The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-29
Mother Ocean Greets the Newly Chrsiened
Ship With Sweet Song Of Welcome.
| NAME THEE IOWA" SAID MISS DRAKE
While the Iowa Is Larger Than ihe
lndiann Her Armor and ArIna-
mcnt Will Both be Lighter Thau
Those OF tho ..She VIII be the
Most Forinidnble Fighter Anont.


going battleship Iowa was launched at
liza o'clock this afternoon from Cramps
ship-yard. The vessel was christened
by Miss Mary Lord Drake, daughter of
the Governor or Iowa. and the launch
ing was witnessed by DISTINGUISHED
representation from the Hawkeye State
headed by Governor Drake, and by Sc
cretaly Herbert of the Navy; lowa's
Congressional delegation, members of
the House of Representatives Naval
committee, several members OF the Sen
ate Naval Committee. and the principal
heads of the different navy bureaus.
Besides the party gathered upon the
christening stand, the yard was opened
to the public and thousands of people
witnessed the event from various points.
The weather was delightfully."- bright
and warm.
motel TO the ship yard and were early
on hand. They were met by Messrs
Charles II. Cramp and Henry w
Cramp, respectively president and treas
urer OF the company. The Governor and
Miss Drake and Miss Carpenter were
escorted to a small enclosed space. di-
fectly beneath the bow of the ship
After escortng the Iowuns to the
platform Mr. Charles Cramp returned
to the railroad siding, running along
the Yards. and in few moments a
special train having aboard the party
iioii w steamed In all
about 500 people came from the Capital
to the launch After Secretary Herbert
anu the party had disembarked, they
were taken to the christening platform
and the Secretary and the members OF
the Two naval committees were given
good positions, close to Miss Drake.
When Miss Drake had arrived at the
yard Mr. Henry Cramp had presented
her with bunch of beautiful roses, but
up TO this time he had borne benea n
his arm pasteboard box To all the
old launch-soers this pasteboarl box
was an evidence that something more
sparkling than Iowa water would han
tze the vessel. Presently Mr.. Cramp
opened the box and brought forth a
pint bottle OF champagne and presented
1t to Miss Drake. The bottle was en-
cased In gold netting and from the
neck depended a long streamer of rib
bon, on which was PAINTED In pold
Cramps Ship-Yard. March 2S, 1896 !"
On the other side of the ribbon. in sim
llar letters was painted Launch Of
United States battlesh!p Iowa" on In.
side of the bottle was ii silk label. on
which there was beautifully painted
picture of the Iowa as she will annaar
When completed. II was with this bot
lie OF campagne that Miss Krake chris
tened the vessel. and she subsequently,
bore away with her its shattered frag-
mentS as souvenir.
few minutes before | O'clock tho
hurley-burley of sounds that has been
arising from beneath the keel of the
vessel ceased. Then period OF com
pa"ative silence and anticiDatjon follow-
ed. Mr. Henry Cramp. as he has done
on many another similar occasion. recit-
ed his admonitions 10 Miss Drake as to
me best means of shattering the bot
lie upon the ship. Then the peculiar
missing sound made by saw cutting
ground. and in brief space the "shoe
piece" was cut through and the big hull
started down toward the river
AS II began to move. at 1:l5 O'Clock,
Miss Drake swung the bottle by its
streamers and. as the glass crashed
against the keel moving above hei head
and the champagne bespattered the side
she exclaimed: II chrisscn thee Iowa
The hull slipped smoothly and gently
into the river. and. as it noated out on
an even keel the big siren whistle of
the massachusetts was turned loose and
F. made din that was exceedingly effec-
tive, but still more trying on the ear
drums of every one in the vicinity
After the launch luncheon was serv-
ed in the mould loft. At this luncheon
poem. by Major S. H. NJ Byers. of
sowa. was presented to the Messrs.
Cramps. 1t was entitled The launching
Of the Iowa.
AHti' va" nv SPeeSi' HiaN'iis as me
crowd In the room was so great that
the formalities had TO he Abandoned
After luncheon the Washington party ie-
turned to the Capitol in 1: special train
While the Iowa is larger than the
Indiana. her arInor and armament will
both be lighter than those or the latter
Despite this. when completed the Iowa
will be the most formidable fighting
machine afioat from her al round ca
pacity as an effective ship OF war.