New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-27
THE WISCONSIN LAUNCHED.
ANOTHER BATTLE-sHIP AFLoAr AT SAN
FRANCISCO.
cRrAT CROWDS WATCH THE VESSEL. LEAVE THE
wAYs-NAMED RY MISS ELIZABETH

morning. When the big vessel slid down the
ways the warships in the harbor fired sautes
and there was a terrific din from the steam
Whistles The controversy over the kind of wine
10 be used In naming her settled by the use
Of two bottles of champagne. one Of French
make provided by the Wisconsin committee
and another OF California vintage. provided by
the Union Iron Works
All the morning the streetcars discharged their
loads of people at the shipyard and all the
available boats in the bay were pressed into ser
vice by people anxious to see the launching
Thousands Of people saw the plunge from differ
ent points Of vantage. and the platform set aside
for the guests of the Union Iron Works was
crowded 20 its full capacity The Wisconsin del
egation occupied the places of honor on the plat
form with the representatives of the State the
CITY and the iron works
For an hour before the plunge large force OF
workmen tore chock after chock which sup
ported the vessel. and they finished their task
almost at the minute Of the prescribed time for
the launching leaving only one block to restrain
the monster and this was the support that little
Miss Lucille Gage. daughter Of the Governor
elect Of the State. had been assigned TO remove
by means of suillotine and an electric button.
At a given signal she pressed the button. and
the crash Of breaking timbers announced that
tho vessel was about 10 leave the ways. Slowly
the iron monster moved toward the bay and all
eyes turned to Miss Elizabeth Stephenson
break the bottles of champagne on the bow
Just as the mass Of iron and steel touched the
water she raised the ribbon bedecked bottles
and split them on the nose Of the vessel, amid
roar Of applause which was almost deafening.
The ship gathered momentum as she proceed
cd to the water. and. after leaving the ways.
70 str in no
basin. where the work Of completing her will
80 on
An amusing feature OF the launching was the
wetting OF a number OF people who were stand
ing on the adjoining beach. The rush of water
was great that the people on the beach could
not escape II. and many of them were thor
oughly wetted. A number Of boats narrowly
escaped capsizing.
Before the launching an American flag TWEEN
ty-sevcn feet long and fourteen feet wide was
presented in honor of the Wisconsin, The flag
was purchased with money raised by three hun
bred children of the Irving NJ Scott Public
School.
The battle-ship Wisconsin designed IN the Bureau
Of Construction and Repair OF the Navy Depart
rnent is a sister ship OF the Alabama and the
Illinois. Her dimensions are as follows: Length on
load water-line 36S feet beam. extreme. 70 feet
~
II so tons. 3 feet inches maximum displace-
rnont all ammunition and stores board. Il 325
tons: maximum indicated horse power (estimated),
10000. probable speed. 1914 knots normal coal sup
ply 500 tons; coal supply loose storage. 300 tons;
full bunker capacity. 400 to 800 tons Compile
ment OF officers. 10: seamen. marines. etc. 449
The main battery will consist of four l3-nch
breech-loading rifles in Hchborn balanced turrets,
oval in shape and placed in the centre line Of the
vessel. and fourteen 6-inch rapid-fre guns The
secondary battery will consist Of sixteen 6-pounder
rapid-hre guns four 1-pounder rapid-hre guns, two
Colt guns and TWO field guns She will carry four
torpedo tubes. The 13-inch guns have an arc Of
fire of l35 degrees each side Of the centre line.
and the 6-inch an arc of 30 degrees on the broad
side with the advantage over those on the upper
deck Of a direct fire ahead and astern. Any in
Jury TO or near either Of these 6-inch guns will be
confined 10 its own compartment, "a l2-inch
steel splinter bukhead separates each Of these
guns from It's neighbor
The armor belt which extends from the stem 10
sbaft the after turret is TO 1917 inches thick
the TOD and sik inches at the bottom. except at
Inc forward end where It will be tapered 10
inches at the stem. This belt Of armor will extend
from feet below the normal load line to Si2 feet
q bove IT, and will maintain the full thickness
amidshps between the turrets' and for the dis
lance occupied by the engines and boilers. DiaSo-
nal armor 70 inches thick. connecting this belt
ermor and barbettes. and extending from the
stones of the protective deck 10 the top OF the side
belt on each side, is worked 10 give protection
from A raking fire Abaft the after turret the pro
lection will be completed by thckening the pro-
,ective deck to inches the slope. with 2S4
inches on the fat On the slopes Of this deck for
ward II is 3 inches thick and %. inches on the fiat
The arrnor on the l3-inch gun turrets VIII be j.
inches on the front and 10 inches on the rear;
while on the barbettes which are circular In shape
Il will be 10 inches the front. ard 10 inches on
The rear and sides The sides Of the vessel above
the belt arrnor in wake OF the l6-inch battery and
forming casemaie. will be armored with 81
inches of steel extending between the turrets with
diagonal armor Of the same thickness az the ends
connecting with the barbettes. and working above
-he pinch diagonal armor below She viii he
protected against the entrance OF water IN case
Of injury 10 the side at the water-ine by Golfer
dams extending the length OF the vessel on each
side and having general width OF feet' win
fo'al capacity of about l2jco cubic feet Tor SLOW
age ~ freproof cornrith cellulos" independent OF
the numerous small water-tight pockets or cells
for,ninr he entire scheme OF coerdaIns the inner
bottom and hold. the platforms, splinter ana neft
IGN commandments both FOR the accommodation
81 norve-power and the storage Of coal prorisohs
erd ammunition and other stores. ana also Tor me
preservation Of the ship I'm the event OF rupture
Of The outer skin or inlury IN patt n nrec,in
with powerful steam pumps. for thc purpose o. re-
moving any wa1rr inS9 may ,ra1een,enis are also
made for flooding all arnmunlN0h-I""hs III .aS' ~
togetber v,,h all living spaces. statcrooms. ete.
occupied by the officers or crew nave -ptclai tpas
o. 5ncte arranged with view OF supplying frrsh
s,r % tho occupants. and 10 make the temperature
RI sll eforeroorDS ever in the most remote paris
~ The vessel comfortable and healthy. Thee
ripes all connect with powerful pioWcTS, Nl!ol
draw fresh air by means OF Ncnua'o's eA''"o''S
ZION, u to % fee above the deck. -, 9,
rsa so,o-.rd conning-tOWcr armor VIII nc ~
,,ldhhee tb,ck oval in shape Size I'm tho clear. MI
foei. Win an armored tube inches 'hlCk tso cT I
tending down to the protective deck 10 mouse ."
,riras or o,her means OF interior COMMUNICATIONS
So maj Tho officer coming the vessel IN acI2n can
b. ~ constant and safc communication VIII i ~
ms ~ ne vessel. An after coming or sls."e
iover is provided. having an iiSine diameter u
fee, and 4 thickness Of . inc",s, -
Tle ,urrefs will nc operated ny "ltctrc Po"+,;
ESQ no ammunition HOSTS. and ne cynah9 I, anu
s,vnar, blone-s for ycntilating purposes. Ihtle
vii he eighty or NOR" AUXILIARY onel,'S ID U,e
ally 20 lnc c1Irlen.A OI I-N