Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-01-29
Secretary Long Asked to
Ignor an Old Custom.
APPEAL OF THE w. C. 7. u.
Request That Water s'ro.p DANES E:iyer be
USED to Cs:risten the Batties.,;ps i>nn-
~ tucisy;,nd iI.arsnrSe VIII tho
Vessels Are t:!unci> Il.

James and thcy will use every honoya-
bic m ans TO have the tiine-honored
Custom ignored when these TWO vessels
are launched
Already steps have been taken to have
Ia w@rships christene4' with pur. waite,
taEsn from the historic james, Virgin
"a $ greatest water way. In this move
the local UNION is not only supported by
the State organization, but by the tenn
Pcrance unions throughout the Unit 4
states. Whether it VIII avail anything
hemains to he seen. Al any rate, the
ladies are inde,atigG BILE in tn II effarts
\ petttion has been inIitei to Hon.
John ID. Long, secretary OF the navy.
ITaying him to abolis:I the custom.
Tn. petition, which is signed by Mrs.
). q i'u%ton, the PRESIDENT. and Mrs. L.
fP. Duncan, secretary. is as follows:
'fffnn. JOIN d. Long,
SecrStagy of the Unitsd States Navy
Dear S.r:-i<E0wing that very soon
you VIII launch two magnificent battle
ships from die shipyarl! at this pc t. We
the m nlhers 1t the WOuans Christian
IeinI@rance Union. ID that the sam
may be cht!stenei. with lEre ter srom
the beautiful James River. instead of
vine. as is tn old custom.
N new ia of te:nps.un.t. reforrra-
Sion has dawned upon the world The
SEvlnc OF centuries. Indispensable on oc-
5'asiHns like this. lbs al last Civ. pace
SO water-pu:e sparkling water from
5aiatuTe's count Gus well. Even un-
christ!antzed J2Iun has froune.i upon
tnis ancient Custun-t!Ii; OF The spillinc
OF W,ne-and adopted such a beautiful.
idea and c r@moay. White doves. the
emnlems Of pueity. are r lie. sed and
scar hoavenward. bearing glad tidngs
that n W defender of tn right had en-
tere; the ranks.
We ask this in behalf Of our amen,
they who go $sAwn in ships. tina; it may
be u great object lesson to them. whom
We axe doing all in our power to elsvat,
ana save. the nation IS En.lcu',t Oily
feeling the influence eXeritI upon pub
ilc Sentims Mt of today by TIE efforts of
the nGhle WON OF cur country, and il,
granting this single request may the
gnidi of the OCEAN who says TO the lash
iEg waves Thus far shall thou come
and no farther protect and save your
mighty ships 10 carry many glad M s.
saGes OF w2ild's rl5s5n2er 20 the ut
tern1fst parts CT the eortt2.
rlre REhss 81 @hf5h tn White ter ri'bon
acd pure N.iter are symbols
This is no, the first attempt ma . wv
The w. =. I. Z. TO have the shirS
launched here @hristencd with water.
veal Yeas agg. When the Morgan
Line steamer FL Cid wis about "a take
be-! ti!S haih the union p5titirrr i MI. c.
i CIRCUIT. pr sident If the Newport
N-tN's ESh.phu.lIing s3n,p Dry DOCK Com
r3ny. t.. have the'cAr r>ry performed
Win water from the James. ar1 It is
sstd Nj. CIRCUIT vas in favor of lhc'S g
8 Sti;,n, but that the owaerS of tee
~. ~, ,,,.t[,n, *, iS'''''S from
an ,,n.h.r -, ~~>c,, ~
boat Wilmington, was launched tire
ladies appealed 10 the then $ cretars nf
the navy. Mr.. HILLARY ~ Herbert.
-, -. -. ~ u>@i. IN rep EinS
tb.,t i1e' ''';tt S,iIu
arIaur, H. a,,.,,,,' ',ia ,,t"ii l'r"S 'r'Su
I,urrh rs 49, V ~ d
G. de IA ths r4n,,ess ''e mo- '+
p,. -, 1,.,5 ,,,
efr,rt, - - 49, g" III ! te!'
a., ~ 49, mo- YET Ian
,n'n, ,1.ti;st3 -. ',a -..S tnS oio Gus
t,I - .,g.nat. "S ~ iatnS pc
-; S,,o.-s< - MI e pe
.i> -, - - q it NI'''. ~
= ;e,i., n, S,.i ~
" '''S sS''''oA' - aiA!"'sIs s'fN"''-
~ - '.'e,hS 49, ., t.e t%'' IN
90; % u, Us 49, 40 ~.
s,ta,,sn, e.. ,.., w. ~ tt,t r,rna
h,,I ,"' nc ~ :''T So. GrasS St'ls
IEn,i, III. -, .1rol,set1 tn ira ,r
49,, w ~ m thar Stnte ava ~
is;, ~, Protest against n. usa nf
r ,nts /"
~ 4 pan Sc custom referred to in
~ ea iiion was the CEREMONY attend
;tns,li.te launch Of the Japlnes cruiser
.,.Slgi at Philadelphia recently. In
ste.:l Of TIE usual dash of wine. as nas
been the habit 81 all former occasions
a traditional custom, OF the Mika io.s
realm was carried out am! two snow
white '3nvss. until then imr, isonad in
basket suspend q above the deck of
the cruiser. hutter.d out and away,
sprs 'inm showers of flowers as an
omen of god luck. when thu vessel
started into the blu waters