Morning journal and courier., 1892-07-27
NEWS By TELEGRAPH,
From All Quarters.
LAUNCH OF THE PIRATE
Miss Morton Dedicates the
New Vessel.
sHIRAs' NOMINATION is CONFIRMED.
General Butler on lams'
Punishment.
The FIELD OF ATHLETIC SPORTS.
Death of the Hon. Walter
Snow Burgess.


CHRISTENED THE sCOLUMBIA. >,
The Daughter OF the Vice President
Dedicates the Cruiser-Four Thou
sand People Witness the Spectacle
Mort Powerful and Destructive
Cruiser Ever Designed "A Speedy
Vessel, Too.
PHILADELPHIA, July 26.-Under a sun,
the intensity of whose rays seemed to make
her metal sides almost vibrant, cruiser No.
~, popularity known as ''The Pirate, was
launched here this afternoon from Camps
shipyard, and christened the Columbia
by Miss Edith Morton, daughter of Vice
President Morton. Anticipating just such
weather as the country is suffering under
now, the Messrs. Camp decided some time
ago not to issue any invitations to the
launch to-day. There was a marked diff
ference in size, therefore, between the
crowd present to-day and those present at
previous launches.
Launching day" at Cramps is always
observed as a holiday, and with the excep-
ton of the gang of men at work preparing
the cruiser for her passage down the ways,
the army of laborers that daily throng the
yard were absent this morning. The bus
mess of getting the cruiser ready for her
dip into the river was not an enviable one.
The sun shone with tropical intensity,
and the steel ships standing in their stocks
and the iron lying around the yard seemed
down upon the painting, perspiring men,
who were toiling under it. At 3
o'clock, when the gates were thrown
open, 4 200 people had gathered and this
number was doubled by the time set for
thelaunch. Secretary Tracy, Vice Presi-
dent Morton, Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Solely, Commander Allibone, United
States Senator Chiffon, Assistant Secretary
Grinnell, Mrs. Morton and her two daugh-
ters, Miss Edith and Miss Helen, reached
the yard in carriages about half-past
three. The Misses Morton were each pre-
scented with a bouquet upon their arrival
and then the entire company was escorted
to the christening stand beneath the boats
of the cruiser. AS the vessel
stood upon the stern, as in her
unfinished state, it was hard for
the eye of an Impractical landsman to de-
tect in her the most powerful and destruc-
tive cruiser that has ever been designed.
The naval officers upon the platform, how
ever, were enthusiastic in their praises of
the symmetry and beauty of the vessels
lluoS anu preulcCGO tuhU III Sp6SQ Su6 WOulo
realize the plans of her designers. The
great length of the cruiser was especially
noticeable as she hung out over the
river, and the caravels of Columbus
would hardly have served the mon
ster for longboats. While the chris
tening party were taking their stand
upon the platform the workmen be-
meath the keel of the vessel were preparing
her for the journey down the ways. The
shorings were rapidly struck down and
timbers sawed through. At ten minutes
to four the crashing sound of breaking
plsnks was heard and Miss Edith Morton
was handed the bottle of champagne and
told to prepare herself to break it as soon
as the cruiser started. The noise of the
cracking wood ceased and Immediately the
cruiser started on her downward
sweep. AS she began to gain Roadway
Miss Morton cracked the bottle against the
keel and said:
81 christen thee Columbia
The cheers of the crowd and the footing
of whistles greeted the Columbia as she
passed from the ways and skinned the
surface of the water.
After the launch luncheon was served
to Secretary Tracy and Vice President
Morton's party, at the conclusion of which
they were driven to the railroad station
and returned to Washington. Mrs. Nor
ton and her daughters did not accompany
the vice president to Washington, but re-
turned to Rhinebeck, N. Y, their country
home.