The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-14

PHILADELPHIA. Nov. 12.-Shortiy
after / o'clock today the magnificent
steamship, St. Louis, Of the American line,
was successfully launched at Cramps
shipyards The affair was witnessed by
fully $4,000 people. Mrs. Cleveland, wife
OF the president. broke the traditional bot
tie Of champagne on the bow OF the noble
ship az it glide6 down the ways, at the
came time uttering these words: IT chris
ton thee St. Louis" In this instance and
for the first time since the ceremony was
observed at Cramps shipyard. the cham
payne was OF American manufacture AL
preparations for the launch had been care
fully made, and although the ship Is 12O
feet longer than any that has ever been
launched at the yard the difficult feat OF
getting a vessel into the water was ac-
complished without hitch.
After the launching the invited guests,
60 the number Of 400. were entertained at
q luncheon in the Office Of the builders.
Charles Cramp. IN his speech Of welcome
co President CIeve.and. sad that with two
exceptions the st. Louis is the largest and
most powerful ship In the world. He re-
ferred to the progress OF ship building
under President Cleveland's administra-
ton and credited to his policy the fact
that such wonderful results have been
accomplished IN America. The st. Louis,
he said. is built on American pans, by
American wori1men and Of American ma
terial. Twenty-slx ships were recon-
mended by Mr.. Cleveland and authorized
by congress. Concluding, he said that
while there may be honest differences on
other questions, national approval OF Mr..
Ceeveland's vigorous and patriotic naval
policy viii always be unanimous.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Cramps
speech, President Griscom Of the Interna-
donal navigation company, who acted as
POSTMASTER, proposed the health of the
president of the United States, which was
drunk with cheers.
President Cleveland In responding said:
''I would not be entirely frank If / did
not acknowledge the extreme personal
satisfaction afforded me by the reference
Just made to the part which teI to me
as a high duty and privilege in the great
work Of creating an American navy and
at the same time stimulating American
ship building We shall fail to realize the
fur significance of what we have seen
today # we overlook the fact that the
causes Of our congratul1don reach be-
yond actual accomplishment and are not
limited to the things already done and
within our sight. While we may well be
proud because we have launched the
largest and most powerful steamship ever
built in the western hemisphere and with
two exceptions the largest and most pow
erful In the world. and while we may find
reason for additional pride in the fact,
notwithstanding general economic unto
ward conditions not encouraging 10 such
an achievement, this great vessel has been
built on American plans, by American
mechanics and of American materials.
Yet we must not forget that our greatest
cause Of congTatulatiOn is found in the
hope and promise these incidents furnish
OF the revival and development Of Ameri-
can commerce and the renewed appear
ance Of the American flag in foreign
ports.
Il hope I shall not be accused of max
ing q suggestion calculated to mar the
qualification which the occasion inspires
If / remind you the ship we have just
launched was built in fu.fllment Of con-
sideration Of the relaxation Of Our regis
try laws. Commerce is the life-blood Of
a nation and no country that loses or inn
poverishes can reach and maintain a COM
manding position among the nations Of
the earth. Our flag not only tells Of our
existence but it ia a symbol Of all that
American institutions represent"
In conclusion President Cleveland said:
''Since my participation in rebuilding our
navy during former official term has
been so flatteringly referred to | hope II
Is not aniss for me to say that 1 shall
deem myself especially fortunate If in
time to come II can be said that | have
done something during my present in
cumbency in aid of freedom and extern
sequent further growth Of American ship
building" (Cheers)
Description of the Ship.
The st. Louis is chiefly remarkable in
that she is the first modern merchant
marine structure Of anything approach
ing her dimensions built in the United
States She will also be the pioneer in
what promises to become in time a spir-
fted contest between the present En-
ghshLbuilt ocean greyhounds and those
which will be turned out from American
shipyards. When completed she will
take her place among the vessels owned
by the International navigation company,
which include the Paris, New York and
St Paul, the latter being in process of
construction IL the yards of the Cramp
company.
The work of construction of the St.
Louis was begun by the builders on July
q. 1893, just fifteen months and the same
number of days prior to the launching.
which took place today. More than six
thousand tons Of steel have already been
worked into the mammoth steamer,
which, when completed. viii exceed in
length and tonnage both the New York
and Paris, and equal that of the other
great transatlantic liners. Her length
over all is 554 feet inches; length be-
tween perpendiculars, 535 feet inches;
extreme breadth, Sc feet; depth nodded,
~ feet; number OF decks, 3; depth Of wa
ter bottom, 4 feet; number of principal
water-tight compartments, i, and dis
lance of collision iOullShead abaft of STEM
SO feet After the vessel has been towed
back to the docks the work of putting in
her engine wiz begin. These are of the
quadrUple expansion type, and are ex-
pected 10 develop not less than 10000
horsepower Each of the two engines
will have four cylinders of IS, so, n and
100 inches diameter. The piston stroke
will be about sixty inches. The steam 10
keep the big engines going will be SUD-
piled by battery of six double-ended
boilers, each twenty feet long and fifteen
feet seventeen and One-half inches in d.
ameter. The steam pressure is expected
10 be about two hundred pounds to the
square inch The engines Of the new
ship, when completed, will be the largest
of the quadruple expansion type in the
world. The cTankSnafts, connecting rods
and steering geer will be made of the
finest ingot steel. In order to come up 10
the builders contract with the owners
these engines will have to send the ST.
Louis through the water at the rate of
al least twenty knots an hour, under or
binary sea-going conditions. The steer
ing apparatus will be of the screw gear
type, with Wilhams's steam and hand
steering engine. The hull is of mid stee..
OF the best quality.
The arrangement Of bulkheads and
waterproof compartments is such as to
make 1t practically impossible to sink
the vessel. If, in a collision, the bulk
heads are damaged three of the com
partments might be completely flooded