The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-11
LAUNCHING OF The MAINE.
The President Way Attend the Event
ut Philadelphia


PHILADELPHIA. May u-One feature
of the next Memorial Day celebration to
which thousands Of patriotic PhiIadel-
Dhians have been eagerly looking for
ward. viii not be on the programme at
all. That feature is the launching Of the
new b2ttIeship Maine
When it became known that the big
war vessel. which is to perpetuate the
name Of the ship blown II in Havana
HarbOT, would not be ready for launching
on the last anniversary Of that tragedy.
the public naturally turned to Memorial
Day With practical unanimity young
and old have seemed to have settled it
that no other day but national holiday
would d. for SC important an event
Thus i came about that everybody ex-
pected the new Maine to take on May 30
her initial plunge into the element which
! is TO be her home Even the several thou
sand employees Of Cramps shipyard,
| where the battlesniD is the most cOnspic-
uOus object. accepted that as the date.
| Yesterday, however, it was announced by
| the shipyard officials that the Maine
| would not be launched on Memorial Day
| Also that the big event would not take
| place before July
1.-THE battleship will not be ready for
| launching by May 30 said one Of the
! officials, and consequently the talk of
/ that date having been fixed upon was
| premature. The Maine will not lie launch
| ed until some time in July at the ear
! lest
! This official would not state whether or
! not the July date determined upon would
| be the national holiday. The selection Of
/ the Fourth would please everyone even
/ better than Memorial Day, but it is ex-
/
| the day. The launching necessitates sew
| eraI hundred men working all day long,
| and shipbuiIders are as Ioath to give up
| their holidays as any other class of men.
! When the launch Of the new Maine does
take place it viii be memorable affair
| even in the annals Of the Crarnp ship
yards. the scene of many important
| events In making the arrangements for
/ sending over the battIeship. as a
launching is technically termed, the pat
TiOtiC significance of the proceedings viii
be taken into full consideration
| 1t is expected that President Mckinley
| viii be present, as well as all the mem
bers of his Cabinet and a large number
Of naval officers from Admiral Dewey
! down. The presence Of the President of
the United States at a launching will be
/ an event in itself, and the presence Of the
Admiral Of the Navy only little less SO
. I
launching, where Il IS not unlikely that
he VIII be met by Governor Stone
The decision as to who viii christen the
! famous vessel has nOt yet been made and
probably none viii be until within two
| or three weeks of the day selected for the
launching. The most popular suggestion
/ IS that the honor be given to Miss SiSS-
bee. daughter OF Captain Sigsbec. who
| was in command and on board of the i'll
| fated predecessor OF the new battIeship
| when she was blown no.
OF course the Pine Tree State has a
dozen or more fair daughters eager Tor
/ the distinction Of breaking the bottle Of
/ wine over the bow of the new vessel. and
I each of these viii bring al the influence
she can t. bear in her favor The invita-
| ton TO ChriSten a war vessel always has
10 come originally from the builders and
therefore the Cramps VIII have q large
voice IN the matter IF they decide TO in
/ vote the Governor of Maine to make the
/ selection 1t is not unlikely that q daugh-
| ter of Maine Will get the honor II they
decide to leave the selection to the SecTe-
taTy OF the Navy OF some other naval Of
fetal the choice viii IN all probability fail
| 70 Miss Sigsbee-
| The new Maine IS now about fifty per
cent completed That Is. the work upon
| the battleship has progressed Just half
I way from the laying Of thu keel to the
hosting Of the EaJiG-af CJlOTS at the
/ mast head in token Of the shiD's formal
entry int thc United States Navy
While there IS no hurry" as one of the
shipyaTd officials expressed II yesterday,
no time IS being lost. md the rapid pro
gTess of the work is noticeable
The popular impression that the keel Of
the new battIeship Pennsylvania was to
be laid almost Immediately IS a mistaken
one Work viii not be started upon the
Pennsylvania until the Maine has left the
/ ways and is IN the Delaware, II being the
/ intention Of the builders to construct the
Pennsylvania upon the ways which now
hold the Maine The keel of the Penn
SyIvauia'S sister shin. the Colorado. VII
be started within few days