St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-07
FITTED up AS A FLAG SHIP.
Successful Launch Of the New Cruiser
Baltimore, at Cramps Shipyard.
UNCLE SANS NEW NAVY.
This Latest Addition to 1t the LARD
est Of the Federal
Fleet.

PHILADELPHIA. Oct. 6.-''Beautiful,
beautiful" repeated Secretary Whit
ney with an approving nod of the head,
as the hull of the cruiser Baltimore
gracefully slid down the ways and out
into the Delaware river this afternoon
at Cramps ship yard. No cards of
special invitation had been sent out by
the Messrs. Cramp for the event, ex-
cepting those sent to Washington, but
the gates Of the immense ship yard
were thrown open to the public, and,
Notwithstanding the rain which fell
heavily at times throughout the dav,
thousands of people gathered to witness
the novel sight. The cars containing
the Washington visitors arrived at the
ship yard at 1:45 p. m, having been
taken around the city by the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad to the KenSington branch,
and thence over a freight track,
landing them directly opposite the main
gate, and within a hundred yards of
where the majestic cruiser stood, as
though impatiently waiting to be re-
leased from her timbered bondage. Sec
retary Whitney arrived from New
York few minutes later, and with the
Washington visitors was escorted
to the platform erected on level
with the extreme tip of the bow of
the cruiser. Hundreds Of wOrkmen
were at once put to work driving the
wedges and saving the timbers support
ing the vessel. Mrs. Wilson (who was
to christen the vesSeD and Mrs. Com
mander Schley were meanwhile given
seats of honor Immediately under the
bow. AT 2:25 cries of ''Look out!' from
the watchmen gave notice that the huge
hull was moving, and moment later,as
it gracefully slid away, Mrs. Wilson
BROKE THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE
on the bow, and chriStened the vessel
"The Baltimore" The cruiser slid
slowly and smoothly down the ways,
and on striking the water ran swiftly
out to mid-stream amid the booming Of
the cannon on the u. S. s. Despatch,
the cheers and shouts of the vast assem-
blage and the blowing of whistles and
horns. The anchors were Immediately
dropped, and the Baltimore gracefully
rested in the river. The Washington
visitors retired to the Offices of the
Messrs. Cramp. where luncheon was
served, and at 4:30 a special train was
taken for the capital. Secretary Whit
ney, who returned to Washington with
the other visitors, expressed himself as
delighted with the successful launch,
and cOmplimented the Cramps on the
progress made on the vessels of the
''new navy" The Baltimore is the
largest vessel yet constructed for
what is called the new navy.
The Newark and some others will be
larger, but comparatively little work
has been done on them so far. Secre-
tary Whitney is particularly interested
in the Baltimore, and she is considered
his pet among the vessels now under
contract. He has been frequent Wis
itor at Cramps ship yard to watch her
progress, and takes great pride in her.
The Baltimore has twin screws, and
will be the first vessel SO equipped in
the navy. She is 335 feet long over all,
her beam amidshipS is 4S.5 feet, her
mean draught is 1915 feet and her dis
placement is 400 tons. The indicated
horse power of her engines is $500 at
natural draught and 10,750 at forced
draught, and they are expected to drive
her along at the rate of nineteen knots
per hour. She will carry two masts fit
ted with military tops, and her crew
will consist of 800 men. The Baltimore
has a protective deck of thick steel
plates, and under this, down below the
water line, are placed the rudder and
the steam steering gear. The new
cruiser, being intended for effective
SERVICE IN TIME OF WAR,
will be armed with a main battery of
four eight-inch breech-loading rifled
guns on the poop and forecastle and six
siX-inch rifled guns in sponsors, eigh-
teen feet above the water. There will
also be a second battery of six rapid
firing six-pounders, six Hotchkiss re-
volving cannon and four Gatling guns.
She will also carry FIVE torpedo launch
ing tubes or guns. In her appoint
ments the Baltimore will be fitted up
as flag ship. There will be comfort
able quarters for the admiral, captain,
other officers and crew. The vessel will
be lighted with two electric plants, so
that all parts will be brilliantly illum-
mated by incandescent lamps. Venti-
lation will be secured by two large
blowers, with capacity of 10000 cubic
feet per minute. Two triple-expansion
engines in separate water-tight CON-
partments will furnish the motive
power, and they will be sup
plied with steam from four
double-ended, horizontal return tubular
boilers IA feet and inches In diameter.
The cylinders will be AZ, 60 and 81
inches in diameter, with a 42-inch
stroke, and there will be three-bladed
ccraVUG ahOut Il feet in diameter With