Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-28

LUNCHEON SERVED by rRIcG co
After the Launching Ceremonies
Concluded the Invited Guests Re
ParfoOL of a COLLATION..

The torpedo-boat Stockton now floats
with her sister ship. the shubrick, on the
bosom Of the frozen dock.
| She was launched yesterday at 1 o'clock
! A large concourse of people lining the
! banks OF the dock witnessed the event
and as the sturdy little relocated war
rioI plunged into the water, and ma
iestically rose and fell on the waves ihat
she had made, thousands Of throats
united in one loud continued shout the
volume of which was greatly increased
| by the whistles sounded by the city tug
Thomas Cunningham, Sr., and the va
rious manufactures in the neighborhood
Miss Katherine Stockton. of Princeton
y. j.. the eldest unmarried female de-
scendant of Commodore Robert +. Stock
ton. for whom the boat is named,
/ christened her with quart bottle Of
| champagne. and after the vessel had en-
/ tered the water the launching party, to-
gether with a large number Of invited
guests repaired to the Offices of the Trigg
Company. where in the spacious drafting
room was spread an elegant luncheon.
AND THEN THE SNOW FELL.
The weather up TO the hour of the
launching was ideal: the atmosphere was
crisp and cool: gray clouds hung over
head and the ground was dry. The snow
did not begin to fan until about 10 min
! utcs after the boat had entered the water
and within half an hour thereafter the
red deck Of the little torpedo-boat was
covered with its first coat Of snow, the
little flakes falling gently upon IT,
The crowds which Witnessed the launch
ing was not near so large as that which
gathered on the occasion OF the Shu-
bricks initial dip, nearly two months
| ago. but it was sufficiently largo 10 oc-
cupy every inch Of space from which the
! boat could be seen The Trigg Company
! had caused 10 be- erected I'm their yards.
Immediately OF from the stern Of the
boat, "a commodious grandstand, on which
were seated about 5oo invited guests. The
launching party occupied small stand
erected just under tho boats Prov, and
I'm this stand. which was profusely and
pretuly decorated with fags. stood Miss
Katherine stockton 20 christen the boat
INTO THE ICY WATER.
The launching had been set for
o'clock and promptly at. that hour II
took place. The ways We're creased
the Stockton was decorated with PEN
uants from stem TO stern and as the
hands of the clock on the city Hall tower
pointed TO I the workmen knocked the
props from beneath the cradle, and the
boat glided gracefully into the water.
Very slowly she went AT fist. and then,
gaining momentum with every lnch, she
| elided swiftly into the water, crashing
The thin skim OF ice which had gather
cd on the dock TO find her resting place
ON the water
Superintendent Nelson. Of the yards,
vas ON board Of the Stockton with
picked force Of men, as she took the
| wafer Miss Stockton stood ready with
| her bottle Of champagne 10 chrlsten the
! Shin and when the signal was givtn she
raised her right arm and as IL descend
! ed The bottle smashed squareiy against
| th. vessels nose. and the sparkling nulu
splashed an over that portion Of the ship.
and uicNed down her side 4 slight
! hitch then occurred The boat dld NOT
| move ass soop as had been anticipated
! and FUN minute elapsed after the bot
| tle was smashed ere the stockton began
TO move.
I-NFI-RLED STARS AND STRIPES.
A pretty feature of the launching was
| the display of national colors ON poafd
~ tb. shin rs she entered the water. ON
| the small flagstaff projecting over he'
! storm WAS furled the stars and stripes,
and inst as the ship started down the
/ vavs one of the attaches of the yards
| lroke The flag. and it gracefully unturl-
| ed and spread ont TO the breeze. a brass
| h9na stationed upon the unfinished deck
| of The Thornton. Immediately i'm rear oi
| Oh. positlon formerly occupied by me
! stockton. played Dixie as the little snip
! noated off. but the cheers which arose
| from am sides were $50 deafening. that Tor
II time the band could not Doe heard.
sALUTED BY THE TUG.
Immediately after the Stockton had
settled herself I'm the water she was tied
up by The men ON board. and then the
I Thomas Cunningham. ST.. steamed
abreast OF her and gave her salute.
Miss Stockton was am interested specta-
tor of this ceremony. She stood for some
time I'm the launching stand holding
! The fragment 1f the broken bottle. and
! with her were her brother and sister.
| Alr and Mrs Bayard stockton. Governor
| l,Ier. Re8r-Admiral Hichborn, United
States navy. chief of the Bureau OF Com
struction: Captain $. G.. Lemly. United
| States navy. iudge-advocate-generm;
AIR. and Mrs W. X. Trigg. Mrs. +. r. ID.
! Myers. Jr Miss Lisa Bernie Miss Leila
! Myers. Miss Mamie 10y. Mrs. w.
| Srother smith Messrs T. T. ID. and
! Lnbum r. Myers. Mr.. Ed. Mayo. little
! Misses Roberta and Barbara Irigg. Lieu
tenant W. sirother smith. and Mr.. Tom
! Boiling.
THE LUNCHEON.