The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-31
TWO IAuyoH1Ees.

nh, warship HsIenn and The Great Arer-
chant steamer Grand Daehesee Are
LAUNCHED at Newport News.
NEWPORT NEWS. Va. Jan so.-
The third warship constructed by a
Brlyate southern ship yard since the
war and also the largest merchant
steamer built in this country, with the
exception OF the two American trans
Atlantic liners built by the Cramps,
were launched successfully here by the
Newport News Shipbuilding Company
Mt high tide this morning In the pres
Srce OF a distinguished party from
Washington, members OF the Mouse ma
val affairs committee, Admiral Brown,
commanding the Norfolk navy yard,
and a large concoursc OF people, esti-
mated at Ave thousand, from adjacent
towns.
The first to take the water was the
merchant vessel, whose name had been
kept secret until she began to slide
down the ways, when Miss Nellie Bid
ridge, OF Boston, broke the usual bottle
Of wine and chrlstened her the Grand
Duchesse. AS the stern OF the great
hull caught the water. the shrill whis-
tIcs OF the steamers, several foreign
ships at the yard, and the hoarse steam
siren OF the battleship Indiana, gave
greetings, while thousands OF people
Showed their appreciation by prolonged
cheers for the Newport News ship
building yard. and c. P. Huntington,
as It's founder.
Thirty minutes after the Grand
Duchesse entered the water and had
been towed out OF the way for the new
yarship, the Helena was ready to take
her natural element, and with az first q
slight hesitation, due 10 lack OF suffi-
Gent tallow. and with stately precis-
ion. she glided or into the james as
siiss Agnes Belle Steel. daughter OF
Mayor Steel. Of Helena, smashed the
champagne bottle and named her In
honor Of Montanass capital city.
The gunboat Helena IS one Of TWO
ships OF peculiar design built for the
navy by the Newport News company,
her sister ship, the Wilmington, hay
ing been launched last October. The
purpose was 10 secure an efficient type
Of vessel for the navigation of shallow
and shifting rivers, such as are found
Ia China, which might sui possess sea-
going qualities sufficient 20 ensure safe
passages from the United States to
foreign stations, and also TO enable
them to be used IN calrying the United
States flag into the many ports of South
and Central America, which are now iii-
accessible to our warships, owing to
shoal water. So the Helena, when
complete, with all stores aboard. VIII
draw only nine feet OF water, and may
20 where any schooner able 20 riavi-
gate the seas can enter. and while not
battle ship in the sense OF not possess
ing armor and big guns,wtll carry eight
four-inch rides. guns quite large
enough to meet anything short Of ar
mored craft and heavy fortifications,
and number OF smaller machine guns
so mounted as to afford an extremely
destructive fire upon mobs or troops on
shore or boarding party.
The Grand puchesse rs o merchant
steamer built for the Plant line and
destined to run between Tampa and the
Bahamas, but as she Is built In strict
accordance with the requirements OF
the subsidy act. she Is suhject to cali
by the government at any time to serve
as a vessel OF the auxiliary navy. She
Is fully half as big again as the Helena
and is finished throughout In the high
est style OF the shipwrlghts art, with
elegantly furnished md appointed sa-
looms and state rooms and every dppll-
ance Cor the safety and comfort OF the
passengers. She Is AQl feet long, by ~
feet 0 inches beam, and sheiis 81 feet
inches deep from the top OF the deck TO
the hase line. She has aopbEe bottom,
water tight compartments, tubulous
boilers. deck observatories, fire alarm
system. electric lights. twin Screws
car-rlcs 800 first class and 400 second
class passengers, and Is built OF steel
thrnnRhDut