The San Francisco call., 1898-03-25
Kearsar@e and Kentucky Glide Into the Waters
 of James River.
Purity and Patriotism Blended in the Ceremonies Attend ing the Christening of
 the New Champions.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va, March 24.- The first great battleship launched from a private yard in the South kissed the water in the James River at 10:02 to-day at the immense plant of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry dock Company At 11:35 a second ship the exact counterpart of the first one, except in name, followed. They were christened respectively the Kearsarge and the Kentucky, broad and historic names that have just representatives in the splendid fighting machines put ahoat to-day.
 The ship of the nation" was launch ed first, and long before the hour an nounced for the ceremony 18.000 people were pushing and jostling around the powerful hull Of No. 1S as the Rear sarge was known in the shipyard. Just before the preliminary prepara- tions were finished the christening party arrived. and was conducted through the vast throng to the gayly decorated stage at the bow of the Kearsarge.
 The party was composed of MT. Cal win B. OrcUtt, president of the New port News Shipbuilding Company; Mrs. Herbert Winslow, sponsor for the Kearsarge, and her maid of honor, Miss Margaret Eastman of Washington; Miss Christine Bradley, sponsor for the Kentucky, and her maids of honor. the Misses Mary Gatewood Lillian Stege, Sallie BronstOn. Abbie Ballard and Alice Castleman, all of the Blue Grass State Miss Anna Webb of Pa ducah, Ky; Mrs. William o. Bradley. Governor Tyler of Virginia and staff, and 6 number of State officials of Ken lucky; Lieutenant Commander Herbert Winslow, U. s. N, the only surviving son of the captain who commanded the famous old Kearsarge in her fight with the Alabama; members of the House and Senate Committee on Naval Affairs and other distinguished visitors from Washington.
 4 saw severed the pieces that held the Kearsarge in place, and the splen- did hull started on it's journey to the water. AS it started Mrs. Winslow broke bottle of champagne over its bow and exclaimed clearly and distinct ly, T christen thee Kearsarge.'
 As the vessel glided smoothly into the river cheer after cheer went up from the crowd, and the shrill whistles of the steamers in the harbOr welcomed the new naval champion to it's natural element. The cruiser Brooklyn and the monitor Puritan, lying out in the SNl tcIIlg Nf4E A4lC Cp4 CsS OA AllN navy present.
 The christening party then proceeded to the bow of the Kentucky. This cere- mony was an exact counterpart of the former, except that Miss Chrystine Bradley broke a cut-glass bottle of water from the spring on the old Lin coin farm, and said, T chrsten thee Kentucky"
 Then, as the vessel started down the ways, several bottles of old Bourbon whisky were hurled against her sides by Kentuckians who were opposed to the water christening. Water from the spring on the Jefferson Davis farm, in Kentucky, was also smashed on the vessels sides. Both launcAings were successful in every particular.
 The invited guests and distinguished visitors then boarded the steamer New port News and proceeded to Old Point where the shipyard officials rendered magnificent banquet. Covers were laid for GOO persons. It was entirely infor- nal. Among the tOasts responded to were Kentucky" by Governor Brad ey, and Virginia" by Governor Tyler. Tn his speech Governor Bradley de- clared the people of Kentucky earnest y desire that the nation shall intervene to prevent further atrocities upon the suffering people of Cuba; and, if the investigation should justify. to avenge the death of our sailors, not by de- handing an indemnity m money, but an indemnity in blood"
 Of the ship Kentucky he said: "No ship has ever been christened as it has been. Not according to the custom of pirate vikings clad with the skins of wild beasts, but with sparkling water from the spring which quenched the thirst of him who gave freedom to a race and saved our country from de struction. Purity and patriotism have to-day been blended in the christening of the ship which I predict will win more fame, gather more laurels and ac- complish more good than any that has syer swept over the seas"
 There are larger battle-ships a1oat