The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-25
OUR NEW BATTLESHIP5
Thousands Cheer the kearSarge
and Kentucky.
BAPTISM OF WINE AND WATER
Nn Unofficial Christening with Fine
Old Bourbon by kcntuckian>
Under All Circumstances-A Brill
liant Launching Banquet.

Newport News, March 21-The launch
ing of the battleships Kearsarge and
Kentucky at the shipyard here today
was a success in every particular
1t was lU:02 o'clock when the Kearsarge
was released. and amid the cheers which
went UP from the immense crowds and
blasts from every whistle in the harbor,
she entered the water.
As soon as she began to move from
the ways Mrs Herbert Winslow threw
the handsomely decorated bottle Of cham
payne against the bow of the vessel.
smashing it into many pieces, saying:
Il christen thee Kearsarge.'
At the same time her husband, Lieut..
Herbert Winslow. United States Navy,
hoisted the colors on the vessel She was
Immediately towed to one of the ship
yard docks and made fast
The attention of the crowd, which now
numbered at least 10000 was turned to
the other monster of the deep. which
rested on a set of ways only a few yards
from where the Kearsarge had been built
The Kentucky was to have gone off ex-
actly one hour after the kearsarge but
on account of some hitch in the minor
preparations il was 11:35 when she began
to move slowly down cne we'll creased
ways. The immense throng of humanity
had become impatient and were anxious
TO see how the great ship named for the
Blue Grass Sta.e would behave and then.
too, the announcement made yesterday
that many OF the large number of Ken
tuckians in the city were not satisfied
with the water christening ceremony be-
ing performed by Miss Christine Bradley.
and would christen the ship on their own
account with the Oldest and best bourbon
whisky that Kentucky could afford.
made them all the more anxious TO see
the vessel begin To move
The sound Of the many hammers ceased
and the only thing which disturbed the
silence was the hum Of the single saw
as il severed the last plank. The vessel
started as slowly as did her sister. the
Kearsarge. but gained in speed much
more rapidly. As soon as the Kentucky
began 10 slip down the ways Miss Brad
ley dashed the eut-glass bottle of water
against the side of the ship and ex-
claimed: 4 christen thee Kentucky"
When Miss Bradley threw the bottle
OF water against the Kentucky, there
was a mighty sound of the crashing
Of glass. 1t was caused by the breaking
I of fifteen or twenty bottles OF old bour-
! bon whisky and two bottles Of water
/ taken from spring on the old JEFF
/ Davis homestead. The dissatisfied Ken
tuckians who brought from their native
! State these bottles OF whisky, were sta
+ toned all along the ways from the bow
1 to the stern.
As the water and whisky mingled and
/ ran down the ships side she dashed into
( the water of the James River. Col Hall.
Of Louisville, hoisted the coIors on the
vessel.
The christening parties of the two yes
sells We're the same and were composed
Of the following ladies and gentlemen:
Gov. W. O. Bradley, Gov. J. II. Tyler
and their STATS, Cen. Nelson A Miles
Admiral Mathews, Commodores McNau
and Wallace, Commodore Hchborn,
! chief naval constructor; Senator'S Thorn
as 5. Martin, Of Virginia; and Rawlins
Of Utah; Representatives Jacob Yost. "
/ A. Jones. Peter J. Otey, J. a. Hopkins, OF
/ Illinois; D. A. Mercer, d. II. Small, and
1 F. s. Hopkins, of Kentucky; ex-senator
/ Black. President circuit, Of the Newport
News shipbuilding Company; Naval
/ Constructor Woodward and wife, Mrs
Cen. Pickett. Miss Belle Tyler Miss
]
and Mrs. Fitzhugh Lee.
Mrs. Winslow received handsome
model OF the Kearsarge, which was pre-
scented by the men employed on the ship
Joseph Mcdonald, rivet heater, attired
! in overalls, made the presentation. The
model was artisticaIly put together and
was the work of L. G. BHck, a Norfolk
florist
Mrs. Winslow also received as souve-
mir Of the occasion a highly polished piece
Of steel plate from the deck Of the battle
ship. to which was attached a silver plate
! appropriately inscribed.
! The Newport News Shpbuiding and
/ Dry Dock Company also presented Mrs.
I Winslow with a bouquet of American
| Beauties.
Miss Bradley was the recipient Of many
! floral gifts. The first basket contained
American Beauties. presented by the Ken
| lucky ". c. T. L. The basket from the
Virginia State ". c. T L. was presented
by Mrs. r, 5. Jones State president. a
/ bouquet Of white carnations and lilies OF
the valley was presented by Mrs. E. B.
Thatcher, Of New Jersey. superintendent
Of the soldiers and sailors department
A basket Of carnations from the Loyal
/ Temperance Legion, Of Norfolk, was pre-
| scented by Mrs. Joseph Charter.
The launching banquet, held at the
| Chamberlain. was brilliant affair. Gov.
| Bradley responded to the toast Ken
lucky and Gov. Tyler to the toast The
Old Dominion"
Uncle Sans Navy was represented by
the cruiser Brooklyn. monitor Puritan
and revenue cutters Window and Hamil-
ton. but these vessels took no official no.
tice OF the affair not even being deco
| rated.