Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-27
THE BATTLEsHIP ILLINOIS.
Secretary Long to Witness launch
fng-NewpOrt News Notes.

fng-NewpOrt News Notes.
NEWPORT NEWS, September 26-(Spe-
cial.)-Hon. John ID. Long. Secretary Of
the Navy, will be present at the launch
ing of the battleship Illinois at the ship
yard on Tuesday of next week. He Will
make the journey to Newport News on
the Presidents private boat, the Dolphin
and will be accompanied by his family
and the bureau chiefs of the Navy De-
partment. President Mckinley has been
invited by the Newport News Shipbulding
and Dry-Dock Company, and also by
Governor Tanner, of Illinois, to attend the
launching but IL is unlikely that he will
be able to leave his official duties even TO
take a four-days' trip to Newport News
and Norfolk. According 10 the present
understanding, Secretary Long will leave
Washington next Saturday or Sunday
night on the Dolphin, arriving here Il day
later. The day prior to the launching he
will inspect the work at the ship-yard,
and on the day following that important
event he will visit the Norfolk navy-yard
for the purpose of inspecting the naval
work in progress there. This will be the
first time since the launching of the gun
boats Nashville and Wilmington in Octo-
Der OF 1895, that a Secretary of the Navy
has attended the launching of a warship
at this ship-yard. on that occasion Sec
rotary Herbert was present, but Assistant
Secretary McAdoo came to see the Helena
launched. There were no department Off
ciais at the launching Of the Kearsarge
and Kentucky, although naval officers
turned out in large numbers The Dol
phin which is now at Washington navy
yard. and which will be the floating home
OF the Secretary's party for four days,
was the first ship of the new navy, and
ii is fitting that she should be present at
the launching Of the latest addition to
Uncle Sans sea power. The Dolphin S
cabin was fitted up prior to the war at a
cost Of $4,000 especially for the use Of the
President.
The navy, army, and society Of the
country Will be represented largely az
this launching, and the crowd promises
TO be nearly, If not equally, as large as
that which saw the Kearsarge and Ken
lucky leave the ways last March.
The Illinois is rapidly nearing that
state of completion necessary before the
battleship can be launched. The scat
folding and all unnecessary timbers nave
been removed, and one side has received
coat OF bright red paint.
General Superintendent c. r. Doyle,
and engineer of maintenance and ways,
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, will
arrive in the city Tomorrow for the pur
pose of appearing before the Common
Council TO ask for some assurances from
the city fathers that the Twenty eighth
street bridge will be built not more than
two years later than the other two over
head bridges. They are willing TO Jay
for their half of the work just as soon
as the Council assures them that the
bridge over the grade crossing will be
certainty inside OF a specified period.
They do not see any advantage in build
ing bridges over streets that are not
freouented any more than Twenty-fftb
and Thirty-fourth streets, If there is no
assurance that the grade crossing al
Twenty-eighth street is TO be abolished
Chief-of- Police Boatwright, OF the
county police force, arrested George
stewart yesterday. charged with the
murder of Eddie Lockett In December
last. The prisoner will be given a hearing
to-norrow in the Bloodfeld court.
THE schooner Dorchester from Baiti-
more 10 Rappahannock river arrived
berc Yesterday in a disabled condition.
Twenty-nine men of Battery H. Fourth
Artillery. which left in the early DAYS OF
the war for Santiago. returned 10 the
Eo,t Yesterday from Montauk Point