, 1898-11-28
ANOTHERLAUNCH|NC
BATTLESHIP WISCONSIN LAUNCH
ED AT SAN FRANCISCO WITH
GREAT CEREMONY.
Sister Ship of the Illinois. Recently
Launched. and the Alabama. Now
Building-Largest Vessel Ever
Built for the American Navy
Description of the Vessel.

Description of the Vessel.
San Francisco. Nov. 26.-At 9:22 thi
morning at the Union Iron Works an
other great marine fighting machin,
was added to the already large fleet o
the Pacitic-built var vessels. The yes
sci which slid from the wall this morn.
ing was the battlship Wisconsin,. the
largest of the vessels built for the I'm
tied States government by the Union
Iron Works. The launching of the big
vessel was effected without a hitch and
she now rests calmly on the waters OF
the bay.
Thousands of people saw the plunge
from different points of vantage and
the platform, especially set aside for
the guests Of the Union Iron Works,
was crowded to its full capacity. The
Wisconsin delegation ~ "christeners'
was given the places " honor upon the
platform with the representatives of
the state. the city and the great iron
works responsible for the safe delivery
of the craft to the government.
For an hour before the plunge a large
force of workmen tore away chock af-
ter chock which supported the vessel
and they finished their task almost to
the minute of the prescribed time for
the launching, leaving only one chock
to restrain the monster. and this was
the support hat little Miss Lucille
Gage. daughter Of the governor-elect
of the state, had been assigned to re-
move by means Of a g%uillotine and the
inevitable electric button.
At a given signal the little miss
pressed the button and the crash OF
breaking timbers announced to the
thousands Of anxious spectators that
the vessel was about to leave the ways
Slowly the iron monster moved towards
the bay and all eyes turned to watch
Miss Elizabeth Stephenson break the
bottle of champagne upon the bow o.
the vessel. Just as the mass of iron
and steel touched the water the fair
christener raised the ribbon-bedecked
bottle and let it split on the lose Of the
vessel.
The roar Of applause which greeted
this final act was almost deafen1ng.
The vessel gathered momentum as
she proceeded to the water. and after
leaving the ways floated calmly along
until brought to a stop in the basin,
where the work of completing her will
go on.
Prior to the launching a gigantic flag
Of the union, measuring tw~enty-seven
feet long and fourteen feet wide. was
presented in honor Of the Wisconsin.
1.-The flag was the result of the combined
efforts of 300 children of the Irving NJ
Scott public school, who at the sug-
gestion on their teachers, commenced
work upon the flag on October Goth OF
this year.
Following the presentation of the
flag a poem. ITO the Wisconsin, was
read by Miss Clara lisa Price, its author
When the big vessel slid down the
ways the warships in the harbor fired
salutes and there was a terrific dir
from the steam whistles. The contro-
versy over the kind OF wine to be uset
in the christening was settled this
morning by the use of two bottles o
champagne, one of French make, pro.
vided by the Wisconsin christening
committee, and another Of Califoris
champaign, provided by the Union Iro1
Works.
The battleship Wisconsin,, designed
in the bureau of construction and re
pair OF the navy department, is a sistel
ship of the Alabama, building in the
Cramps navy yard at Philadelphia
and also the Illinois, building at New
port News.
The dimensions of the Wisconsin arr
as follows: Length. on load waite
line. 1868 feet; beam extreme, " e ~
inches; draft on normal displacement
of II, 525 tons, % feet 6 inches: maxi
mum displacement, all ammunition ant
stores on board, 1929 tons; maximum
indicated horse power (estimated), 10,
900; probable speed, 16k knots; nor
NAL coal supply, 800 tons; coal supply
loose storage, 1900 tons; full bunke
capacity, 1.4OO to 1900 tons; compile
ment of officers, 40; seamen, marines
etc., 449.
The main battery will consist Of fou
13-inch breech loading rifles in HIGH
born balanced turrets. oval in shape
and placed in the center line Of the yes
sci, and fourteen 6-inch rapid fire gums
1.-The secondary battery will consist o
lsixteen 6-pounder rapid fire guns, fou
1-pounder rapid fire guns, two Col
guns and two field guns. She will carr,
four torpedo tubes. The 13-inch gun
have an arc of fire Of 1875 degrees o.
each side of the center line, and the 6
inch an arc of 80 degrees on the broa,
side, with the advaatAee Of those q
the upper deck Of 4 direct Ore adea,
and astem. An injury 10. or near, eth