The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-02-06
MARINE MONSTERS LAUNCHED
THE WARSHIP HELENA AND
MERCHANT STEAMER GRAND
DUCHES AT NEWPORT NEWS.
NOT A HITCH IN THE PROCEEDINGS
The Helena is Light Gunboat While
the Grand Duchess is Mammoth
Merchant Vessel, Subject to Gov
eminent Call.

Newport News, Jan. 30.-The third
warship constructed by private South
ern shipyard since the war, and also the
largest merchant steamer built in this
country; with two exceptions, were
launched successfully here by the New
port News Shipbuilding company at high
tide this morning in the presence of n
distinguished party from Washington.
Assistant Secretary McAdoo represent
ed the navy department in the absence
of Secretary Herbert. Both vessels are
the finest class of their type ever turned
out by this yard, which win soon begin
the construction of the mammoth battle
ships Kentucky and Kearsarge, author
lied by the last congress.
In order to take advantage of the food
before 10 o'clock, one following the other
as fast as the workmen could knock away
the shores and wedge up their keels.
The first to take the water was the mer-
chant vessel, whose name had been kept
a secret until she began to slide down
the ways, when Miss Nellie Selridge of
Boston broke the usual bottle of wine
and christened her the Grand Duchess.
AS the stern of the great hull caught the
water the shrll whistle of the steamers,
several foreign ships at the yard and the
hoarse scream of the battleship Indiana
gave greetings while thousands of peo-
pie showed their appreciatioh by pro-
longed cheers for the Newport News
ship building yard and G. Z. Hunting
ton as it's founder.
On the christening platform was Mr..
Plant, president of the line for which the
vessel was constructed; President Calvin
circuit of the Newport News company:
Representatives Hart and Haley of the
house and the party from Washington.
For what route the new vessel is intend
ed has not yet been announced
Thirty minutes after the Grand Ouch
ess entered the water and had been towed
out of the way of the warship, the Hele-
ma was ready to take her natural element,
and with but little hesitation and with
stately precision she glided off into the
James as Miss Agnes Belle Steele,
daughter of Mayor Steele of Helena.
smashed the campaign and named her
in honor of Montana's capital city,
Senators Carter and Mantle, Mayor
Steele and party of IS from Montana;
OuDtdln uHSS VI tUe IeAuS anu
Brown were on the platform.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies
President circuit entertained the visitors
at banquet where the ships and the
company were toasted by the senator's.
representatives and others. The keels
of the new battleships will be laid near
the spot where the two ships were
launched today. This evening the Wash
ington visitors returned home.
The gunboat Helena. when completed
with all stores aboard, will draw only
nine feet of water and may go where any
schooner able to navigate the seas can
enter, and while not battleship in the
sense of possessing armor and big guns,
will carry eight fOur-inch rifles, guns
quite large enough to meet anything
short of an armored craft and heavy for
tifcations, and a number of smaller ma
chine guns so mounted as to afford an
extremely destructive fire upon mobs or
troops on shore or a boarding party.
The general lines of the boat above
water are broad and this results in giving
much more than the usual allotment OF
space for berthing so that the boat will
be peculiarly fitted for service in the
tropics and will also be able to give
refuge to many people in times of stress.
The Helena is $50 feet 8 inches long by
40 feet broad with a speed of 10 knots
and will carry 10 officers and men.
She cost $2S0,00O.
The Grand Duchess is a merchant
steamer built for the Plant line and des-
tined to run between Tampa and the Ba-
hamas, but as she is built in strict ac-
cordance with the requirements of the
subsidy act she is subject to call by the
government at any time to serve as a yes
sci of the auxiliary navy. She is fully
half as big again as the Helena and IS
of the shipwright's art. She is 4O4 feet
long by Al feet 8 inches beam and she is
81 feet 4 inches deep from the top of the
deck to the base line. She carries 300
frst-class and 400 second-class passen-
gers and is built of steel throughout.