New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06
I,ATTNCH OF THE CHICAGO.
.ur cp,cK SHIP OF THE NAVY AFLoAT.
Holm ROACH SEES THE LAST OF HIS FLfEI ENih"
,ur WATERS OF THE DELAWARE.

... ,o.cu spFs THE LAST OF HIS FLRET ENTER
rur WATERS OF THE DELAWARE.
,o,, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUNhI
CursrYR Penn, Dec 6.-Ihe new steer CRUISER
rbcaco the last and largest OF the Koach neet o WI"
80 was successfully launched at l1:30 a. m. to-
a. IN the Delaware River. 1t is magnificent mon
.,rr All the morning workmen were cutting away
~. nv one the s,anch supports that kept the boat
S., the vooine water which all the while nearer
.,c reorcr the very picture of coy Irritation John
poacb himself was present sadly goryng in what was
I'll . triumnb and humiliation. Chief Constructor
Theodore d. Wilson, under whose immediate super
,;sion the work has been done, was with MI koach'
and on the decks of the boat were Medical DIRECTOR
tleborpe. Captain McCann chairman OF the naval
Advisory Board Naval Constructors steel end KICK
horn. Assistant Constructors hoover and hanscoin'
Commander McCala, who achieved distinction IN 'ns
command of the recent Isthmian campaign; Commo-
dore Gberadi. of tho philadelphia Navy Yard; Lieu
Commander Bradford, Chief Engineers Greene
Thompson. Duncan and Smith, and a host oil lesser
naval officers The river bore large notila OIL
steamers and tugs with people aboard from fhlauel-
phia ana Wilmington In the yard all available space
was occupied by sightseers. who swarmed over INC
niers There must have been 3, 900 people present.
/ The Chicago was gayly dressed with flags ana punt
INC At her bow stood Miss Edith Cleborne. beautl-
fnl brunette the daughter of Medical Director Gle
horne She was elegantly dressed, and wore cluster
Of roses on her breast. In her hand she held Inc
hottie of wine with which she was TO ohristen the
vassel The bottle was dressed in red, white and blue
ribbons.
At1l:3O when the workmen cut away tne final sup
norris the vessel began to trembe as with intense
excitement Then amid the wild cheers of the people
and the shri salutes of the whistles, Miss Ceborne
raised the bottle and saying, " In the name OF the
United States l baptze thee The chicago. May
victory and success attend thee" she broke the glass
As urged by this gentle blow the monster slid grace
fully down from its cradle into the waiting waves.
When the -essel was entirely in the water Miss Gle
horne opened cege and set free three birds canary
a Baltimore oriole and thrush. In their fight they
tvpided the liberty and feetness of the shin. The
launch was a success and John Roach listened TO
the plaud of the crowd he broke down. Tears fell
from his eyes "There goes the last of my ships" he
said.
The Chicago is designed to rank among the rst-cnss
naval vessels. She does not embody any new improve
ments over already in the modern vessels
OF England Italy, but she combines more of them
than any vessel afoat She has "high freeOoard" so
that her greatest guns are feet above the
ter line These placed that they have complete
sweep Of the and shoot fore-andaft They are
ten.inch guns and could put mole
through an armed ship five miles of.
Guns stand is the eundeck which viii hold the chief
armament OF the vessel eight sx-inch guns and re-
VOving rifle.
The vessel 312 feet long and 43 feet inches in
depth, ami viii displace 1000 IONS. with draft or 10
feet IL is expected to make II knots an hour and 10
develop 5000 horse she Will nave two immense
engines which Will drive two prOpelers. They TO
revOve enty-hve times minute John Roach builds
his ships right from the being one OF the three men
IN the world who can do that The steel Of
which the Chicago - constructed was maze
IN the Roach yard. II submitted to
the crucial test OF 10000 pounds TO the
square nch II is believed that fl wouid hr
for ball make It, way INTO the eng ne rooms OF the
vessel. At the level there il heavy iron deck
which when reaches within about four feet OF either
side of the ship bends down aud joins the sides about
live below the water. All tn machinery Is under
This deck below the line, that II prOlcctr
strnck the vessel above the wafer line II could 20
through her without touching the engines. should II
strike under the line after passing through several feet
OF water and Rave sul force enough LEFT
to penetrate the armOr, II would strike thi>
depended deck and by 1t be diverted upward.
The following cut will Illustrate this all-iupOrtant
point