New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29
Ky AR VESSELS LAUNCHED.
a NOTABLE ADDITION TO THE NEW NAVY.
Tux YORKTOWN AID THE DYNAMITE CRUISER
SLIDE Down THE WAYS To'TnE WATER
WITHOUT A HITCE.

INK YORKTOWN AND TIKI DYNAMITE cRoisIh
SLIDE DOWN rHR WAYS ro'rnE WATER
WITHOUT A hITCH
Phlladc phia, April n5.-1hc two trains OF Pullman
cars nom Washington bearing secretary Whitney
members Of Congress representatives Of foreign govern
mens and Others invited by the Secretary of tho Navy
10 witness the launching of the Yorktown and the I'M
named dynamite cruiser arrived at "ashng'oh-sL
wharf few minutes before O'Clock this afternoon
Tho distinguished party numbered over three hundred
and included plumber of ladies' They were at once
taken on board the Columbia where they were
received by the city officials and prominent citzens
! collation. was served board the steamer, which
meanwhile proceeded up the river to Cramps shpyard'
where tho launch was to take place.
e Tba Yorktown was launched at 06 p m, and was
christened by Miss Eleanor Breckenridge, daughter OF
Congressman Breckenridge, Of Kentucky, The dyna
mite cruiser followed of the ways ut 10, being
chrstened BIZ Miss Nellie Cameron daughter OF senator
Don Cameron, OF Pennsylvania The launches wero
unusually successful The United states steamer Dis
patch which lay out in the river fired saues IS tho
vessels moved OF the ways into the stream, amid inc
screcchng Of Whistles ringing OF bells. and The cheers
q the multitude Of spectators The Dynamite CRUISER
was christened the vesuvius. .t
- The launching Of the two vessels forms one OF tho
most important epochs in the history of modern naval
warfare and In the reconstruction Of the American
Navy Il cuts no small figure in the Nations history
While only the bare huls 10 DO seen at tbs launch
ing clear idea could easily be formed OF the appear
ancc and value of the vessels as Instruments OF DO
fence IN times Of strife.
An the arrangements were made yesterday, and In
ereasng the ways four thousand pounds Oh aiow
were used The snip yards, both before and during
The launching were thrown open 70 the pabc ana the
ZOO employees were given q holiday. In estimating
the crowd which thronged the place all day long, II
would DO necessary to multiply that number seVerai
times.
Tho @ drparifa o,,n cruserp has caused curl
osity in the Naval world than any other war engine
Of modern construction The act Of Congress author
izng such vessel to DO added to the Navy proyideo
thai she must combine specific dimensions, morse
power and speed1 aud these conditions were guaran-
teed by the Pneumatic Dynamite Gun Company, o.
NewYork which secured the contract for building ana
equipping her at limited cost of s35oooo. If she
does up these requirements IL Is provided
, that tho Government shall not accept her.
This new vessel Is In many respects similar 10 the
English torpedo cruisers, except that tho torpeaoes
VIII be discharged through the air instead OF through
the water. She will be armed with three pneumatic
dynamite guns of and half inch callbre, TO throw
shells containing goo pounds of dynamite distance OF
b nile, and capable Of being discharged once In two
minutes Ten dynamite pro,ectlles viii be carried for
mach gun The range however. can be varied at viii,
say the contractors and from mile TO zoo yards
By varying the amount Of air entering from the nrng
reservoir The guns will not be movable In the SNIP
but will be fred at an incline that to train them the
vessel herself must be turned. AS the cruiser VIII
have twin screws she may be turned With ease an
over the guns shield the loading gear compressor
etc. from danger and TO insure the safety OF the crew
yho handling the shells and loading ana hrins the
guns. 80
The guns Will be placed side by side In the FORWARD
part OF the vessel and made In single secu0ns WIZ
Aanco connections their length being about nftyou
feet The shells will DO fired by fuses ignfting from
Impact or by fuses formed Of composition when II
mites on being wet, 80 thai tho charge VIII cXplooe
after tho shell sinks below tho surface Of the wafer
The shells containing the dynamite will be proleetee
by means Of compressed air; and there VIII DO nain
reservoir down near the keel and firing reservoir nea
Kfo the guns ct the rear of the projece In adoto9
10 The three dynamite guns there Will DO poweriu
feeopdary battery consisting of two three pounaers
one one FOUNDER, two Calling guns and two thirty
seven mIllimefre revolving cannons
The Dimensions OF this novel vesscl are lengtn De
tween perpendiculars 246 feet inches Iengtn over
All 2b5 feet inches breadth Of beam, 20 feet D
inches: depth. IA feet inch: mean draught, ieet
(fsparenent, T25 tons: estimated speed, 70 hnotsi
She will have spars upper works beyond that OF
the smoke pipe and tower In rear OF inc guns anu
A she Is an unarmored vessel she could be peneuated
6y some OF the smaller rife guns But she Is pun io
hef speed. light draught and easy handing one Oh
fbe officers who has supervising her building says
aft is Confidently expected that when this vessel is
oo,opieted the United sates Navy will have IN us pos
session vessel capable Of placing with considerable
arfurasy an aerial torpedo charged with high e&
niosiye within the range Of two miles,
Z A sketch of the Yorktown was published In The
Tribune on April %.