Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-12
The Largest Ship Ever Built in
America.
WAS CHRISTENED BY MRS. CLEVELAND
Mr.. Cramp Commends the Presi-
dents Naval Policy.
DISTINGUISHED SPECTATORS

oaoi tiy diter CLOCK today the steamship
ST. Louis of the American line was sue
cessfully launched at Cramps shipyard.
The affair was witnessed by fully $1,000 peo-
pie. Mrs. Cleveland, wife Of the President
broke the traditional bottle of champagne
on the bow of the noble ship as II glided
down the ways. at the same time uttering
these words: Il christen the St. Louis"
In this instance, and for the first time
since the ceremony was observed at
Cramps shipyard, the champagne was Of
American manufacture.
All preparations for the launch had been
carefully made, and although the ship Is
40 feet longer than any that has ever been
launched at the yard, the difficult feat Of
getting vessel from the ways into the
water was accomplished without a hitch.
Mrs. Cleveland was ACCOMPANIED by her
husband and a distinguished party. The
train reached the shipyard at noon.
The party Was made up as follows: Sec
fetary -.erbert and Mrs. Micou, Attorney
General Olney, Secretary Morton, Mrs.
Gresham Mrs. Lamont. Secretary and Mrs.
Secretary Hamlin. Admiral Walker and
Miss Walker Commodore Melville, Commo-
dore Matthews and Mrs. Matthews, Com
modore Chadwick and Mrs Chadwick, Capt
Ewell and Mrs. Ewell, Commodore Dewey
Gen. Dumont, Lieut. and Mrs. Reamey.
Lieut.. and Mrs Veeder, Gen. and Mrs.
Frank Armstrong. Miss Armstrong, Miss
Kate Field and Mr.. George w. Boyd.
The st. Louis Party.
The party that came from st. Louis to
witness the launch included the following:
c. p. Walbridge, mayor of ST. Louis; Mrs.
Walbridge. Miss Walbridge, William c.
Boyd, president Merchants Exchange; Miss
Sidney Boyd. Miss Eliza r. Boyd, L. d.
Kingsland, president Kingsland and Doug
lass Manufacturing Company; Mrs. Kings
lard, Miss Bessie Kingsland, T. b. Boyd,
president st. Louis Exposition; Mrs. Boyd,
Congressman S. w. Cobb. Mrs. Cobb, Miss
Cobb, George II. Morgan, secretary Mer-
chants Exchange; Mrs. Morgan, Miss
Blanche Morgan, ID. r. Francis, ex-governor
Of Missouri; Frank Galena, secretary St.
Louis Exposition; E. o. Stanard, president
E. Q. Stanard Milling Company; Mrs. e. o.
Stanard, George f.. Leighton, II. c. Haar-
stick, president St Louis Barge Line: Mrs.
III. c. Haarstick, Isaac NJ. Macon, presi-
dent st. Louis Anchor Line; Charles A.
Knapp. Goodman King, secretary Mermod-
Jaccard Company Mrs. Goodman King, w.
L. Anderson, president of the Farmers Ele-
vator Company, Mrs. Anderson, II. G.
Townsend, general passenger agent Mis-
souri, Pacific railroad; Mrs Townsend, Chas.
III. Wyma1, w. +. Drummer, general pas
senger agent Vandalia Line; Mrs. BTTunner
II. Miller, superintendent Vandalia Line;
John w. Noble, jeremiah Sheehan, presi-
agent steamship line; Mrs. Baine, c. j.
Hanehrick, secretary Seasirghaus Milling
Company; ]. d. Bascom, secretary Broder-
lex & Bascom; Mrs. Bascom, Richard Bar
tholdi Congressman James Cox, Miss wy
man, S. NJ. kennard.
Mr.. Cramps Address.
After the launch the invited guests to the
number of 400 were entertained at lunch
in the office of the ship-building firm. Mr.
Charles H. Cramp, president Of the COM
pany, welcomed President Cleveland in
these words:
Mr.. President: In view of this your first,
visit to the shipyard which / have the honor
TO manage, L feel warranted in calling your
attention to certain parts of its history
which can hardly fail to be of personal in
terest to you.
You come to assist at the ceremony of
launching the largest and most powerful
steamship ever built in the western hemi-
sphere, and, with two exceptions, the largest
built on American plans, by American me-
chanics, of American material.
when you took the oath of office for your
first term, March 4, 1885, no facilities for
building such a ship or any ship remotely
approaching her in size and power existed
in the United States. No rolling mills, forges
or foundries capable of making the ma
terialS required in her construction could be
found on American soil.
Nine and a half years have elapsed; not
a long time. indeed, but long enough, as you
perceive, TO revolutiOnize American ship
building. This revolution dates from the in
ception of your vigorous policy of naval re-
construction in 1885. 1t proceeded by leaps
and bounds during the four years of your
first administration.
Each year you recommended progress
Congress promptly and vigorously sustained
you, and American shipDuiiders strained
every nerve to keep up with you. Not only
lfaN~
ing, but it concurrently developed cognate
and contributory industries with equal ef-
feet. For the first three of your ships
built here-the Baltimore, Yorktown and We
suViuS-we had to import the shafts, because
they could not be forged in this country.
Mine years from that time an American
forge at Bethlehsm made the shafts for the
colossal ship launched today without seri-
ously taxing its power.
Few people reflect how much was done
in your first administration. Twenty-six
ships, having an aggregate displacement of
03, 166 tons and total indicated horse DOW
er of 166,6Sl, were recommended by you
and authorized by Congress. 1t was this
stimulus that gave new life to American
shipbuilding and made the ST. Louis pos
sible.
Your distinguished and honored success
sor took up the thread of your policy almost
before you had laid it down in 1889 and
emulated your vigor. His record for four
years was fourteen ships. 1859 tons and
105,249 indicated horse power. Some of the
ships of his administration were larger and
more powerful than any of yours, but for
the facilities to build these larger ships he
was indebted to the result of your previous
policy.
I'm conclusion, Mr.. President permit me
to say that while with respect to your at
titude on other questions there may and
must be honest differences of opinion, the
national approval of your vigorous and
patriotic naval policy is and always will be
unanimous
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Cramps speech
President Griscom of the International
Navigation Company, who acted as toast
master proposed the health of the President
of the United States, which was drunk with
cheers.
The Presidents Response.
President Cleveland in responding said:
81 would not be entirely frank II / did
not acknowledge the extreme personal salts
faction afforded me by the reference just
made to the part which fell TO me as a
high duty and privilege in the great work
of creating an American navy and at the
same time stimulating American shipbuild-
ing / cannot, however, keep out of mind
the feeling that the qualification appropri-
ately growing out of this occasion is such
as must be shared by every patriotic