Evening star., 1898-10-03
BIG NEW BAT TILE SHIP
The Illinois to Be Launched Tomor-
row at Newport News. IL
CHRISTENING BY MISS NANCY LETTER
Large Party of Distinguished Wis
itors as Witnesses.
DESCRIPTION OWE S S Ell

Special From n staff c, correspondent.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va, October 3.-The
launching tomorrow here of the great first
class battle ship Illinois is expected to be
one of the greatest events of the kind IN
the history of shipbuiIding in the United
States. Every preparation has been made
for the launching The timbers have been
removed from the sides of the vessel, the
ways creased with tallow and the huge
mass of iron and steel IS ready to glide
into the waters of the historic James river
The christening platform. already erected.
will accommodate about 80 people. and
both it and the ship have been elaboratsly
decorated.
The launch will be made a brilliant So
cial event. 1t will be followed by ball
at the Hotel Chamberlin, Old Point Miss
Nancy Letter. who is to christen the ILL
nois will, of course, be the belle of the
occasion. The banquet will take place
during tEe afternoon, and the ball will fol-
low IN the evening. At the former there
will be flood of Oratory. for number of
toasts have been arranged. and the recent
achievements of the American navy in the
war with Spain will furnish subject matter
for stirring addresses
Large Crowd Expected.
1t is expected that from all parts of the
land there will come thousands of people to
see the Illinois make her baptismaI plunge
into the river. Excursion trains will begin
to arrive this evening from Chicago and
other cities and towns in Illinois. Among
the distinguished guests who are expected
from Washington are the Secretary of the
Navy John D. Long, General FitZhEgh
Lee. General Miles and others.
Governor Tanner of Illinois. Mayor Garter
Harrison Of Chicago and apparently almost
all OF the leading business men of that
.#..-I
and her maids of honor. who will be in the
party, are expected to reach Old Point this
evening where rooms have been engaged
for them at the Hotel Chamberlin. Gov
erI.or Tyler OF Virginia and his staff have
also accepted invitations to witness the
launching. and viii go from Richmond via
the Chesapeake and Ohio road over which
three special trains left Cincinnati last
evening for the scene of the launching
Altogether there will. it is expected be
present at the launching not less than
1J,Jn to 10000 visitors
FROM Information received here it is Iya-
AtNed that the representation of the navy
army ana society on this occasion will he
large. and the Hberality with which the
eIizehs OF chicago and the state of llli-
holS. after which the big battle ship is
named, have prepared their program for
the day makes ii very evident that they
propose to outdo all other states that ar.
today represented in the navy of The United
States 'e'
The Program.
The program is follows: Launching NJ
hlsh tGe about II am; banquet, . pm.
at Hotel Chamberlin. Old Point Comfort.
hop at pm. at the Chamberiin.
Immediately after the arrival Of Secre-
tary LoEg and The various chiefs of br1
Ieaus IN the f'avy Department TIE parry
VIII inspect the naval work i'll c.a1Se a.,
construction ia the shiDyard. The mem
tD Ders % tht naval party viii make their
nome during their stay aboard the uIspatei,
poat Dolphin, which has been luxur:ousIy
fitted up.
Notwithstanding the accurate descrip-
tioIa vi IaunChlngs which have been pun
!lsAed IiUm time 10 time, there are d great
many people who entertain the iGea tnat a
DdttIe ship IS launched just as she would
enter hight with turrets upper works
anu guns IN position, while still resting on
the ways
The Illinois will be launched without her
mlntary masts IN position. the masts have
Ceen completed, and are now lying in the
yard near the ship The Illinois of today
Is nothing more than uanu4oth hull Of
thin iron and steel gracefully SHAPED and
painted III bright red. 1t l. not launched
III Its complete state for the reason that it
is impossible To attach the armor LIate ard
build the upper works while the ship is
nigh and dry on land. Even If this were
possible, the vessel would not make a safe
journey TO the water, ~ il wJuII be ton
heavy. The ship has been coastructed thus
nent was. and the last plank 10 he sawed
releases the cradle. which starts down to
the river under the heavy weight of the
hull.
After the ship is towed to one Of the
piers the guests of the shipbuilding COM
Pany will lie escorted through the nam
moth plant, and later will board the steam
er Newport News and enjCy A sail To Old
Point Comfort, ten miles distant by water
At o'clock the banquet will opca and the
guests vii! hear the address2c. Secretary
Long will respond 10 the principal toast.
our navy" Gov. Tanner is t-xuected ia
Tyler to Virginia There will b- other
toaSts by officers Of the navy and army and
men OF high standing in civil life The
launching mop iE the evening viii aa the
event of the season at Old Point
The Ship Described
A description of the Illinois as given TO
The Star correspondent by an officer of the
shipbuiiding company is as follows:
The Illinois Is the newest American war
ship and is trine less than 373 feet over
all and a shade over - feet beam. It's
width is somewhat greater in proportion TO
length than that Of the other battle ships
but II is calculated that this will give stead
tness in heavy sea and will enable the
gunners more accurately to determine
ranges. When fully loaded with all its
guns. l.2.D tons of coal and a full supply
OF ammunition and other stores the ship
Will uTdH Il IlItle less tIldn n iett OF water
With One-haf IL fuel and other supplies il
will only draw about % feet
The Illinois is 10 be a double-turret
battle ship. Unlike the Oregon and Iowa
however, il will have no smaller turrcts
above those containing the 13-inch guns
The rest of the main battery will be placed
on the main. spar and forward decks and
will be protected by armor plates. The tur-
ret guns will be protected by plates if
the name can be applied to masses of steel
II inches in thickness.
The turrets will revolve on delica teiy-ad-
jus,ed wheels. the power being furnished by
hydraulic or electric motors. The sides will
be protected by belt of HarYeyized steel
which will be 9a inches thick at the bot
tom. increasing to 13$4 inches at the water
line and 161z inches at the top. The arrnor
will be at such an angle that a projectiie
will be DETECTED downward on striking.
The barbette armor will range from 10 to
10 inches in thickness. This is about two
inches thinner than that of the Massachu-
setts or Oregon, for example, but owing TO
difference IN construction II Is believed it
will be as effective in resisting the impact
OF shot
The deck ordnance will be placed behind
shields OF steel ranging from 512 to TO u
inches. They will be mounted in such a
position that twelve can be trained on a
target the same time NF