The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-21
PIGEONS FREEDFROM BOW.
NoTEL LAUNoH OF THE ORUIsER
KISIGT AT GRANNY YARD.

she 10 . Fast Conusercs destroyer Tor sapan-
Secretary LouE's Daughter Named Her.
bat Paiicd 70 Pril the stripG ReieasinR tha
Pigeons worknan Set the Birds Froe.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 20.-In spite OF the fog
and drenching rain, the CEREMONY OF launching
the imperial Japanese cruiser Kasagi was sue
c~essfully carried out to-day at Cramps ship
yard. Tho vessel started down tho ways ut
1887 o'clock. Miss Helen Long. daughter Of
Secretary Of the Navy Long, who was invited
by the Japanese Minister to name the Mikado's
now destroyer. tried to pull q cord
which was to u~nfesten the lid of a basket perohod
on tho bow Of tho vessel and to liberate six gray
pigeons. But the cord, unhappily. was swollen
and soggy with moisture. and the moving vessel
jetkod the cord from the grasp of the Rodmother.
Gov. Hastings of Pennsylvania, who stood on
the other side, made q heroic grab for the lost
cord. without success. 1t was seized by one of
the workmen on the ways, who all but pulled
the basket loose, and out came the pigeons.
Miss Long said:
II christen thee Kasagil"
In twenty-eight seconds KasnRi was beauti-
fully afoat on the bosom OF tho river. waiting
for the attendance Of tugs. The launch was
successful in every respect.
Tho guests from New York arrived shortly
before noon. and were escorted into the office or
the firm. where they met Gov. Hastings and
Mayor Warwick. Tho Washington party ar
rived at 1850 and. headed by Charles 4. Cremp
reeoanisod Miss Long and chosrod. 'io"o
Long, We're the JAPANESE Ss'H Minister sesr.'s Je Ta.n.
ese naval officers and AMERICANS, includ.
the stand. crowdine the battloship Alabama
from her lowest to uppermost deck. were othor
1Rsise om sSsdisSs s. T Tn5ls the mp pEissso h sriSsh sn DH1S;
large party. Just before the christening the
a Az nIM,, stretched ! Itch + S,. over - the e. stand was removed sd
thousands of spectators. Fortunately the rain
At the conclusion of the ceremonies the guests
Of the japanese Minister were taken direct
from tho yard by train to the Broad Street Sta
ton: They left for Washington on the $3.50 P. NJ.
train.
374la feet; breadth. ASA feet; depth. so feet;
mean draught, II feet 8 Inches, with a d~isplace.
specifications she is classed as a protected cruis-
or Of the second class. and. like ali vessels OF her
coal bunkers. which run los feet fore and aft Of
her amidship. section. to protect her engines.
The motive bower Is supplied by two vertical.
inverted, triple-eNpansion, four.cylinder en-
E,nsp' a npdsnn for r@sh d sre u ana a mean esn' s 7 Of e aS 81,
knots per hour. The engines are Of 1900
horse power, and the boiler rooms contain
diameter and 8 feet o inches in length.
Her coal capacity is reckoned as sufficient to
Ing a cruising radius Of 1000 knots. enabling
tho vessel to stay for eighteen days at sea with
The batteries of the Kasagi are heavier than
those on either the United States cruisers Min
ncapolis or Columbia, and it is alleged that the
have greater defensive and offensive powers.
There arc two s.inch rifles at the sides, and her
quick.iring rifles. mounted in brondside; a sec
ondary battery OF twelve l2'pqpnd quick-fring
F1f1ss aR When SIX ihe 2es.,a'f Is h nodsak dSsr g su ths
Japanese Government, five. torpedo tubes, four
teen inches in diameter, will be mounted; Lines
s small liza arms Tes''t cell u q W viii i P pot be- Used af IN the
mock cloths. MEETINGS., and mattresses as a plug
for apertures made In the steel castings;
The k "a e Is named Tor a mountain Al In Japan;
the Hokucho or Northern Court faction. with
his followers. was held at bay after q bloody war
or Southern Court. The followers Of tho Hoku-
cho faction, though seemingly doomed to do
stIIctioh. rallied. and' after q fearful oattie.
The custom Of iibersting doves by the Japa-
A feudal chief OF tho shinto faith, whose devo.
tees worship the spirits of their ancestors. had n
daughter whose hand was asked in marriage by
q chief of another faith. Stern refusal made de-
Termination to we'd only tlrner. and .elopement
followed soon. Pressed by the fathers minions.
the fugltives hid themselves In u cave of the
mountains. where many tombs gave awe. and,
as the, hiding place was about TO be invaded.
father they betokened the spirits of ancestors
protesting in a feeble way at the dissertation of
their abode: RobukGd BY them; he turned away,
made their way to the shore and put out to sea:
Ever since Japan had a navy the custom Of
lease Of the two young doves is intended to
symooltze tho happy %fruition Of 2 great en-.
OF white-winged peace.