New-York tribune., 1895-10-20
LAUNCHED TANDEM FASHION.
THE NASHVILLE AND THE WILMINGTON
AFLOAT AT NEWPORT NEWS.
TWO NEW Gr,NRoArs co OFF THE WAYS WITH
OUT A HITCH OR MISHAP-FIRST DOUBLE
LAUNCHING OF wARsHIPs ON RECORD
THE NORTH ATLANTIC SQUAD
RON PRESENT.


Newport News, Va. Oct 19-The launch Oh
the guntoats Nashville and Wilmington to-day
was made the occasion Of IN unusual navil dem
onstratlon, Admiral Bunce assembling the y ,rth
Atlantic Squadron in Hampton Roads opposite
the sh.pyard and Secretary Herbert, with dis
tnguished party coming from Washington by
special steamer to take part Ashore and af0at
a profrson Of flags and large crowds Of people
made a brilliant spectacle The affair was re-
markable as the first instance on record Of two
warshlps being launched on the same day from
a single set Of ways. The vessels had been con-
structed one ahead OF the other, tandem fashion,
Upon a continuous decline the Nashville nearer
the water with her bow few feet from the
Wilmington both vessels taking the water stern
foremost
This arrangement was due to the fact that
The works Of the contractors, In accordance with
modern notions. had been installed for the c:ec-
ton of ships of the largest SIZE the puidlnB
slips being Of sufficient length to accommodate
a vessel 800 feet long, while the combined ieLeth
OF the Nashville and Wilmington is only 100 feet
31a inches. Not only was ample space availapie
for both ships. but 1t was also possible 70 denver
In position all the material used in their con-
structon by a single crane. which traveiieo
alongside on a track eighty feet above tte
ground. This great crane, with lifting capacity
OF so 900 pounds at the end Of its 125-foot arm,
also served an adjoining similar slip, from whlch
the steamer Newport News was recently
launched and on which now STANDS me. parsIy
finished steamer OF the Plant line Other large
locomotive cranes take all the material from cars
| or vessels arrival at the yard, distribute II
| to the various shops and reassemole II IN pacss
on the WAYS, this elaborate system dispensing
| to great extent with manual labor and enabling
| all work to proceed expeditiously. The youngest
of American shpyards. that at Newport News
Is famed for progressiveness, and naval experts
to-day pronounced its facilities for rapidly pud-
| ing battle-ships and larger ocean liners unsur-
| passed even abroad.
sALUTEs TO THE NEW wARSHIPs
| At s:4s o'clock the Nashville started majestic
| ally while Miss Emma Thompson, OF Tennessees
| capital christened her with champagne Seven
| teen seconds later. amid the din OF steamer
| whistles and the shouts Of the crowd. drowning
| the National airs played by the Artliiery banu
| from Fort Monroe the ship fioated in deep water
| The Nashville had to travel only 250 feet before
| floating freely. but the Wilmington's sternpost
| had 280 feet to slide before reaching the water
| and l75 wards altogether before she was fully
| foated the constructors having estimated that IN
this descent she would attain q velocity OF eleVen
knots an hour, which Is nearly equal 10 her pest
steaming speed On account Of this unusual trip
for ship to make out Of her element, special pre-
cautions had been taken IL the construction Oh ner
| supporting cradle to obyiate any derangement
| while in motion Under the Nashville the sliding
WAYS were 157 feet long. 19 inches broad and 10
| inches thick while under the Wilmington, the
| thickness remaining the same the Dreadth was
Increased TO 25la inches and the length to 17S feet
| The Nashvilles cradle having scraped most OF
| the tallow from that portion OF the ways over
| which II moved, delay Of more than an hour
was required In order that additional lubricants
| could be applied to expedite the wilmington
| massage. and the shore and keel blocks had also
| Finally. al it:l0 O'Clock Miss Anne Gray, Sem
ator Gray's daughter received the signal that the
| ship was beginning to move almost imperceptioiy.
| and she swung the champagne bottle, christening
| the Wilmington. With rapidly accelerating We
| locity the ship moved seaward with salutes. like
those which had greeted the Nashviile, ana IN
| forty-elxht seconds she completed her journey.
| The two new additions to the Navy were tnen
| towed past Admiral Bunce's fleet and moored 70
| the docks where their machinery will be installed.
| Among those who witnessed the imposing sght
| were all the officers OF the squadron. who had
| come ashore Immediately after salute OF seven
| teen guns had been fired in honor OF the Secre-
| tary OF the Navy.
ENTERTAINMENT OF THE VISITORS.
At the banquet which followed the launch the
Rev. Dr. Mackay-Smith, Of Washington, re-
sponded to the toast THE President he re-
ferred to Mr. Cleveland as a model OF PATRIOTISM
g. true husband and kind father. and to Mrs;
| cleveland as the honored wife Of an honored
| American and a woman whom all Americans
| adored Secretary Herbert. in responding 10 tne
| toast The American Navy, reviewed tne 9rea'
| achievements Of its more prominent representa-,
| tiyes pad high tribute to the sailors. tnahkeu
the Newport News Shipbuilding Company for
the good work it has turned out toward the es-
tablishment of the ney Navy, and predicted Tor
the piant great and prosperous future. Presi-
dent Orcutt of the Newport News COMPANY;
| warmly thanked the Secretary FOR MS Kno
words reviewed the history Of the works. and
read a congratulatory telegram from G. p. Hunt
lngton Congressman Washington, OF tennessee,
| responded to the toast NASHVILLE, ana mayor
.JefYreys OF Wilmington. Del, TO wilmington.
Al o'clock the guests were taken to the ves-
| sells of the squadron. where they were enter
| tained bv the officers and dances were given on
| Tho decks At 6 o'clock the guests were taken 10
Fort Monroe. where me early evening was spent
! in conversation and dancing. AT III D. n the
| steamer Newport News, with the visitors on
| hoard started on the return trip to washington
Secretary Herbert has ordered the White
SQUADRON to sea on Monday for weeks targe'
practice.
FINANCE And TAXATION DISCUSSED.