The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-26
LAUNCH OF THE KAsAGI.
"PensacOIa' One of the Pigeons Re
leased at the Ceremony.

leased at the Ceremony.
There were a number of interesting de-
tails in connection with the launching of
the Japanese cruiser Kasagi at Phradel-
phla the other day, report of which event
was contained In our dispatches.
The christening ceremony was unique.
Stretched from the point of the bows was
a level spar from which dangled huge
ball, which would have been very gay
We're 1t not so wet and bedraggled 1t
was cage or basket of wire made so that
II could be pulled open like the multisected
peel OF an orange. Ribbons which had
once been green and white and yellow and
req covered the lattice work and another
long ribbon hung pendent so that 1t could
be grasped by Miss Long, the FAIR prizes
tess of the ceremonies, from her point of
vantage underneath the bows
Inside this ball, which would have been
SO prismatic had not the rain washed out
the ribbons, six homing pigeons rested on
bed of flowers. They were birds Of hiqh
degree, as behtted their important mission
IN this international episode-no mere COO
ing denizens of the dovecote, but birds
strong OF wing and true of instinct who
nave made names and regulations for
themselves.
They came from the Pensacola lofts at
hfankIord. There was Storm King, the
mighty, the only bird out of 1872 released
from Greensburg, S. c., just before the
bhzzard of 1888 who survived the storm
ana came home with a record OF $40 miles
mere were Pensacola and Woodbury., the
only two birds that successfully took the
hght from Pensacola, Fla. and won i'm
Persuade fame as "thousand-mile flyers -
And there were Pop Miller, Abendin and
a young bird named Kasagi in honor of
the occasion, each with record of geo
miles. seventh bird was brought to
the yard, as a matter of precaution but
was let go in the morning. when 1t was
round that his companions were strong
and fit.
Miss Long, standing In a group of sni1-
ing men and women, listening to the GAL
liant remarks of President Cramp was
possibly not so familiar with launches as
she might have been, and possibly NOT
Wen advised. Certain it is, when a sud
Den exclamation from the crowd announc-
ed that the Kasagi had started on its To-
boggan slide, she was not ready to per
form her part.
lt seemed as IL the ship made an m
usually rapid start. The rain perhaps had
made the ways more slippery than ordi-
narily. AT any rate, the dangling ribbon
was twitched out of her hands before she
had chance TO pun it and release the
pigeons.
oh" cried the mistress of ceremonies.
1t was cry not laid down In the books.
but IL spoke volumes
seize lt! cried Mr.. Cramp, almost be-
side himself in sudden terror
The young woman rushed forward and
tried TO capture the retreating string OF
silk, but it evaded her. A chorus of whis-
ties and human shouts drowned the eS-
clamation of agony and dismay which fell
from the lips of the frightened girl.
Then came James Enyard's chance. He
was only an humble trimmer. capped and
overalled and wearing the honorable dirt
of his profession. But he had his wits
about him, the only one i'm all the little
crowd upon the upper platform. With a
sudden spring, he leaped high in the air.
and caught the fluttering ribbon one
strong pun and the ball of ribbon opened.
The birds, so suddenly released, fell foot
or two, regained their wing. and. circline
to the west and north flew strongly to-
ward their lofts, while a shower of bios
SONS intended for the heads of their spe-
cial guests fell among the workmen.
Thus q new leaf was turned in history
and a mans hand, not a woman's. per-
formed the ceremony which gave a
great ship it's name.