Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-02
BROOKLYN ,AFLOAT
Another Cruiser Added to the Ameri-
can Navy.
SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR At THE CRAMPS
A Large Delegation From the City
of Churches.
MISS sCHIEREN CHRIsTENs IT

| PHILADELPHIA, October 1.-The United
States cruiser Brooklyn was launched at
| LOS. The vessel passed from the ways
without hitch at Cramps yard. Miss Ida
| May Schferen, daughter of the mayor of
| the city from which the mammoth vessel
takes its name. broke the traditional bot
| tie of American champagne on the cruis-
er's bow. and murmured: Il christen thee
| Brooklyn"
Although some disappointment was felt
| at the absence Of Secretary of the Navy
| Herbert, who was unable to attend, the
event was crowned with success. 1t was a
| fete day in Kensington. as it invariably is
| on such occasions. and when the gates of
| the big yard were thrown open to the pub
| lie shortly before noon. an immense crowd
surged in to witness the baptism of the
latest addition to the fleet of old glory's
defenders.
On the christening stand was dstin-
guished party, the conspicuous figures of
Navy McAdoo and Mayor Schieren OF
Brooklyn. The others in the group were
Postmaster General Wilson and Miss Will
sen, Attorney General Harmon, with Mrs.
and Miss Harmon, Rear Admiral Ramsay,
Mrs. and Miss Ramsay, Capt and Mrs.
Sampson, Paymaster General Stewart and
Mrs. Stewart Commodore Melville Chief
Naval Constructor Hichborn, with Mrs. and
Miss Hichborn, Capt. r. D. Evans, Com
me dore and Mrs. McNair, Commodore and
Mrs. Howell Chief Clerk Micou and Mrs.
Micou This party left Washington at $50
o'clock this morning in a special train of
| the Pennsylvania railroad.
There was also a delegation of Brook
lynites in recognition Of the honor accord
| ed their city.
The shipbuilding company and the NUM-
| cipal government was represented by promi-
nent pal ties.
The Launching.
The bracing October weather was per-
feet. and with the anima ton on the stand
and the vast crowds in the yard below
gave brilliancy to the scene.
Grouped about the wharves and dottinG
the river for miles around were craft off
every description from local excursion
boats to foreign steamer.
1t was half hour past noon when the
| last shores were knocked from the ways
and the colossal vessel tegan her brief
| journey. Swinging aloft the wine bottle,
which was clothed with the stars and
stripes, Miss Schieren crashed it against
the steel bow and uttered the christening
words. Then, the marine monster slided
gracefully down the creased cradle, the
enthusiasm found vent. The crowds in the
yard roared and screamed; the party on
the christening stand waved hats and
cheered, and the toats on the river let
loose their ear-splitting whistles. Mean
while, the Brooklyn had taken her maiden
dip in the middle of the stream, where
her anchors were dropped, and she came
to halt. Another of the monster flag de-
tenders had been successfully launched.
After these impressive ceremonies, lunch
con was served in the mold loft, and a
number of felicitous speeches made, among
| the speakers being Mayor Schieren OF
Brooklyn, Assistant Secretary McAdoo,
Mayor Warwick and the Messrs. Cramp.
Marvel in Marine Architecture.
The Brooklyn is regarded by naval ex-
n
architecture. She is classed as a steel
armored cruiser. having four eight-inch
barbette 1urrets. Her cost, exclusive of
armament, Is $2,9S600O.
The principal dimensions of the Brooklyn
are: Length on the load water line, 4O050
feet; beam, extreme, GAGS feet; draught,
mean normal, "A feet; displacement, nor
NAL 9,211 tons: Indicated horse power,
5000; speed in knots per hour, "A; total
coal capacity ,753 tons; coal carried, nor
NAL displacement, 800 TONS The same
dimensions of the New York are. respec-
lively, 3SO.65 feet, 6410 feet, 23.35 feet.
$500 tons. 5000, 211. .29O tons, $50 tons.
The Brooklyn will have twin screws.
There will be four engines of the vertical
triplet expansion type. two on each shaft.
located in four separate compartments.
There are seven boilers, placed in three
compartments. Five of these are of the
doube-ended type, and two of the single
ended. The hull is of steel, not sheathed,
with double bottom and a close water
tight subdivision, running to about twelve
feet above the water line.
The Ships Battery.
The ships battery will consist of eight
eight-inch breech-loading rifles Of thirty
five caliber; twelve five-incb breech-loading
rifles of the rapid-fire type; twelve six
pounder rapid-fire guns; four one-pounder
rapid-fire guns, and four machine guns. The
eig.t-inch guns will be mounted in four bar
bette turrets, placed one forward and one
aft on the center line. and one on either side
of the vessel amidships. The guns in the
turrets on the center line are to have train
of 80 degrees. Those in the side turrets can
fire from right ahead to right astern or
train through an arc Of 1SO degrees each.
The center of the side turrets will be dis
tant from the center line of the vessel about
twenty-three feet. The armor forming the
barbettes, which will protect the carriages,
platform and turret machines, will be eight
inches in thickness for portion equivalent
to the train of guns of the respective turrets.
The remaining portions may be reduced to
four inches thickness. Under the turrets
will be placed three-inch armor-supporting
tubes, which will protect the ammunition
hosts.
The armors of the turrets will he five and a
half inches in thickness. The guns will be so
mounted that they can be supplied with am
munition and loaded at any position Of the
train.
She will have no side armor. Protection to
deck. worked from stem to stern, and sup
ported by heavy beams. The bottom edges
of this deck amidships are to be five feet
six inches below the twenty-four-foot water
line, the top Of the deck rising to the water
line at the center of the vessel. On the
slopes of the deck over the machinery and
boilers the thickness of the armor will be
six inches on the horizontal portions three
inches forward and abaft the machinery and
boilers, to the stem and stern, respectively,
the deck will be at the thinnest part at least
two and one-half inches in thickness. Be
low this deck are to be placed the propelling
machinery, steering gear, magazine, shell
room and all that is ordinarily styled the
vitals of warship.
Protection of the hull from injury to the
water line region will be afforded by
means of an armor belt three inches in
thickness extending the length of the ma
~ '-o''e~ soa"e, and in depth from
fo'.r feer above the twenty-four-foot water
line to four feet three inches below that
line.
-.cctIon to the smaller guns and their
crews will be afforded by an extra side
plating at the openings and shields.
Concentrating Fire..
By the arrangement of the battery it Is
possible to concentrate six eight-inch guns
ahead, astern or abeam as opposed to four