The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-19

After teleErAphic description OF
lag yard at the western end OF the CON
tlnent, which fringe the bay and Pacific
shore with the mAsts OF hostile ships.
several thousand people witnessed the
double launching OF the Wheeling" and
"Marietta." Elaborate preparations had
been made and there was but one hitch,
Tie Marietta" left tho ways ten seconds
before tle wheeling" which stuck for a
moment and then with crashing OF TIM
bers got under way again.
The ride carried the two gunboatS to-
gether and they collided in the basin
The Marietta" careened to On apparent
,y dangeuu7 position. Those on board
rushed tn the upper side and some spec
tators were aiarmed.
She shortly righted herself and the two
vessels drew apart without danger save
a slight scratching OF paint.
The launching took place at 1854 a, m.
The christenlngs were simultaneous.
on the "whccllnG" were rep
resertativcs of the Union Iron
works a party OF Wheeling citizens aud
Miss Lucle s. Brown, who named che
ship.
These new ships will take their places
in the line Of the white fleet. They are
not equal in tonnage 90 the record
breaking Oregon and they cannot throw
metal like the Monterey, but they carry
4 heavier battery compared with their
size than any OF the big vessels tnat
have been turned out OF the SCOTS
ward, and their light draught and pecu-
liar construction make them OF lnesu-
mablc value to the nations naVa! toEce'
The gunboats Wheeling and MarleItA
rrpre cent a value Of $2iO,OOO apiece
i,,Is mllIion dollars OF true and tried
Sghtcr. Side by side the two keels were
laid last May, aud plate by plate the
VaSseig have grown up to a finish until
ta.jov tbe slept in the Chocks for the
inst time, ready TO start away ana
i,ilIcd bv the music OF hammers, they
arc as much alike as two peas.
FrnIn the keel up to the waterline che
h,tIIs nrn Of pine aud for two feet above
,pIs noInt they are built OF teak-thAt
stror,y iron wood OF the tropics. The
rsst IL OF lve-eiEhth-inch steel. Over
tSn nine pIankInE OF the bottom VIII be
laid copper shcathtng. AB copper ts al
most anti -rouIing, these gunpoats may
remain away from 4 dry dock ior sew
croI Years. making the vessels sult9ple
Tor long service ON f0relEh AlntOh'
TheV are fitted Eith OAK D!lSe keelh 10
prevent excessive rolhnE' lne navy We
partment having learned a lesson rom ~,
M action OF the kecllcss oregon In Il
Sn,vv crbss.sca. That ship, by the
go tysg designed after the plan Ot the
Vri,isb Jnttlcship, RESOLUTION. which, In
-. nrxt trIp. ,ullrd her superstructurC
,m'.bo,. ,,',frr and damaged herself to the
SYtcnt OF about SS15,0OO. In some re-
snsrig, ,g,. have the drop on the BRUSH
builders and designers. ..,,,., .,,,,,,
irLn ncyy unnhORts are provided With
,,yn GOo horsepower engines and double
yr,,c,ya thnt viii drive the vessels twelve
,'Nats mn hour. The battery will con-
"ist Of six four-iuCh rnpid-ttrc rifles
Tour ~ them rs broldside guns on the
lower deck and the other two as stern
ana how chAacrs on the upper deck
IN this deck will be placed -FOUR SIX
noundcr and Two 0he-iioahd HotchNiSs
guns, -, ,J,rr.,,N ,,,,1, IA,
,,r,ror,Iod by a IIcutenant-CominhudeI
onI ,Irh vessel will be manned by cle-
-, offfrrrg ten marines ann n crew oi
Er" ~ cnmpIrmcnt OF lac persons On
thr rI two nngts will be carried fare and
'"S $naSr mas hcca economical ln the con
,4rt%,i,e az ihe interior, and the berth
lnm ~ thc officers and crew Is an lm-
nrnyr,nsnt 'rn over the crowded Qhartcrr
y 1th"r vcsqrla The little fighters VIII
~ con,nodlons homes for the men thai
go w d"stincd 10 handle them, The
WhceIlne Is supplied with the ordinary
,nnrlnS boilers with the Howdcn system
nf VI forcsd draught. and the Marietta has