The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-03
ANOTHER NEW CRUISER.
THE NEW YORK SUCCESSFULLY
LAUNCHED BY THE CRAMPS.

The Customary Bottle of Champagne
Broken Over Her Bow-The Launch =
ing Witnessed by 5000 People.
Over 5000 Personal Invitations Sent
Out-The Launching Highly Success
full.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, Dec 2-The United
States armored crusier New York was
the yards Of the Cramp Shipbuilding Com
pany. in the presence Of 1900 people, in
cluded among whom were the Secretaries of
the Navy and Interior departments; United
States senator's, congressman, high naval
officials and representative business and
professional men from all parts of the
country. Miss Helen Page, daughter Of
J. Seaver Page, secretary of the Union
League Club of New York, broke the tradi-
tional bottle Of wine upon the great steel
ram OF the cruiser as she slid from her
wooden cradle into the Delaware river and
christened her New York;
ONE OF THE BEST AFLoAT
When the New York is finished she will
be the most formidable cruising vessel that
has ever flown the stars and stripes, and in
addition she is the largest and most power
fully engined steamship ever built outside
her builders are fulfilled there is nothing
ahoat to-day of her class that will be aole
to steam from her, or engage her with any
great hopes of victory. Although essen
TALLY commerce destroyer, the New York
will be able to hold her own with all but
the heaviest line Of battleships.
FIVE THOUSAND INVITATIONS.
President Harrison and the members Of
bis cabinet were invited to be present. In
vitat1ons were sent TO all the members of
the United States Senate, House Of Repre-
seutatives, Gov. Hill and his staff and Cow
elect Flower of New York, Gov. Pattison Of
Pennsylvania, Mayor Grant and the men,
bers of the city government of
New York, Mayor Stuart and
the members of the city government of
Philadelphia; the naval attaches of the
foreign governments; naval officers and
prominent citizens all over the country. In
all about 5000 invitations were sent out.
President Harrison, Secretaries Blaine and
Rusk, Gov. Hill, Gov. -eect Flower and
Gov. Pattison were forced to decline the in
vitation to be present owing to the pressure
of business upon them.
TWO PLATFORMS.
Two platforms had been erected, one
| directly beneath the bows of the cruiser
and the other on an adjoining wharf. The
christening party, headed by Mr.. Cramp
| and Secretary Tracy and about $50 spec
tally invited guests made their way to-
ward the stand beneath the bow Of
the cruiser. The other stand was crowded
with about 5000 people, and as
after those who had cards had been ad.
mitted, the gates of the yard were thrown
open, about $1,000 people in all we're col.
lected to see the New York go off. After
Secretary Tracy, Miss Page and the balanct
OF the party had taken their places Con.
structor Lewis Nixon began to make pre-
parations for the launch.
RUSHING INTO THE WATER.
The snoring that held the cruiser in plac,
was knocked away, Mr.. Nixon gave a warn
ing call to Miss Page, the great steel hui
trembled from stem to stern, and then be-
gan to move down the tallowy ways. Just
as the cruiser started Miss Page struck The
gayly beribboned bottle held in her hands
against the keel that was slipping BY
her, close above her head, and al
the wine flowed from the broken bottle
she cried out: 81 christen thee New York.
A shout went up from the crowd when II
saw the cruiser begin to move, steau
whistles shrieked shrilly and handkerchiefs
flags and hats were waved. Faster auC
faster the vessel rushed dowI
the smoking ways until with {
plunge that sent wave surginC
over the neighboring wharves, the futur
pride of the navy slid into the river. The
impetus shot the cruiser half way across tn
river, when two anchors from her bow
were let go and she swung slowly aronut
with the tide. After the launch collatioi
was served in the mold room Of the yard.