Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-11-01

Yesterday was a gala day for thcictizens of
AAxandiia Va. j; beog the day appoioted for
tie Launching of a,arge and! very fine schooner
fEsn tbs new sbipyerd. LIE weather was all
Tat could <wishedtor, just cloudy enaugh 10
be agreeable, and almost every maD, woman
and child turued oul to see one of the mcsi
successful efforts OF ship launching ever wit,
the baDks of the Potomac. Eleven
~oSlecka a. %. wss.tie hour appointed, aud so
se@pIsta- Gare the~ arrangements. that, in less
than ten uioutes from the time fixed, the no.
Bile craft began to move, and 10 about thirty
seconds she was ahoat right side up with
care" The momeut her stern touched the
water, large flag was raised Oh the centre
dag staff, and as it caught the breeze and un
folded, it displayed 10 large letters the name of
T AlexaDdria's most worthy and enterprsing
c.izen, "Rvbert Portner." Then the multi
Iude Of people 10 the sbipyard, 90 steamers,
tug boats. sailing vessels and the surrounding
banks began to cheer caDnons reared, and
every LADY VINO had 4 handkerchief to wave
waved them The steamer Arrow, with YER
al Lu1dred Centennial visitors 90 board 90
their way to Moubt Vcruou, arrived just in
time to witness the launch. Very few Wash
lngtonlan5 were present, owing to the FACT that
a vrry brief notice oil the affair had been PUB
| lished.
Tie Robert Portncr' is first class vessel
in size and rig, being one Lupdred aod fifty
| feet 10 length, TWO decks, about $50 tons Gus
tom house measurement, which will be eQulva
lent to abou $50 tons of freight, capacity
equal to many iull-rgged ships aud barks. Ii
is thirty four years since q vessel OF this slz
has been launched FROM shlpyard 10 Alcxau.
dria, or on the Potomac liver, aud three-tuur;hs
| - ~, hl. 4 how
istencc wheo the last ship was built AID launch
ed previous 10 this one, and the affair WAS new
and novel to nearly all present. Success 10 the
not thirty. four mouths, instead OF thirty-toul
years, eapse before its citizens may witness a
similar entertainment, and squally az interest
ing Washington Chronicle
The LAUNCH Of the large doube.deck schoou
err just built by The Alexandria Shipyard Com
pauy, took place at eevea o clock this mornlu:
a; the shipyard foot of franklin street, and Wa
Witnessed by several thousand persons. The
shipyard is at tie base OF az amphithcatrc o.
bills, all Of which were crowded with people
The Sliryard itself, and the wharves aud yes
saIs aiiaceu were also thronged with spectators
A small canon on the wharf fired salutes. 4
number of smaller vessels surrounded The yard
nc new FtsSci, WiO'c uauc uau Uccu hcPt 81
ere. until its baptism at the moment OF launch
Jag, was gayly ckcd with suit Of flags, aut
had on beard about one hundred stakeholder
of The company aud other Invited gue:ts. a
eleven o cl0, k the word Was given and the Yes
sci glidcd handsomely into the water amid TIL
cheers of the crowd aud the salute Of CANON
At the nome ut of the launch the vessel Wa
uamrA Robert Purtner," in honor OF the pro
, prctor OF the large brewery here. A haud
some collation. was served aboard, toasts drunk
&c The pew vessel is one of the largest eve
built in Alexandria, although ships we're form
erly bui hare. The Gen. WASHINGTON, th
largest Of the ships, rated OILY 6G7 tons. Will
the Purtner rates 63l tons regis cred tonnage
bu' will carry $50 tons Size is 40 feet i
lcDgtn, 30 feet beam aud II feet hold. Th
vessel VIII, it is expected. be ready Tor sea ii
two weeks. baltimore Sun