Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-01-20
A NAYAL FESTIVAL
Cramps Turn Out War Yes
sci for the Japanese
Government.
THE HAWAII PRESIDENT
The Malta Gang Give Evidence
of Their Existence in
Chicago,
MEMORY OF EUGENE FIELD

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, January TO-
With ceremonies befitting the import
ance Of the occasion, there was launch
ed, to-day, at Cramps shipyard th'
first modern warship ever constrctec
in The United States for foreign
power. Tie vessel is destined to be.
come part of Japan's new naval
force, and if that aggressive little
power becomes entangled in broil in
the far east the "Kssagi," as the ship
was christened when her nose dipped
|into the waters of the Delaware, may
be called upon to meet and combat
some OF the formidable cruisers and
battleships OF European countries.
The launching was attended with
several novel features, not heretofore
seen in connection with similar off lirs
at Cramps. The decorations con-
sisted CT the intertwined red-and- lite
fags Of the Mikado, and the stars and
stripes, and the chief participants were
Minister Hoshi, the attaches OF the
Japanese legation, and party of
prominent guests from Washington.
The '.Kasagi" is q s 900 ton pro-
tected cruiser and will have q speed of
about twenty three knots. She will
have an armament consisting Of two
eight-inch and ten 47-inch guns for
the main battery and in the secondary
battery she will have six ~ FOUNDER
Hotchkiss guns. In every respect she
is the sister-ship ef the vessel under
construction al the Union iron works,
San Francisco, also for the japanese
government, and which will be christ.
ened the ssChitose,' and launched
within the next fortnight.
WASHINGTON, d iC. SO far as con-
cerrs ships it looks as though ths sub
iscts OF the MiIadO will socn be able to
appropriately borrow John Bulls re.
frain:
"Ws don't yaat to fgpt, but by lingo,
We've got the ships, weive got the men,
and we've got the moneys too
The 5,O00-ton protected cruiser
launched at PhifadeIphia to-day is one
II the two me6 -of::War ordered from
American shir-5uiiders by sthes JSpa,
less. government about a year ago.
1t THAT time similar orders wers let 40 /
irms in Great Britain. Germany,
France and elsewhere, so that at the
present time there are being built at /
various places nearly forty craft to be
.dded to the Japanese navy, the list
battle-ships, arnored and 7
protected cruisers, tprpedo.hoats, and,|
orpedo boat dsstfoyers. Since the
urn of affiirs in Chinese waters and I
he sailing thither Of European squad.
ons the japanese government has
,iven orders to hasten the completion
i all these vessels, and evidently as
urther. measure Of preoaution, has
within the last six weeks, purchased
wo OF the fnost vessels Of the Chilean
avy.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, January 20.-
Amid shouts and hurrahs of vast
rowd, the Japanese cruiser Kasagi'' +
lided from the ways at Cramps ship
ards into the Delaware at noon.
Iiss Helen Long, daughter of the
ecretary cf the navy, stood sponsor
or the big ship: As the "Kasagi"
eft its berth, Miss Long named the
essel and at the same time released
rom a basket shower of tulips and
ther flowers and. six pigeons. This
'retty Japanese custom Of Christening
essels proved agreat novelty. Thel
Teather was rather inclement bnt did ]
ot interfere with the program A
pecial train Of Pullman cars, bearing
distinguished party from Washing.
on arrived at51l 80. The party pro-
eeded to the stand erected beneath
be bow of the cruiser. This party
Moulded Toru Hoshi, japanese min
ster, Assistadt Secretary of Stale and
lrs. Day, Assistant Secretary OF
and Mrs. Spalding, Assistant
ecretary Of War Meilkejohn, Gen. and
frs. Nelson A. Miles, Secretary of the
Javy and Mrs. Long, Postmaster, Gen.
raj and Mrs. Gary and many senator's
nd members of congress accompanied
y their wives and daughters. AL
plendid lunch followed.