The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-11-28
THE WISCONSIN LAUNCHED
Another first .cisss Bsttisship Added 60
Our Navy.

Our Navy.
san rancisco. Nov. 26-The battlsshlp
Wisconsin belonging to the FIRST order was
launched today, with al the accompany
ing ceremonies. Thousands OF people
were present this evening snd
the manasement Of the Union Iron Works
entertained two hundred distinguished
guests at a banquet held IN a private din
ing room OF the Palace hotel Speeches
were made by Irving 80. Scott, general
manager OF the Union Iron Works. Gov
Budd. Gov-eleot Gage. the latter native
Of Wisconsin, Lieut.. Gov Baensch, United
States senator Mitchell of Wisconsin, and
others
Among the addresses made. the two prin-
ciple ones were Lieut.. Gov. Baensch
and United States Senator Mitchell, OF
Wisconsin. Lieut. Gov. Of wis, said, in
part
"The people Of Wisconsin haA with de-
| light the launching Of n namesake which
is to be part and parcel OF the brightest
bravest most efficient navy in the world
Half way across the content they have
sent this delegation to escort one OF wis
consins daughters fair, that she might
chrlsten the ship with all que form and
ceremony while from million hearts
comes the sincere cheer OF Good Luck
coupled with an earnest prayer that the
vast strength and power Of tds modern
engine Of war will make It a preserver
and guarantee OF universal peace"
Uh ted states Senator Mitchell Of wis
consin said in part:
once ranged with our warships, the
Wisconsin Will have to look lively to keep
abreast Of her mates, for the American
navy, man to man, is superior to any
navy in the world. We hear a good deal
about the man behind the gun"
But It is the officer behind the man
behind the gum who does the business
During their nava, training laey are sub
jected to higher tests, physical mental,
moral, than are required by any other
country Those who come out or the
ordeal successfully have no fear when you
say Cayite, when you say Santiago you
say Annapolis
There Is another reason for our superb
ority. our discipline. while strict to
nicely, is more humane than that OF any
other navy. our men are treated as II
they had souls, and not IKE dumb driven
cattle
The Wisconsin will have n mascot-no !
pungent Billy goat, but badger-a badg-
er In bronze TO be placed on the forward |
turret Of the ship. Underneath the badg- |
er viii be placed the motto Of Wisconsin,
the single word "Forward"-ever forwar !. ,
TIN the last arme4 foe expires
Before We take leave of our ship we
have wished for her welfare. May she
never pound on the pitlless rocks May
she never be pursued by the wild hunts
man OF the storm. When she drops slow
ly into the last haven may she never have
had the necessity for firing a shot save
in practice, or Of burning powder, save IN
salute
The battleship Wisconsin, designed in
bureau OF construction and rcpaic in the
Navy department Is sister ah:p Of the
Alabama. buneine at the Camps yard
in Pnila !eiphs. ana also Of tie I'iino
building 1T Newport News
The di lcnhols OF the Wisconsin nre as
follows: Length Of load wate, line 2Cs
feet; beam extreme % feet 2l4 inches; The
draft of normal displacement 1895 tons,
% feet six inches. Maximum displacement
all ammunition and stores aboard Is525 i
tons maximum indicated horse power
Cestimated) 10000; probably speed 1914 |
knots. Normal coal supply 900 tons; coal
supply. loose storage 12eo tons; fun bum
ker capacity 400 to 1900 tons Complement |
of officers 40; seamen, marinest otc ,t9.
The main battery VIII consist cf four |
10 inch breechloadlng rifles IN Hlchborn |
balanced ,urrets. Oval in shape ana placed |
in the center OF the vessel and fourteen |
G inch rapid fire guns. The second bat
tery viii consist OF sixteen FOUNDER rap
ia FIRE guns. four / Founders rapid fire |
guns. two colt guns and two field guns. |
..he viii carry four torpedo tubes. The l3 |
inch guns have an are OF fire of i35 de-
grees on each side OF the center line; and
the 6 inch an arc OF 30 degrees on the
broad side. with the Advantage of hose
on the upper deck OF a direct Tire aheud
and astern. Any injury to. or near these
inch guns win be confined 10 its own
compartment. as ~ inch stee. splinter
tulkhead separates ,sch OF these guns
fom its neigh5Cr.
THE ARMOR BELT
The armor belt which exten3s from the
stem 90 abaft the after turre.. IS 10 be
of ICY inches thick at the to9, AMI 9ls
inches thick at the bottom. excep. al the
forward end where It viii be tspered to
inches at the stem. This belt armor VIII
extend from -FOUR feet below the normal
load line to 2la feet above st. and will
maintain the fun thickness amiiships be-
tween tle turrets, and Cor the distance
occupied ~ the engiac ard boilers Dl-
agonai armor u inche5 lhicS, connecting
80 A. 49,. n