The Washington times., 1901-08-06
ADDITIONS TO THE NAVY.
Three Vessels to Be Launched at
SparrOws Point Next Week.
The Maryland steel Company Issues
1000 Invitations to the Cere-
monies A Trio of Torpedo Boat
Destroyers to Take the Water.

1000 Invitations to the Cere-
monies A Trio of Torpedo Boat
Destroyers to Take the Water.
BALTIMORE, Aug 5.-The Maryland
Steel Company today issued invitations
for the launching from its marine depart
ment at Sparrows Point of the three
United States torpedo boat destroyers
Truxtun. Whipple and Worden, which
noteworthy event is to take place on
Thursday of next week. August 10, at Z
O'Clock in the afternoon.
These boats have been under construc-
tion since the spring of 1890, and their
launching was scheduled for early in May
last. 1t was subsequently, postponed TO
June q, and then, owing to delay in the
delivery of certain material. as the time
set approached was again postponed.
this time indefinitely No date was as
signed for the launching, so far as was
known TO the public, until the formal IN
vitations went out today.
The launch upon the same day and at
the same hour of these worthy additions
to the new navy which had its birth un-
der the Administration of Secretary VIII
liam c. Whitney in the first Cleveland
Cabinet will present nautical picture
never before seen in this country III is
expected that the gathering of naval offl-
ciaIs and others from Washington ana
distinguished men and women from New
York. Philadelphia, and Baitimore, who
will be interested in witnessing the launch
will make the day a memorable one in
the history of Baltimore's shi pbuiiding
industry.
President Wood, on behalf of himself
and the board of directors o the Mary
land Steel Company. has issued 1909 in
vitations and in speaking o. the matter
today said that he expected large ma
jority of them would be accepted, and the
gathering would be one hitherto unsur-
passed in the history of the company
Special cars will be attached TO the trains
leaving Jersey City at s a m, Philadel-
phia at 1920 a m. Washington, d. G, at
il a. m, and Baltimore at 12:35 T. m, for
the accommodation of those invited, ana
guests will be furnished with cards en-
titling them to admission to these trains.
which will convey them directly to Spar
rows Point arriving there at 1:50 p. m.
Invitations have been extended to and
accepted by the two ladies. one of whom
will serve as sponsor for the christening
of the Truxtun and the other of the Wor-
den, but the lady who is to serve in a like
capacity on board OF the Whipple has
not vet been selected. Miss Isabelle TruN-
tun granddaughter of the commodore for
whom one of the boats is to be named,
will break the traditional bottle of cham
pasne across the bow of the TruXtun, and
Mrs Emily Il. Worden, relative by mar
riage of Admiral Worden. Will do the
same on board of the Worden.
These torpedo-boat destroyers. while not
the first to be built in thu United States
since the usefulness for destructive pur-
poses of this style of craft was discovered
by students of naval construction. Will be
the largest and also the swiftest vessels
of their class in the Unit ID States Navy.
They viii be able to steam thirty knots
an hour. Each is 2iS fee long and regis
ters i3S tons. Each will nave two sets of
quadruple expansion engines and viii
show four tunnels. The two coming tow
ers on the decks will be armored with
three-quarter-inch nickel steel. The en-
gines are protected only by the coal
bunkers, which extend 100 feet amidships
on either side, and have a capacity for
$50 tons of coal-sufficient TO provide
speed of fourteen miles an hour for 4,o0)
miles. The outer hulls are Of one-half-
inch steel plates. and the vessels are each
built with twelve separate water-tight
vided for crew of eighty officers and
men. and the officers quarters, contrary
to the usual custom, are forward, and
those of the crew aft.
The engines will be Of the four-cylinder
type, S.s00-horse power The so-called tur-
tle-back protection from seas runs from
the stern, intersecting the coming towers.
and extending in the form of bulwark
twenty feet abaft the towers.
The armament of each destroyer will
consist OF four 14-pounder 3-inch rapid
fire guns and three 6-pounders- The two
lS-inch torpedo tubes are located in The
stern, one forward and one aft of The
after coming tower. The after one VIII
be used to discharge the torpedo when the
vessel is swinging away from the object
of attack, and the forward one will be for
a broa lside fire.