The Portland daily press., 1891-12-03
PRIDE OF the NAVY.
The Great war snip New York suc-
cessfuIy Launched.
A Vessel Able to Cope With eng.
lands Best Cruisers.

PHILADELPHIA, December 2.-The ar
mored cruiser New York. designed to be
the most formidable. as we'll as the largest
man-of-war ia the United States navy, was
launched this afternoon with appropriate
ceremonies at the yard of William Cramp
& Sons. Among those who witnessed the
launching were Mrs. Harrison and party
of her friends, Vice President and Mrs.
Morton, Secretaries Tracy and Noble, Sen.
ator Gray of Delaware, Senator Higgins OF
Delaware, Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island
and Mrs. Aldrich, Senator Mcpherson and
Mrs. Mcpherson of New Jersey, Senators
Frye, Hawley. Stockbridge and Mander-
son.
When the hour of 2 o'clGck arrived the
workmen under the hull began to knock
away the long poles which had served as
props at the vessels sides. The noise at
this time was almost deafening. The in
cessant pounding, the clatter of falling tim
bers and the shouts of the workmen
filed the air. All that held the hull now
were the big iron bolts that fastened the
cradle to the ways at point near the bow.
To cut through the timbers at this point
would free the cradle from the restraint of
those big bolts which stood between the
New York and freedom. Mr. Cramp es-
c0rted Miss Helen Page of New York to
the altar, upon whose eminence she stood
In full view OF the waiting thousands. The
foreman gave last look up and down the
line Of workmen under the hull. The work
seemed complete. He looked up for the
signal and Mr.. Cramp nodded. The next
minute the big saws began to move, cut
ting narrow paths through the timbers.
Thousands held their breath and watched
for the movement OF the vessel. 1t came
with quick jerk that carried the cradle
hardly an inch along the runways, yet the
watchers. Miss Page stood with the bot
tie uplifted almost touching the steel. A
third movement came, and then suddenly
the huge hull started on its voyage to the
river. Suddenly Now" said Mr.. Cramp
In whisper, aud Miss Page broke the bot
tie OF wine against the fast receding PROV,
and In clear distinct tone said: II chris
ten thee New York"
The launch was entirely successful and
was followed by banquet for the invited
guests. Mr.. Cramp presented to the ladies'
present as souvenirs chatalaine pins MADE
OF the letters U. s. S. n. Y. curiously
strung together.
The New York is an armored cruiser of
much the same type as the cruises
Maine and Texas. She is not battle ship,
but heavy cruiser for distant service, and
Will carry guns powerful enough to permit
her fighting in the line of battle II necessa-
ry. Her principal dimensions and charac-
teristics are: Length at water line, $50 feet
. inches; breadth of beam, GA feet; mean
draught. 2S feet inches: displacement,
8loO tons; maximum speed, 20 knots: sus.
tanned sea speed, 1875 knots; complement
OF ofiicers and men. 475; and total coal en-
duIance, 1900 miles.
She VIII have 1900 tons greater displace-
ment than the Maine, and collective
horse power of $1,000. or nearly 5000 more
Inan n any ship In the United States service.
The armor of the vessel consists OF 3-lnch
plating smids 10 and 23-inch forward and
ait. Amidship the slopes are covered with
six inches OF armor, and the skin Of the
vessel Is hlled with cellul0se to exclude
water should projectiles penetrate.
The ships battery will consist of six s.
Inch guns, twelve 4-inch rapid fire guns,
eight 6-pounder rapid fire guns, four CAT
for ana aft will each have two of the S-inch
guns. The other four will be amidships,