The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-12-28
DESCENDS The WAYS
The Battleship Missouri Is Duly
Launched.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE NAVY
These Are Set Forth in a Banquet
Speech by Secretary
Long.

Newport News, Va, Dec. 28.-The bat
tlsship Missouri was launched at the ship
yards here to-day at HIP o'clock. Fully
10, 200 people saw the big defender go over
board. Miss Marion CockreI, daughter Of
Senator F. M. Cockrell of Missouri, was
sponsor for the ship and performed the
duty assigned her with the traditional
bottle of champagne, using a bottle Of
Missouri product for the purpose. The
number OF distinguished guests gathered
around the sponsor on the christening
platform was larger than ever before seen
here. Among those who witnessed the
launching were Secretary of the Navy
Long and Mrs. Roosevelt
When the big ship had glided off the
ways into the water, the crowd on the
guests platform gave three cheers for
Miss CockrelI, three for the army and
navy, three for Secretary Long and three
for the shipyard. The guests boarded the
steamer Washington going to Old Point
At the Chamberlain hotel this afternoon
the customary post-Iaunching banquet
was given. Among the speakers was Sec
retary Long, who said:
Need of a CreditabIe Navy.
Somehow it just now happens that with
larger revenues than we ever have had before
in time Of peace, and therefore, with more
direct and Indirect taxation, there is more
prosperity and more money in the pocket of
the citizen than ever before. Students may
speculate over the economic causes, but this
is the ''demnition total" Undoubtedly Uncle
Sam ought to reduce taxation wherever he
can. On the other hand 1t is shrewd and wise
in him to run things so as to keep business
good, and if as result his income is large
he confers much more benefit by spending it
than he would by hiding it. Whenever the
interests of the country require he should
reduce his receipts but as they are now exces-
sive, the great question seems to be how he
shall get the proceeds back among the people.
Another year he may not have so much
money to spend. But If this year, having
surplus. he spends $1O0 900 for the navy,
let us remember that while it is spent under
that name it Is really spent in the employ
ment of the peoples labor and in the pur-
chase Of the material they have to sell and
the people get rather more out of it than the
navy does, for they get 1t all back again.
1t is not true that great navy necessarily
infames the fighting spirit and leads to war.
1t is more than likely that if in the beginning
of 1898 we had even as large a navy as we
have now, certainly as large one as now
proposed, there would have been no war with
Spain, and the country would have come to
terms without battle AT that time, however,
it was the general impression among for
eign powers and probably in Spain that her
navy would blow us out Of the water.
Our world relations have expanded vastly
in the last three years in territorial extent
and vastly more in internal extent. 1t has not
been an extenson on the continent but on the
ocean itself and the islands Of the sea in
both hemispheres. Our commerce has greatly
increased in volume and area and our Ameri
can marine is likely to follow suit; as on
sand, SO on ocean, as you extend your COM
merce so you must expand your police force.
If there is to be a navy at all 1t should he
commensurate with all these extended rela-
tons and demands.
The Missouri is sister ship of the Ohio and
the Maine Her contract price was 81, ,S85, ,0O0
Her keel was laid Feb. Z, 1900. The Missouri's
contract speed is eighteen knots an hour, so
that she will rank next to the battleships of
tho Georgia class in regard to speed. Her
complement will be forty officers and 511 men.
The main battery Of the ship consists of four
twelve-inch rifles placed in two balanced tur-
rets, and sixteen six-inch guns. The turrets
are turned by electricity and can revolve