Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-15
CHRlSTENED BY MRS. CLEVELAND


Christened by Mrs. Clsvelhnd-Descrip-
tion of the Splendid Vessel.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12. = Shortly
after O'Clock to-day the magnificent
steamship st. Louis, of the American
line, was successfully launched at
Cramps shipyard. The affair was wit
messed by fully 10000 people.
Mrs. Cleveland, wife of the President,
broke the traditional bottle of cham
payne on the bow of the noble ship as
it glided down the ways, at the same
time uttering these words u chrlsten
thee St. Louis"
In this instance, and for the first time
since the ceremony was observed at
Camps yard, the champagne was OF
American manufacture.
All preparations for tho launch had
been carefully made, and, although the
ship is 100 feet longer than any that has
ever been launched at the yard, the diff
cult feat of getting the vessel from the
ways into the water was accomplished
without hitch.
Mrs. Cleveland was accompanied by
the President, Secretary of tho Navy
Herbert, and distinguished party. The
train reached tho shipyard at noon.
The launch occurred at 1.02 O'Clock
p. M, precisely.
Ambassador Bayard and wife were
among the party Of Washington guests
that viewed the interesting event.
ENTERTAINED AT LUNCH.
A large party from st. Louis camo on
to witness the event. After the launch
the invited guests to tho number of 400
were entertained at lunch in the office
of the ship-building firm. Mr.. Charles
II. Cramp, president of the company,
welcomed President Cleveland in these
words:
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND WELCOMED.
NJ. President: In view of this, your first
visit to the shipyard which | have the
honor to manage, l feel warranted i'll call
ing your attention to certain parts of its
history which can hardly fail to be of per-
sollal interest to you.
You come to assist at the ceremony OF
launching the largest and most powerful
steamship ever built IN the Western Hemis-
| pherc, and with two exceptions, the largest
| and most powerful in the world.
| She is built on American plans, by
| American mechanics, of American ma
| terial.
When you took the oath Of office for
your first term, March 4th. 1885, no facili-
ties for building such a ship or any ship
remotely approaching her in size and
power existed in the United States. Nc
rolling mills, forges or foundries capable
of making the materials required in hel
| construction could be found on American
soil.
Nine and a half years have elapsed; not
long time, indeed, bnt long enough as
you perceive, to revolutionize American
shipbuilding.
This revolution dates from the inception
of your vigorous policy of naval recon
struction in 1885 1t proceeded by leaps
and bounds during the four years of YOU
first administration.
Each year you recommended progress
Congress promptly and vigorously sus
tanned you, and American shipbuider.
strained every nerve to keep up with, you
Not only did your policy promote
domestic shipbuilding, but it tconcurrently
developed cognate and contrlbutory indus
tries with equal effect. For the first thret
of your ships built here, the Baltimore
Yorktown and Nesuvius, we had to I'M
port the shafts, because they could not bt
forged in this country. Nine years from
that time an American forge AT Bethle
hem makes the shafts for the colossal shiI
launched to-day without seriously taxing
its power. Few people reflect how Inucf
Twenty-six ships, having an aggregate dis
placement of 93, l66 tons and total indi
Gated horsepower of lG6, 65l, were recom
mended by you and authorized by Con
gress.
1t was this stimulus that gave new lfI
to American shipbuilding and made th'
st. Louis possible.
J Your distinguished and honored success
sor took up the thread of your policy al
most before you had laid it down in 1885
and emuated your yigor. His record TO
four years was IA ships, 1859 tons an,
105, 2l9 indicated horsepower
Some OF the ships of his administration
were larger and more powerful than an.
of yours. but for the facilities to bull
these larger ships he was indebted to tn
results or your previous policy.
In conclusion, Mr.. President. permit m
to say that while with respect to your att
tude on other questions, there may an
must be honest differences Of opinion, tn
national approval of your vigorous an
' patriotic naval policy is and always wi
!. be unanimous
+ THE ST. LOUIS PIONEER.
5 The st. Louis is chiefly remarkable i
that she is the first modern merchant
r marine structure, of anything approach
r ing her dimensions built in tine Unite
States. She will also be the pioneer i
what promises to become in time,
spirited contest between the preseE
I English built ocean greyhounds, an
$ those which will be turned out frol
S American shipyards. When complete
G she will take her place among the We;
: sells owned by the International Nav
! CATION Co., which include the Pari
!, New York and st. Paul, the latter bein
= / in, NJ pgnptrtnfiAF in 81
S of the Cramp Co.
e The work of constructing the
Louis was begun by the builders o
July 9th, 1893. More than 5000 tor
of steel have already been work into III
n mammoth steamer, which when con
i pleted will exceed in length and tor
q mage, both tlh New York and Pari
q and equal that of the other great tran
g Atlantic liners. Her length over all
n 554 feet, 2 INCHES; length between pc
v pendiculars, $50 feet, s inches; extren
4 breadth, 63 feet; depth moulded, AZ fee
number of decks, s; depth of wat
bottom, A feet; number Of prlncip
water-tight Compartments, II; distant
r, Of collision bulkhead, abaft of stem,
is feet.
/, After the vessel has been towed bac
le to the docks, the work of putting in HI
i. engines will begin. These are of I'll
l. quadruple expansion type, and are e.
N pected to develop not less than 300
a. horsepower. Each of the two engin
will have four cylinders, of So, 80,
and 100 inchss diameter. The pistc
stroke will be tbout 80 inches.
70 The steam 10 keep the big engin
k will be supplied by battery of s
SO double-ended boilers, each 20 feet loi
ID and 10 feet, III inches in diameter. III
I'd steam pressure is expected to be abo
Of 200 pounds to lhe square inch.
fe The engines bf the new ship will