Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-12
A TRADITION RUINED.
The Cruiser Marblehead Is Christened
by a Married Woman
INSTEAD OF BY A YOUNG MAIDEN.
Description of the Wsrship Launched at
Boston Yesterday.
A SEA TERROR WITH 20 HUGE GUNS

BOSTON, Aug. 11.-Before 1 o'clock, the
hour set for the launching of United States
cruiser No. II, the immense shipyard of
Harrison &c Loring, South Boston, was
lively place, with its busy shipwrights hur.
rying to and fro under the towering mass of
steel, putting on the final touches of lubri-
Gator to insure perfect launch.
Added to this scene of busy work was
that of the gay holiday makers who had
come by invitation of the contractors to see
the ship meet the water. There were hun
dreds of them, and, like the ship, they were
dresseds in their gayest colors. Assistant
Secretary of the Navy James Russell Soley
represented the Government at Washing
ton, and Governor Russell and a number Of
members of the Legislature were present
for Massachusetts. The c1ty,of Boston waI
also well represented by members of the
Board of Aldermen and the Common
Council.
5Irs. C. F. Allen Breaks the Bottle.
At the appointed hour the signal was
given to knock away the shores, and amid
the cheers of the spectators cruiser No. II
slipped slowly down the ways into the
water, christened the Marblehead. Mrs. C.
F. Allen broke the customary bottle of
wine over the ships bows as the vessel
plunged intothe sea-
The principal dimensions of the vessel
are; Length on mean load water line, 257
feet; extreme breadth, 81 feet; depth of
hold to under side of spar deck plank amid
ships, 10 feet inches; draft of water mean
normal, IA feet inches; displacement in
tons to load water line, 1000; area of i'm
mersed midship section, 665 square feet;
indicated horse power, 5,400; maximum
speed per hour, IS knots in smooth water.
She is a twin screw protected cruiser,
with poop and forecastle decks and an open
gun deck between, fitted with a water-tight
deck of 1711 pounds, plating at the sides,
reduced to II pounds in the center, and en-
tending the entire length of the vessel.
The torpedo outfit will consist of six tor
pedo guns for launching torpedoes. There
will be an electric light plant on board.
How the Cruiser VIII Be Armed.
The battery will consist of two six-inch
breech-loading rifles, eight fve-inch breech-
loading rifles mounted in sponsons four on
each side OF the cruiser; six six-pound and
two one-pound rapid-fring guns and two
gatling guns.
The motive power for the twin screws
will be furnished by two triple-e1pansion
engines of the vertical inverted type, one
on each side of the vessel.
The vessel was designed by Chief Con-
tractor Theodore B. Wilson, of the United
States Navy. The machinery, which is to
be placed into position few months after
the launching, was designed by Engineer in
Chief George W. Melville, of the Navy
Dep artment.
A dispatch from Washington says: It
was at last determined by the Navy De-
partment who should christen the cruiser
Marblehead, and that'duty devolved upon
Mrs Charles II. Allen, wife of one of the
constructors of the vessel There has been
some dispute as to the propriety of having
a married woman christen vessel, the
usual custom being to have the duty per-
formed by young maiden, but in view of
the fact that two naval vessels, the Balti-
more and Raleigh, were christened by mar
ried ladies, the precedents are regarded as
no longer binding.