The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-12-02


a THE NEW YORK BEFORE THE LAUNCH.
that he could not attend, owing to the
pressure of official duties, but Governor
elect Flower and Governor Pattison
were present. Mayor Stuart, the heads
of the municipal departments and MEM
bers of councils represented the city.
New York sel$ over special train
load of people, under tho guidance Of
Henry H. Raymond, private secretary to
Secretary of the Navy Tracy who super
intended the christening The New
York delegation included Admiral
Walker General Schofield, Captain Am
brose Snow, Colonel Elliott F. Shepard,
Captain Henry Erben naval commandant
at New York; Commander John Nc
Gowan. of the school slip st. Mary;
Mrs. MCGOWAN, ChaunceY M. Depew,
Cornelius Vanderbilt, H. Walter Webb
and others.
The President Gould Not Attend.
Disappointment was fell when word
was received that President Harrison,
who had hoSed to see the launch, would
find it impossible to spare enough time
from his annual message tp attend. The
regret caused by this announcement was
leavened some what by the presence of
Mrs. Harrison and other members of the
White House family.
Invitations numbering nearly six
thousand were sent out, but not much
over half that number attended. The
yard was thrown open 10 the public,
and countless vessels were drawn up i'll
front of the great warship The specta-
Gle of the assembled hosts, crowding
into every point of observation, was a
thrilling one. An immense pavilion had
been erected, with a seating capacity of
1,5OO persons, from which an excellent
view Of the launch was obtained. The
guests of honor assembled on large
platform built around the PROV of the
new warship.
Into the Waters of the Delaware.
Promptly at o'clock BOO workmen
began hammering away Mt the blocks
from under the New York When this
was done the steamer rested on two
CREASED logs The knocking away of
few wedges was the last act, and the
logs, feeling the tremendous weight
of the ship, slipped fro "a each other
and down into the water glided the
mammoth cruiser. AT tlIis interesting
moment Miss Helen Clifford Paige, the
daughter of j. Seaver Paige, of New
York, broke bottle of champagne on
the PROV of the gigantic var vessel, at
the same time saying. g christen thee
New York"
At the moment of the launching there
were aboard the cruiser 2b0 sailor boys
of the schoolship Saratoga. They were
logged in their best naval dress. 1t was
an honor which the shiIlbuilding firm
rendered, and the young thrs We're much
elated. None of the guests We're aboard.
After the christening ceremonies the
visiting guests We're invited to grand
banquet given by the Cramps.
Dimensions and Al Imament.
The dimensions of the new cruiser are:
Length of water line, $50 ft. 6.5 in. i;
breadth of beam, ca it; mean draught,
23 #. 35 in. displacement, $3.50 tons;
maximum speed, 20 knots sustained sea
speed, 1875 knots; compliment Officers
and mem, 4i5; bunker capacity, l,500
tons; coal endurance 0ota capacity, l3,-
600 miles,
Her coal endurance is calculated at
ten knots, and she is to steam twenty
knots an hour. Under natural draught,
and at that speed, and moi allowing for
barnacles, she can cireu nnaTigate the
! globe.
Her buoyancy and sta bility arc pro-
tected by partial belt Of nickel steel
armor, another of water excluding ma
terial and protective deck. In addl-
| tion to this she has three other conn
plete decks and flying deck or bridge,
/ upon which the boats will be carried.
The armor on the protective deck is of
varying thickness at different parts of
the vessel. 1t extends four feet nine
inches below the water line amidships,
and one foot above it, when tho vessel
is at her normal draught At the center
of the ship this deck slopes and is there
covered with an additional thickness Of
three inches
The New York will carry six eight
inch breech loading rifles, twelve four
inch rapid fire guns, eight six Founders,
four gatlings and six torpedo tubes.
One peculiar feature of the new
cruiser is her great collective horse
t power, which is $4,000. This is 5000
more than that of any vessel now in the
nasy. There are four separate engines,
each having power Of 4,500 horses.
Two of these work the shaft for the
starboard screw and twp that for the
port. 1t is SO arranged that these en-
gines can be disconnected and the vessel
allowed to cruise under half power.
The New York will be fitted out as a
flagship and will have every modern