Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-04-02
IOWA is LAUNCHED.
of Modern Naval Arch
lecture Slid as Off the
Ways.

PHILADELPHIA. Pa, March 2S.--The
Iowa. the fourth and last of the first
class hattleships authorized by Congress
several years ago, was launched at
Cramps shipyard at kensington today
amid the enthusiastic cheers of over 90
600 spectators Among the guests was
a large party from Washington, headed
by Secretary of the Navy Herbert while
Gov. Drake headed the Iowa contingent,
which was not as large rs had been eX-
pected. the Legislature having Declined
to make an appropriation tor the dele-
CATION The vessel was cnristened by
Miss Mary Lord Drake. daughter CT the
governor. and smoothly took the water
from the ways
1t was shortly after l o'clock when
the last tie piece holding the monster to
the ways was knocked off and the ire
mendous hull gave Il culver. The COM
manding figure of Miss Drake standing
on Il little raised platform was seen.
Under Henry w. Cramps direction she
rested one shoulder against the hull and
then as it began to glide away she
swung her right arm and smashed the
proverbial bottle square on the vessel
nose. The bottle she broke contalned
champagne and not water from elther
the Des Moines or the Schuylkill river
which some Hawkeye state prohibition
lists wanted used. She nervously MUIR
INJURED: II christen thee Iowa." but no
body heard her, because at that moment
the factories and steamboats, let loose
their whistles and the multitude gave
vent to it's frenzied roar of enthusiasm.
And the racket kept up until the Iowa
had gracefully courtesied to the tribute
in mid-stream, swung around ana cast
anchor Everybody on the bow platform
shook hands with everybody else there
~. 4h< mo IL
for luncheon and more fluctuations.
The Iowa, the keel of which was laid
two and half years ago, is the fourth
battleship to be owned by the United
States. She has been constructed TOR sea
purpose, the first three built, the lndi-
ana, Massa chusetts and Oregon, beng
coast batteships. The Iowa is of 1000
tons greater displacement than her sister
skins. and several feet longer and broad
er. The hull is of steel with double
bottom and close Watertght SUBDIVISION
to ten feet above the water line. Her
battery is to consist OF four l2-lnch
eight S-inch and six 4-inch breech-loading
rifles, twenty 2G-pounders, four 1-pound-
ers. four Gatlings, and one field gun.
Compared with the Indiana, the Iowa
has greater length, greater beam, IN
creased length of outer line belt and
greater coal endurance and speed, to-
gcther with the ability to work the for
ward l2-Inch guns III almost any conul-
ton of sea. The magnificent electric
lighting plant, weighing forty five tons,
will afford means to discover the enemy
or guard against the attack Of torpedo
boats She will require complement
Of nearly 500 men, or greater than that
of any preceding warship of the new
navy The Iowa is constructed under
the act of July 10, 1892, which made
provision for one sea-going battleship of
about 5000 lispla cement. to cost, eXclu-
sive of armament and speed premiums,
not more than $4,000o00. The details
of the construction have been in the
hands of Chief Constructor Wilson and
Engineering Chief Melville, the famous
Arctic eXllOrer