCH or THE SLOOI-0F VAR LANCASTER -
A GREAT CR0BD.
[From lhe rhLlaaeIpLIa I.sagsr, oal 2l.l .

Yesterday at II o'clock the United States steam pro-
peer Lancaster launched from the Philadelphia navy
yard in the presence OF an immense eonconse of cit
liens. Notwithstanding the announcement had been
male that the gates of the yard would not be opened 10
the public until III clock large crowd reached the spot
long while previous to this time, and waited with great
patience for admission number of ladies and Others.
having tickets of admission, gained access TO the yard
through the gate in front of the commandments house,
and by the time the public generally were admitted the
disinanted fgate Congress was literally covered with
people, and all the accessible points in the yard and
neghboTng wharyes equally alive with the curious
mass The river was here and there dotted with row.
boats pleasure yachts and small steamers, chartered for
the occasion. The receiving ship gay decorated
with flags string of them reaching from the bowspit to
the foremost and thence TO the mizen mast and down 10
the spanker BOOM presenting truly beautiful appear-
After viewing the crowd in the yard made
way through narrow door, which was guarded by ma
rnes into the house which covered the splendid ship
Early 1t found great number OF persons along
the galleries. and over two thousand ledes and gentle
ON board the ship The head of the ship hand
someIy decorated the deck covered with carpet, and
chair placed near the bow for the accommodation of Miss
Lane, who had been chosen to pe4o the christening
Miss Lane escorted TO the ship by Commodore Stew
art followed by large number of ladies and gentlemen
friends and acquaintance.
Among the invited guest Captain Carr, VIM. Bad
ger esq, George Pitt, esq., Major English, u NJ and
a number of naval officers. A few minutes before the
launch Col Florence, who arrived from New York in the
III O'Clock train made his appearance upon the PLATFORM
and the gangway lowered TO enable him 10 get
board The Colonel was greeted on all hands with
warm welcome due to the representative through whose
exertions the navy yard in Southwark has been brought
into its proper prominence and utility The platform
having been removed the shores were knocked and
the setting up of the vessel commenced This per-
formed by several hundred men, who stationed
each side of the keel and in gangs of from four to six
drove wedges under the ways with made for the
purpose. few minutes suliced to complete this labor
when the last operation before launching the cutting
away OF the blocks upon which the vessel rested while
being built was commenced These blocks eighteen
in number each being numbered, and each block
removed the number was handed to Mr. Grice, the
naval constructor, who sat ut the bow, in company with
Commodore Stewart who erased a corresponding mum
Der upon piece of paper and by this means he
was informed everything cleared from under the
wheel. AS soon as the last block was removed the
signal given, and the dog-shores were quickly
sawed asunder the Lancaster moved from the yard
first slowly, but in moment with swiftcr motion. Just
she commenced to move an old salt jumped upon her
ways and took ride nearly to the waters edge and then
quickly leapcd from his dangerous position As the bow
Of the noble ship touched the water Miss Lane broke the
bottle over it. at the time pronouncing the name
Lancaster. The young lady stood in such position
to be seen distinctly by those in the house well
as those board the Congress and along the whayes
and the act Of christening received with cheering
both board and among the crowd upon the Shore from
the the vessel started until the anchor drop
ped in the stream. The as viewed from the deck
of the fgate with the dense throngs upon the stages and
wharves and the Delaware covered with boats of various
sizes, most beautiful Soon after the anchor
had been dropped the commodore boat alongside,
and Miss Lane and the other special guests rowed to
the shore The rest then taken off in boats belong
ing to the yard with much expedition possible.
The officers Of the army an navy and the ladies
entertained after the launch in tho coInmodores build
ing OF which handsomely decorated for the
OCCASION with portraits Of distinguished personages and
flags of different nations Conspicuous among the por
traits those of Presidents Washington and Buchanan
and of Secretary Touccy The Lancaster commenced
on the first Monday Of the present year Her drawings
were made in Washington and she built under the
superintendence of Naval Constructor Grice and Mr.
Hoover, master carpenter Of the yard, In model and
build she will compare with any vessel afoat