The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-19
TIE ALABAMA LAUNCHED
FLOATING FORTRESS CAN BE
COMPLETED IN A YEAR

One of Three Powerful Sea-Going
Bnttleships Ordered by Congress
in 1896, but Delayed In Construc-
ton Because of Failure to Pro-
vide ArmOr-Fear of Treachery
Made the Launching Semi-Private
PHILADELPHIA, May 1S.-The bat
tleship Alabama was launched at
Cramps ship yards shortly before 1
o'clock this afternoon. Miss Mary E.
Morgan, daughter Of Senator Morgan,
OF Alabama, had the honor of breaking
the traditional bottle Of wine on the
Prov of the big fighter as 1t slid from
the ways.
The fact that the launching Of the
ship was one Of the most successful
ever witnessed at Cramps is regarded
as an omen Of good fortune.
Miss Morgan stood on a dais built
on the launching platform directly I'M
der the bow Of the Alabama. She was
attended by her father, Senator Nor
gan, and her sister, Miss Cornelia l.
Morgan. AS the ship began to tremble.
preparatory to sliding off the we'll
creased ways, she took q frmer grasp
on the bottle Of native Alabama wine,
which she had in her right hand, and,
swinging it above her head, smashed 1t
against the nose Of the ship, saying
as she did so: st crown thee with mag
nolias, brave ship, and christen thee
with proud name, Alabama"
PRIVATE AFFAIR.
Only a few hundred people witnessed
the launching, as against the thou
sands that are usually in the yard on
such occasions. For some time past
the yard has been closed to all visitors,
and the rule was not relaxed to any
extent today. Fear Of Spanish treach-
cry has made the government and the
Cramps extremely cautious, and a
single bomb exploded by a hostile WIS.,
itor would do almost incalculable DAM
age.
'"The war time launching" was for
this reason almost a private affair.
After the Alabama had come to
standstill in the Delaware, tugs towed
her back to her dock, and workmen
swarmed over her, beginning at once
the work Of preparing her for service.
1t Is a curious coincidence that the
yard number of the Alabama, 290, is
the same as the yard number Of the
Alabama built for the Confederacy in
an English shipyard during the re-
bellion.
The ship can be ready for commits
sion in a year, if the armor is deliv-
cred promptly.
The Alabama will be one Of three pow
erful sea- going battleships, for the con-
struction Of which provision was made
by the act Of congress of June 10, 1896.
By this act the cost Of each Of the
three ships, exclusive of armament, was
limited to $3,75O,OOO The Alabama and
her sister ships, the Illinois and Wis
consin, which are now in process of
construction, are combinations of the
best features Of the Iowa and Kear-
sarge types, modified by such advances
and Improvements as experience has
suggested to be most desirable.
FLOATING FORTRESS.
In the Alabama the water-line armor
Is carried clear forward; the protective
deck, instead Of being submerged, as
in former ships, is raised to the level
of the belt, by slopes at each SIDE the
same as in protected cruisers.
The eight-inch guns of the Indiana
type are done away with entirely, the
main battery of the Alabama type con-
sisting of four 13-inch guns in turrets
and fourteen 6-inch rapid-fire guns, of
which ten are mounted on the gun
deck, eight in broadside between the
turrets and two firing straight ahead
forward Of the fore-turret on the gun
deck. Four are mounted in a small
redoubt on the casemate deck, two on
each side.
The broadside 6-inch guns, instead of
being mounted in projecting sponsors,
are mounted In recess ports in order to
secure extensive train forward and
abaft the beam.
The general dimensions Of the Ala
bama class are as follows:
Length over all, 374 feet; beam. 70
feet; freeboard forward, 20 feet; free
board abaft the after turret, Is feet
inches; draught, % feet 6\inches; dis
placement, 11,520 TONS The guaran-
teed speed is to be 16 knots, and the es-
tinnated horsepower 10000.
The secondary battery consist of sew
enteen 6-pounder rapid-fire guns six
1-pounder rapid-fire guns and four Cat
lings.
CRAMPS VIEWS.
President Charles Cramp, the build
err of the Alabama, was interviewed
today as to his opinion Of the Spanish
navy. In reply to the general ques
tion he said:
'"They have some very good cruisers.
and I understand that they are not
only good in themselves, but well
equipped and we'll manned The best
battleship in the Spanish navy is the
Pelayo. She is o d-fashioned but coed.
having just had her boilers renovated
But she could not carry enough coal to
take her across the Atlantic and back.
The Cristobal Colon is about like our
New York and Brooklyn, but they are
a little better than she Is in armor and
i'll guns"
Speaking of the naval stations In
the West Indies and the possibility of
the Spanish ships maneuvering for any
length of time without new coal sup
ply. Mr.. Cramp said:
'By referring to Cloues's Naval An
pual you will see what the radius Of
action of each CT these ships is The
radius Of action of warship is the
n t-fn ct 49,, L.