The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-24
REJSSIA'S new HTEAARI!SSHIP
Launching of the Retvizan at the
Quaker City.
The Largest Fighting Vessel Ever
Constructed I'm This Country-Dis-
tsnsuished Oa;cers RepresentinG
the Car Watch Her I.eaye the
N-ays-Reccption at Cramps Yard.

stTucted by the cramps lot Inc Hus9i''i
Government is the largest w5rship ever
built in this country and is said to be the
mightiest fighting machine in the world
There are battIeships in the British Navy
that have a greater displacement than the
Retvizan. but it is asserted by naval eX-
perts that the additional weight is caused
by thicker aTmoT that is really no more
effective than is the thin Krupp armor OF
the new Russian battleship. The English
giants are protected by armor in thickness
varying from twelve to fifteen inches,
while the Retvizan is shielded by Krupp
armcr nine inches thick. As far as often
siye power goes, it is asserted that the
Retvizan compares favorably with the Eng
lish engines of war.
The launching was one of the most sue
cessfuI in the history OF Cramps shipyard.
Within half hour after the workmen be-
gan at the ways the battleship slid grace
fully into the Delaware At o'clock the
work of releasing the Retvizan was begun,
and at 80 O'Clock the great ship was seen
to move There she goes" involuntarily
shouted the thousand spectators in unison,
AID a movement, hardly perceptibie at
frt. gradually increased until :he great
vessel dived into the water She sped half
way across the river. chased by whistling
tugs. which quickly towed her back TO the
shipyard.
In addition to the general pull lie, who
filled every point of vantage in the yard,
there were more than 1000 invited guests,
who viewed the launching. In addition to
Philadelphia society people, there were
present all the Russian naval officers in
this country experimenting marine con
struction and many men prominent IN
American naval circles.
The ceremonies attendant upon the
launching CT a Russian vessel are not 50
spectacular as are the American func-
Iions. A beautiful young woman does not
hold a bottle and sprinkle wine on the
ship as she gives it its name Instead the
priests, gowned in their solemn raiTuent,
baptize the vessel in the Impressive man
Her in vogue in Russia
The officiating clergymen were: Rev.
Alexander 4. Hobovisky. of the Russian
Orthodox Church CT New York; the Rev
Elias ]. Zotokof, of New York, and
Rev Demetrius j. Gobey, of this city
49, Assisted by eight of the crew OF the
RetYiZan, they chanted the High Mass OF
the Greek Church. As the vessel began
to move Baron Leo Nabokoff, representing
the Car in this country, touched it with
a sword The priests sprin6led holy wa
ter en- the vessel and the ceremony was
- over.
Immediately after the launch OF tne
RetviZan the guests were invited 10 lAe
mold loft CT the shipyaTd, which M
been converted into banquet hall. Tae
Stars and Stripes and the White and
Black of Russia were everywhere. Inc
stand from which the spectators viewed
the launching was connected with N
banquet room by gally d corattd
bridge. Charles H. Cramp, the president
OF the firm, in answer 10 the many con-
gratulations, said:
The event we nave Just seen Is ore
Of far more than ordinary Importance.
In many respects it marks an epoch IN
American shipbuiiding- The EetF N Is
the, largest and most powerful battleshl2
ever launched in the United states In
character of design, in quality Of arInor,
in speed, in endurance, and in the en-
ditions under which her superlative p T
Torrance must be attained she is the
NEST advanced type of battleshfp ever
launced anywhere.
she is the NEST important ship ever
built in this country for foreign account
She is the first modern battl-slio e yer
launched for the Russian Nary in a ftr-
eign shipyaTd. In this, if in no other re-
spect, she forms the most perfect symbol
history thus far affords of the amity BE-
tween Russia and the United SIa-es.
which has been unbroken since the
United States began.
Il may further say that she is the first
great modern battleship that Russia has
ever awarded 10 be built by foreign ship
yard. for though my distinguished friends
at La Seye France, are building one
somewhat similar to her the contract for
construction of the RetviZan was signed
considerable time in advance of that for
the Czarewitch, and Russia has butt no
battleships outside Of her Own domains ex-
cept these two.
'.some may say. perhaps, that I had bet
ter await the trial of the RetviZan before
assuming such an air OF confidence. 70
such / would simply reply: There is the
Variag What has been done can be done
again
other short addresses were made by Ed
yard Nicholas Stchensnovitch, who is 10
captain the Retvizan; Captain Browning,
OF the Alabama: Capt ]. H. Sands. United
States Navy; Judge McCammon, of Wash
ington; Baron Ferzen, Admiral Casey,
United States Navy. and Baron Nab0koff,
The Retyizan is 376 feet long between
perpendicu9ars her breadth is 70 feet 2 Is
inches: displacement, L. zee tons; draft not
10 exceed 26 feet, and her speed al full
displacement for u hours is Is knots.
Her battery Will include four 12-inch
breech-l loading rifles. u 6-inch rapid-fre
guns. 20 3-inch rapid-fre guns, two, 1-2-
inch rapid-fire guns, 37-milimetre rapid
fire guns, 20 47-millimetre rapid-ffre guns,
and torpedo tubes.
The aTmor extends for two-thlFds the
vessels length, the main belt being nine
inches in thickness. Above the belt the
side is plated with armor six inches thick.
The gun classmates are five inches thick
Back of the arnor is worked a protective
deck having a thickness of four inches on
the slopes and two inches on the horizontal
portions. To keep out raking shot armor-
ed bulkheads are worked at the ends Of
main and casemate belts. All this armor is
manufactured by the Krupp process
The vessel will be the first battleship
built in this country having a complete in
stallation of water-tube boilers and ma
chinery particularly adapted to the water
tube boiler. Very elaborate arrangements
have been made for insuring a continuous
supply of ammunition TO the rapid-hre
guns. The turrets will be operated by
electricity; in fact, many of the auxiliary
machines usually operated by steam will
on this vessel be driven by electric motors
In the features of drainage, ventilation
comfort for the officers ana crew the ship
will be more than abreast of current prae-
lice in naval equipment.
The Russian dignitaries present included
all of the more notable representatives OF
the Car in this country and the ladies OF
their families.
Among the Americans present were
Rear Admiral Silas NJ. Casey. u S. N:
Miss Casey. Mrs. Casey, Capt w. H
BFownson. Z. S. N; Mrs Brownsen, the
Misses Brownson and officers q S s. Ala
bama; Capt Charles E. Clark. U. S N
Capt c. Andrade, U. S. N; Capt James
H. Sands, u S N; Commander r. NJ Bar