Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-03

her wooden cradle into the Delaware
river, and christened her New York.
When the New York is finished she
will be the most formidable cruising
vessel that ever floated the stars and
stripes, and in addition, she is the lar
geSt and most powerfully engined steam
ship ever built outside Of European
ship yards. Although essentially COM
merce destroyer, the New York will be
able to hold her own with all but the
heaviest line-ofbattle ships and return
shot for shot with them in action.
The New York is the especial pride
of Secretary Tracy and he has watched
her rise from the ways with an interest
that no other vessel in the navy has ex-
cited in him. 1t was for all these rea-
sons that the Messrs. Cramp determined
that the New York should make her
initial plunge into her native element in
the presence of the most distinguished
assemblage that ever gathered in this
country to witness q launch.
President Harrison, Secretary Blaine,
Secretary Rusk, Governor Hill, Gov
ernOr-elect Flower and Governor Pat
tison were compelled to decline the in
vitation TO be present, owing to the
pressure of business. On the train from
Washington were Secretaries Tracy,
Foster and Noble, Postmaster General
Wanamaker, United States Senators
Manderson, Frye and HaweY; the
Naval Committees of the Senate aid
House, headed by their chairmen, Sen
ator Cameron and Congressman Bou-
telle; Admiral and Mrs. John G..
Walker, Lieutenant Chas. o. Allibone,
Liautenant and Mrs. SeatOn Schroeder.
In addition to the above there were
number of Congressman and the naval
attaches of foreign governments on
board the train-in all about 250 peo-
pie. The train from New York had on
board about the same number of guests
as the Washington train. After Secre-
tary Tracy, Miss Page and the remain
der of the party had taken their places,
Constructor Lewis Nixon began to
make preparations for the launch.
The sheering that held the cruiser in
place was knocked away, Mr.. Nixon
gave a warning call to Miss Page, the
great steel hull trembled from stem to
stern and then began to move down the
tallowy way.
Just as the cruiser started Miss Page
struck the gaily beribboned bottle she
held in her hands against the keel that
was slipping by her, close above her
head, and as the wine flowed from the
broken bottle, she cried out: 81
christen thee New York"
A shout went up from the crowd when
it saw the cruiser begin to move, steam
whistles shrieked shrilly and handker-
chieff, flags and hats waved. Faster
and faster the vessel rushed down the
smoking ways until a plunge sent
wave surging over the neighboring
wharves, and the pride Of the navy
slid into the river.
After the launch a collation. was
served In the mould room Of the yard.
Secretary Tracy before returning to
Washington expressed himself as great
ly pleased at the success attending the
launch.
Here are her principal dimensions,
etc, in full:
Length of water line............. $50 r. 60 in
Bresdth OF beam. ......'.' o. II.
Mean draught. . IS H. so IN
Displacement. .............. .... Sl59 tons
Maximum speed. ...... .-......' ~ knots.
Sustained sea speed. ............. lo5 Knots.
Complement (oficers and mem. 415
Bunker capacity ....... .--.. loUO IONS.
Coal endurance (totsl capacity 1900 miles.
The coal endurance Is calculated, OF
course, at ten knots. Under natural
draught, and at that speed, and not
allowing for barnacles, she can circum-
navigate the globe. Her buoyancy and
stability will be protected by partial
belt of nickel steel armor, another OF
water-excluding material and protec
tive deck. In addition to this, she will
have three other complete decks and
flying deck or bridge, upon which the
boats will be carried. The armor on
the protective deck will be OF varying
thickness at different parts of the yes
sci. 1t will extend four feet nine
inches below the water line amidships,
and one foot above it, when the vessel
is at her normal draught.
AT the centre of the ship this deck
slopes and is there covered with an addi-
tlonal thickness OF three inches. The
vacant space between this and the skin
Of the ship will be filed with cellulose