Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-01
OUR BIGGEST CRUISER
The Newly Launched Ship
Able to Fight Anything.
INDIANA STATE TO GIVE HERA FLAG

Thousands of People Present tie See the
Noble Vessel Slip into the Water-DIs-
tinguished Visitors Present-Description
of the neutrality-suspicious. Harrison
Says He Has Been Complimcnred.
PHILADELPHIA, March 1.-The launch,
ing of the great battleship Indiana ut
the Cramp yards yesterday, although
occurring in the midst Of a pelting rain
storm, was a grand sight, and will long
be remembered by the thousands who
witnessed the ceremony.
From early morning crowds began to
gather around the works and as day
advanced the multitude increased.
The anxiety of the gathering TO cat ch
| glimpse of the President and the other
distinguished members of the visiting
party from Washington was 50 much
greater than the desire to sec the launch
| that the entrances to the main Office of
| the Cramps were blocked for hours before
| the arrival of the honored guests.
| The non-issuance of formal invitations,
| however, gave the thousands of sight
secrs an opportunity to be present mt the
launch and points of vantage were mum
crous The river abounded with crafts
| of every description.
| The interior of the shipyard presented
| II scene Of activity. Flags We're flying
from dozens of poles; the cruiser New
York and cruiser No. II, the Columbia,
| which was launched last July, and other
| ships We're gaily hedecked with flags and
| bunting, while flags iunumerable and
other decorations were stretched from
| the stem to the stern of the Indiana.
The arrival of the Presidential party
was the signal for loud and continued
cheering. The party came from Wash
ington on a special train over the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad.
| Among the visitors were Secretary of
the Navy Tracy, Postmaster General
| Wanamaker, Attorney General Miller
and his daughter, Miss Jessie, the fail
christencr; Senators Voorhees, and Tur-
pic of Indiana Gn honor of which state
the vessel is namely and others.
The guests were received III the offices
of the company by Chas. II. Cramp
president; Henry w. Cramp, treasurer
and other officials. The line was the!
formed and the christening party pro
ceedcl to where the battle ship lay an,
took positions on raised platform at the
bow.
The noise of five hundred workmer
making the final preparations reverber
ated between the lndiana's sister shil
Massachusetts, OH the south and crusie
No. 10, the Minneapolis, to the north fo
IA quarter of an hour and then the ordc
was given to ''saw the ways"
/ just as the 4, 200 tons of steel started
down the incline, Miss Miller broke tn
customary bottle Of champagne, it being
encased in a beautifully hand-painte
and embroidered satin cover, across til
bow and firmly said: 81 christen the
| Indiana "
e Whistles shrieked, bells rang and PEG
pie cheered and waved handkerchiefs an
flags. This demonstration continues
e until tho ship reached mid stream, wher
anchors were dropped. Later the anchor
: were raised and the vessel was towed t
= the shipyard.
The "Indiana" is the eighth warshi
n that the Cramps have launched and
t the largest ever sent from their ways
t Up to this time the New York." with
tonnage of 1900, was the largest.
She is the most formidable of the yes
sells built or building for the new Amer
can navy. The armament is four 13-inc
breech loading rifles ei mt S-inch breec
loading rifles, nine G-inch breech loadin
rifles, 90 6 FOUNDER rapid fire guns, four
FOUNDER rapid fire guns four Gatlin!
3 guns and six torpedo tubes. Her armo
is the heaviest that was ever placed on u
American Wurship.
President Harrison Much Pleased.
"This day will ever be n most pleasan
memory to me-" said President Harrison
| Coming as it does at the close of my nc
ministration. l take it in part rs pei
sonal compliment that the ship shout
be christcned after my native State, an
it is pride to the State to give its nam
to this, the first real warship of on
navy"
Indiana Contributes n Flag.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March IA bill
passed the Legislature yesterday appro