Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-20
TO LAUNCH A VESSEL
A TorPeio-Boat VIII Take the
Water in October,
SHUBRICE TO Be FIRST 0NEI
me others 10 Be Launched In Quick
Succession.
10 HOLD IMPOSING CEREMONIES
A Hottie of Champagne and a Pretty
Girl 10 lie One of the Features
Programme Not Yet Made Up-ih-
tercsting Information.
10 HOLD IMPOSING CEREMONIES,
p-Building
teresting Information.

Company Is hard az "oih oh 'He 'Vif0N'
boats which it is constructing for the
United states Government, and II Is
expected that the Shubrick will be
launched in the dock between the LIST
and 10Th Of october.
The launching Of this. boat will be at
tended with appropriate ceremonies OF a
most interesting character In the first
place. interest will attach TO the event
because Of the fact that il will be the
first boat ever launched in Richmond
and. secondly. because there is always
more or less interest in the launching of
war vessels.
Mr.. William r. Trigg is now out OF the
city and no arrangements for the launch
Ing will be made until he returns,
but early I'm next month he will Sc
lect the young lady who is 10 break the
bottle Of champagne over the ships
prov and will complete the programme
10 be followed on that auspicious occa-
sion.
OTHERS TO FOLLOW.
After the Shubrick takes TO the water
other launchings will follow in rapid sue
cession. and before the 1st of November
the company hopes TO have all three
Of the torpedo-boats-th Shubrick. the
Stockton, and the Thornton-on the
water. The work on these boats is pro-
crossing much more rapidly than had
been anticipated. and it was stated by the
government experts at the yards yes
terday that IS per cent. Of the work on
them had been done All that is now
needed is the steel Skating and this
the Bethlehem steel Company. which is
making this portion Of the machinery.
promises 10 have here in ample time for
the launching
The William r. Trigg Company has also
under construction two torpedo-boat de-
suoyers. vessels Of larger displacement
than the torpedo-boats. but the work on
these is not being pushed the time limit
on them being much greater. The work
on these two boats has only progressed
TO the extent of 10 per cent, but after
the torpedo-boats are gotten Off the ways
the work on the others will go forward
very rapidly.
LAUNCHING WILL BE EASY.
The question has frequently been asked
by the uninitiated: "HOw can war yes
sells be launched in place so narrow as
the dock?' 70 the Trigg Company this is
a problem easy TO be solved. The boats
are being constructed with a view TO
launching them Sideways. They will glide
into The water on three pairs OF ways, or
to be more explicit. on six tracks. and
will 90 perfectly free after the planks are
sawed away until they strike the water.
Moving sideways, as they will do. their
momentum Will be materially decreased
after they enter the water and it is esti-
mated by experts that they will not go
more than one-third across the dock ere
they come TO stand. The boats will be
launched with their propellors on. and
after they take the water the work Of
equipping them will only consume a few
months.
The Trigg Company have but twelve
months i'm which TO do their work upon
the t0rpodo-boats, and as their contract
bears date OF November 1G. 1898 they are
under obligations 10 deliver the boats at
the Norfolk naVy-yard ready Tor their
trial trip by that date in 1899 No con-
tractor ever furnished a war vessel at
the time specified. the government usual
ly granting an extension of time. The
boats being constructed in this city Will
".
but a well-known expert in ship-building
connected with the Navy Department
was here few days ago. He had been
ON tour Of inspection Of all the yards
- now al work on torpedo-boats for tho
United States, and he said that the Tricg
Company had made more progress than
any of their competitors
PENALTY EXACTIONs.
Uncle Sam is very exacting on this
point and unless Secretary Long grants
an extension OF time. which is highly
probable very severe penalty is re-
Quircd. On the torpedo-boats the Trigg
Company will be liable for a penalty OF
$50 for each day after the contract time
that the boats are not completed This
applies 20 the first month In the second
month the per diem penalty is increased
% $50. ana after the second month the
penalty is fixed at 500 per day. on the
t0rpe1o-boot destroyers the penalty per
day for the first months delay is $50; for
the second month, 500, and for the third
$50
The torpedo-boats are required 10 make
q speed Of 70 knots per hour. If they fall
Deiow speed Of % knots they will be re-
J,l''u. and a penalty OF 81 200 is exacted
LOT each knot below %. On the Destroy
t.' penalty iCT .eSS IMAM % khotS
speed is 500 per KNOT The larger boats
are 10 Doc delivered on May 16 1899
me toIpedo-boats, as they stand on
'he ways 10 the shlp-yard. are already
assuming formidable proportions. They
are puiit almost exclusively of steel, and
are merely a steel she'll Of l65 tons dis
placement They are long and narrow,
and have the appearance of being able TO
skim through the water with the swift
ness OF big FISH.
MANY MEN AT WORK.
The ship-yards present a very bpsy
scene now. Altogether there are 40 skin
td mechanics employed there I'm the
uachine-shop, the boiler-shop. the brass
foundry. the coppersmith-shop the nat
tern-shop and the ship-shed In the drsf-
named places the machinery and inte,ior
AQuipment OF the boats are being CON
structed. and out under the ship-sheds
he boats are bong erected and things
,ut IN "shp-shape."
A visit 90 the ship-yards Is very In
leresting. though by order OF the Navy
Department no one Is permitted on
BOARD the boats. except he be accom-
panied by one Of the representatives Of
The government who are stationed here.
II Is not generally known that Uncle |