The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-10-01
Mosr.t$ /erful and Effective of
-.l'sg5 ri New Battle Graft
LAUNCH SET FOR OCT. 4
Event Will Be One of the Great
est in Naval Annals.
FIRST Authentic Description of the Ship
Which VIII Bear the Proud
Name of This State.


also of the Wisconsin, which may be laun chez
at the Union works, San Francisco, in No
Vember, will leave the ways for its initia
plunge In the James river Oct. at the plan
OF the Newport News Shipbuilding and DR.,
Dock company.
In October Of 1895 the gunboats Nashviu.
and Wilmington, the latter sister ship o.
the Helena, also built here, were launched
In tandem fashion from the same set of way
the first time two warships, and indeed
any other kind of craft, had been launched il
that manner. In March last the Kearsargt
and Kentucky, the only warships in the worlt
TO carry double gun turrets, were Launched
within an hour of each other-the first tim.
Two nrst-class battle-ships had ever beer
launched on the same day. Two weeks from
next Tuesday, less than seven months later
THIS company will launch another battle ship
making >aree to leave the ways in one year.
The prospects are that the launching OF tn(
Illinois will be equal in point Of ceremony
and attendance to that of the Kearsarge anG
Kentucky, when $4,000 people witnessed their
baptism In the James. Between 10000 and
$4,000 visitors are expected in Newport News
on this occasion, and at least 81, 900 will see
the big ship In her incomplete state glide
from the ways to the water. The Kentuckians
spared 20 expense to perfect the ceremonies
attendant on the launching of their nam sake,
but reports from Chicago and other Illinois
cities indicate even more extensive prepara-
tions, and it is promised that the ceremonies
on oct: 4 will surpass anything known to the
shipbuilding world.
1t was not decided until Sept to launch
the Illinois next month, and since that date
large force Of workmen has been busy pre-
pairing the huge mass Of steel for the coming
day. The ways are being treated with thick
coats OF tallow preparation and all unnec-
essary t1mbers are being removed.
History of the Illinois.
The keel for the Illinois was laid in the
summer of 1896. The tedious work of con.
struct1on has gone steadily forward until to-
day, when the ship is ready to be launched al
few hours notice if required The delay In
launching the battle-ship was due to a de.
cls1on to have the vessel as far completed as
possible and when it starts down the ways il
will be more advanced than any battle-shiI
yet launched for the navy. The Illinois now
rests on ways to the south of huge crane, q
short distance from the keels for the three
new Morgan line passenger steamships, which
have recently been laid. All vessels are con-
structed with their bows pointing inland, sc
that they will strike the water stern first
when released from their fastenings At the
bow of the ship is being built booth some
distance from the ground, on which Miss
Letter of Chicago, the sponsor selected
by Governor Tanner, and the christenine
party will stand. Around this booth will be
large platform for the invited guests OF
whom there will be several hundred, number
Ing among them the most distinguished men
and women of the Nation.
The shores and all other restraining agen-
cies will be removed from the sides of the
ship some little while prior to the time set
for the event, which will be about 10 o'clock.
Then there is only one big plank holding the
vessel on the ways and not until this has
been severed by two trusty employees will
the sponsor christen the Illinois by breaking
bottle of champagne across the bow as the
huge hulk moves down the ways to the river,
On the evening of Oct. a the Newport News
Ship-Building and Dry Dock company will
give banquet at the Chamberlin hotel at
Old Point Comfort. in honor of it's guests.
It Is expected that the list of notables at this
launching will include more persons than on
the occasion of any previous similar event.
An effort is being made to have President
Mckinley, who has not witnessed the launch
Ing of warship since his Inauguration,
present on Oct. 4, and if he signifies his will
1ngness the probability is that the entire
Cabinet will accompany him. The Illinois
delegation In Congress will come to man
end the army and navy will be largely repre-
sented From Chicago and other Illinois
cities will come the commercial bodies and
many private parties, and in addition to these
great crowd of spectators will b. here from
other cities.
Bnttle-ship of Formidable Class.
The Illinois class of battle-ships is be-
lleved to be an Improvement in design OK.
all ships In the navy of the United States
admitting, OF course, that the expected power
OF the Kearsarge and Kentucky is yet un-
tried, and the Illinois is even an improve
ment on the Alabama and Wisconsin in that
she differs In some material points from her
sister ships. These battle-ships will be the
last to carry the old thirteen-inch guns, as
the Newport News Ship Building and Dry
Dock company, as we'll as Cramps and the
Ire hoc .Ho nctr ofod% nat -
Is possible to build eIghteen-knot battle
ships and to arm them with modern twelve
inch rifles that a-e IA every way-as effective
as the thirteen Inch guns. The offer of this
ehip yard to construct a battle-ship of II, 500
tons displacement, with coal capacity Of 500
tons, steaming radii Of 1000 knots at
eighteen knots an hour, and more than 5000
knots at ten knots an hour, with battery
much heavier than any ever proposed for an
American warship, all at figure OF $35, 900
less than that for which Cramps offered to
build ship not nearly so formidable and no
speedier, has revOlutiOnized the art Of battle
ship building, exploded the idea of an ad-
visable reduction IN battery, as embodied in
the Illinois, and made the sixteen-knot bat
tle-ship with coal capacity of 1900 tons
thing Of the past.
There are larger battle-ships on the ocean
than the Illinois; there are even larger ar
mored cruisers in the British navy, such as
e
vet it is doubtful whether any prudent naval
commanders, even leaving out of calculation
the great factor represented by the superb
fighting qualities of the American sailor,
would care TO venture hostile meeting,with
one Of these steel bulldogs Of the sea, for the
latest American battle-ship embodies in it's
design and construction the highest Develop
ment in offensive and defensive naval war
fare.
Most Powerful of Warships.
Into it's broad hull is packed all the engine
power, the armor, and ordnance that the high
est scientific ability is able to concentrate in
floating structure, which is able. to seek a
base Of operations, supply Of fuel and am
munition, and an opportunity to heal wounds
received in battle. Larger ships, those Of
deeper draught, necessarily, cannot enter or
attack United States ports at effective fight
ing range, and this consideration was kept in
mind by the officials Of the bureau Of construc-
ton when Planning the Illinois as well as the