Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-11-19
OUR BIGGEST SHIP.
She Plunges Into the Embrace
Of Old Neptune.
LAUNCHING THE CRUISER MAINE.

Entirely Built by Uncle Sam, She IL
Able to Hold Her Own In . ses Fight
with Some Of the Bsst-some Informe.
tion About Her Armament and What
War ON the Sea viii he In the Future
Long Range Fighting and No Call
for Boarders-
New YORK, Nov. 1o.-Tbe greatest war
ship and armored steel cruiser combined
that ever yet fioated nnder the stars and
stripes was successfully launched at the
Brooklyn navy yard shortly after noon
yesterday. At an early hour great crowds
of invited guests entered the navy yard
and began taking their places on the stag
ing erected for their accommodation. Ev-
erything was profuseiy decorated The
great hull OF the Maine rested on it's stays.
while carpenters with their saws and
hammers stood by in readiness to cut
away the timbers which restrained 1t
from sliding into the waters OF the East
river.
Baptized with Wine and Water.
Secretary Tracy arrived in due time
and was received with a salute Of nine
teen guns. Shortly after, to the strains
of the Star Spangled Banner the
Maine swept down the incline. q great
cheer arising as she went, and as at the
moment Of starting Miss Wilmerding,
niece Of Secretary Tracy. broke a bottle
Of champagne over the bow Of the vessel
and said: II christen thee the Maine.p
and in an instant was aloat in her natur-
al element.
Significance of the Event.
The fact that the Maine has been thus
far constructed entirely by the United
States government and not by private
contract was in itself sufficient to make
the occasion an interesting and impor-
tant one. but even that fact aside, the
day marks another and q giant stride in
the renewed life of an invaluable branch
Of the national service The launching Of
the Maine means that new maritime
monster has been let loose on the sea to
maintain, and defend, If need be. whether
at home or abroad the honor Of the flag
1t sails under and the rights OF the people
it represents, and that by the time it is
fully equipped and ready to go into COM
mission it will be amply able to do all
that is expected of it, and cope with any
foe on equal terms
Both Cruiser and Fighter.
The Maine, although called a cruiser. Is
also a war ship and is built to hold her
own against war ships. She Is not a revo-
luton in naval architure. but Is rather a
development, and so far as this country Ia
concerned is the one illustration Of the
highest stage Of development recorded In
the era which began when the little Mont
tor was sent down to Hampton Roads to
put an end to to the destructive perform
ances OF the then confessedly invincible
Merrimac. The Maine, twenty years ago,
could have faced the war ships Of the
world and have swept them out of exist
ence, one after the other, with compare
tive ease.
Her Sire aud Armament.
The Maine is S24 feet over all, 81 feet OK
treme bread b, and has a mean drausht
OF q n feet. Her displacement is @ $50
tons, and she will have a speed OF IL knots
She will have twin screws, which will be
driven by engines with 5000 horse- power.
making 1872 revolutions Der minute. Her
armament will consist Of four ten-ioch
six six iuch and a secondary battery of
four six-pound rified guns eight three
pound guns, two one pound guns four
thirty-seven revolving cannon, four est-
ling guns, seven torpedo tubes Four OF
these guns are to be placed in the cruisers
turrets, two In each.
what Her Guns Can Do.
Either ten. inch gun Is capable of hurlinS
500-pound steel ball at the rate of q 90
feet per second distance OF nine miles.
or, as men up in guunery saw. AN 'effec-
tive distance of nine mile, That means
e..