The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29

port News-The Kcarsarge and the Ken
tucky Christened and Put Afoat-De-
scrIption of these Monsters and Forni-
dabIe Engines Of War
Newport News, Va, March 24-In
the presence Cd the largest crowd ever
assembled on a similar occasion the
dirst-class bs7tleships Kearsarge and
the Kentucky We're launched at the
plant of the Newport News Shipbuild-
ing and Drydock Company, his morn-
ing. Fully 10000 persons witnessed the
launching.
The two big defenders were con-
structed at either side of a huge ACTON
travelling crane, and now doomed up
in all their dignified magnitudes, SEEM
ingly eager for the time when they
should take their first dip in the briny
waters of the historic James.
The arrival of the christie ming par
ties was the signal for cheers from the
impatient spectators and also for the
shipyard employees to the
work Of transferring the ship to it's
cradle.
lie ItSuId SOulluS u lHt IIdIillIlcl
could be heard in all sections Of the
yard as the rbrawny workmen drove
home the all-important wedges. In the
meantime the guests OF the Newport
News Shipbuilding Company had as
sembled on the large platform at the
ships PROV.
Among the distinguished persons who
occupied positions on the platform
NNprp. Governor wv q Rr961aV Gov
ernor ]. HOge Tyler, and their respec-
tive stats; General Nelson A. Miles,
commander-in-chief Of the United
States army Admiral Nations, u. S.
N; Commodores McNair and Wallace;
Senators Thomas IS. Martin, off Virgin
ia; J.. l.. Rawlings, of Utah; Represen-
tatives Jacob Yost, w. A. Jones and
p. J. Otey, A. J.. Hopkins of Illinois,
d. A. Mercer, ex-senator Black, Repre-
sentatives d. Fl. Small and F. S. Hop
kins of Kentucky, President C. B.. Or
cult of the s~hipbuilding company, Ma
val Constructor j. j. Woodward and
wife, Mrs. General Pickett, Miss Belle
Tyler, Miss Miles, Miss Mary circuit
and Mrs. Governor Bradley.
THE sounds of the hammer died away
n the immense crowd was hushed
with the cessation of work as if by
magic command, and the attention of
all was directed to the bow of the Kear-
sarge, where Mrs. WinslOw was stand
ing awaiting the startling of the ship.
Another minute and the cracking of the
huge timber was heard as the saw
completed its work of seyering the last
wedge.
The towering steel frame hesitated a
second, not longer, and, at 1902 O'Clock
slowly started on it's journey to the
water. AS it did 50, Mrs. WinSlOw,
casting the bottle in her right hand
against the receding bow, exclaimed:
Il christen thee, Kearsarge."
A mighty cheer went up from the
vast throng of spectators as the vessel
struck the water, stern first, and, with
a graceful dip first aft and Then for
ward, glided out upon the waters with
the buoyancy of a duck. Another cheer
arose from 10000 threats when it was
seen that the Kearsarge had been safe
ly and successfully launched n was
~ploughing the river WithOu leaning
the slightest to starboard or port. The
steam whistles in the Shipyard and
those on the fleet of naval and pleas
ure craft in the river, shrieked forth
their glad welcome to the new conner.
The Kearsarge g1ided out into the
channel, where she was picked UP by
the Chesapeake and Ohio tugs and
proudly toWed to one of the owe ship
yard piers.
After the Launching, Mrs. Winslow
received a handsome model of the
Kearsarge, presented by the men who
worked on the ship, as a mOmento of
the occasion.
When the latest additional to Uncle
Sans floating marine monsters a
been safely moOred, there was a gener-
al rush ON the part of the large as
semblage to the opposite sid Of the
immense crane where the formidable
Kentucky proudly awaited the hOnors
ITO be conferred upon her by one of the
Blue Grass states most charming
daughters.
As soon as the Kearsarge was noe
ed to one of the piers the force of ship
launchers crossed to the other side of
the high trestle and commenced to pre-
pare the Kentucky for her baptism.
Finally the blows beneath the hull of
the ship died away. The large say
was placed against the sole-pieces at
the bow of the vessel, as in the previous
launch and the w workmen looked
up at superintendent Smith for the eX-
pected signal.
Mr.. Smith motioned to Miss Bradley
to take the christening bottle, and then
nodded h inal instructions to the
men below. The monotonous buzzing
of the saw started again, and every
body iCiu lAACll piOoti, CdSSlly
ing THE strange spectacle of seeing a
ship christened with pure spring wa
ter. There was only another instant
of suspense as the weakened timbers
commenced ITO crack under the evere
strain of the ships burden, and the
long expected nap quickly followed.
lat 11:35 o'clock the big hull started
from it's long occupied bed and Miss
Bradley smashed the cut glass bottle,
filled with water from a spring in Ken
ttucky, from which Abraham Lincoln,
in his youth was wont to quench his
thirst, squarely against the sharp prov.
simultaneously with the sound of
breaking glass and the downward rush
of g%listening water, h great crowd of
spectators saw Miss Bradley's lips
part, and those in the immediate wi
cinity heard, in tones of girlish sweet
ness, the following time-honored ex-
preston: 81 christen then, Kentucky!"
las the vessel started ON it's journey
to the water, a number of pint bottles
of Old Bourbon whiskey were hurled
c~o~, t1,a oy>purd and croo Shp1 AGAINST