The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-31
LAUNCHED III VIRGINIA WATERS
Two More Fine Vessels Floated
at Newport News.
one:tho warship Helena aud tho Other
the Grand Duohcsse. Ia Merchant
steamer-A Distinguished Party From
Washington. .Inoludipg Mombers Of
House Naval Committee, and 5000
People witness tho Event. -

NEWPORT News, vs., Jan. a0.-The
third warship constructed by . private
Southern ship yard since the war, and
also the largest merchant steamer huilt
In this country. with the exception of
the two American Transatlantic lin
ers built by the Cramps, were launched
successfully here by the Newport News
Ship Building Company at high tide
this morning In the presence of dis
tinguished party from Washington,
members Of the House naval aftsirs COM
mittee. Admiral Brown commanding the
Norfolk navy yard, and the large CON-
poarse Of people, estimated at $1,000
from adjacent towns. !
There were present also Representa-
tives from Admiral Bruce's great feet
in Hampton Roads, Senators Carter and
Mantle, OF Montana and Assistant Sec
rotary McAioo, who represented the
Navy Departmentint the absence OF Sec.
rotary Herbert. To add to the spectao-
ular effect produced by numbers OF
steamers and sailing vessels which had
gathered here for the occasion was the
battleship Indiana, which came up
from Fort Monroe this morning to load
coal pending her departure later for
Port Royal. Both vessels are the finest
type of their class ever turned out by
this yard, which soon begins the con-
struosion of the mammoth bastieships
Kentucky and KeArsarge authorized by
the last Congress.
In order take advantage of the Fl God
tide, the launch of the vessels took
place before IL o'clock, one following
I'M ~ hos Ruo 4,
knock away the shores and wedge up
their keels. The first to take to the
water was the merchant vessel, whose
name had been kept secret until she
began 60 slide down the ways, when
Miss Nellie Eldridge, OF Boston, broke
the usual bottle OF wine and ohristened
her che "Grand Duchesse.n AS the
stern Of the great hull caught the
water the shrill whistles of the steamers,
several foreign ships st the yard, and
the hoarse steam siren of the battle-
ship Indiana gave greetings, while
thousands of people showed their ap-
preciation by prolonged cheers for the
Newport News shipbuilding yard and
O. p. Huntington as its founder.
On the christening platform were Mr..
Plant, president of the line for which
the vessel WAS constructed; President
Calvin B. Orcutt, of the Newport News
Company; Representatives Hart and
Haley, of the House, and the Washing
ton party. For what route the new YES
sci Is intended has not yet been an
nounced, but 1t Is thought she eventually
will ply between New York and some
Southern port. Thirty minutes after
the Grand Duchess entered the water
and had been lowed out of the way for
the new warship. the Helena. WAS ready
to take to her natural element and with
at first slight hesitation, due to lack
of sufficient tallow, and with stately
precision Dhe glided off into the James
as Miss Agnes Belle Steele, daughter Of
Mayor Steele, of Helena, smashed the
champagne bottle and named her in
honor of Montana's capital city.
Senators Carter and Mantle, Mayor
Steele and a party of eighteen from
Montana Captain Glass, of the Texas,
and Admiral Brown were on the plat
form. The Indiana greeted the new
addition to the service with deep blasts
from her steam whistle, and the tugs
and other ships added to the din. At
the conclusion OF the ceremonies Presi-
dent circuit entertained the visitors at o
banquet, where the ships and the COM
pany were toasted by the senators, rep
resentetives and others.
The keelB of the two new battleships
will be laid near the spot where the pwo
ships were launched to-day.
The Boil Going Home.
Arr NTA ia onoota1