The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-29
CHAMPAGNE
NOT WATER
FOR MISSOURI
New Battleship Christened by
Miss CoCkrelI.
SECRETARY LONG SPEAKS
On Building Up of Our Navy
a Necessity.
SECRETARY LONG SPEAKS

Newport News. Va, Dec. 2s.-The bat
tleship Missouri was launched at the ship
sard today at Il o'clock Fully 1900 peo-
PIE. it is estimated. saw the big defender
20 overheard. The launching passed off
without hitch. and none prettier or
more successful was ever accomplished
here.
Miss Marion Cockreu, daughter of Sena-
tor Cockrell Of Missouri. was sponsor for
the ship. She performed the duty as
signed 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 chris
tenlng platform was larger than ever
seen here. Among them were:
Secretary of the Navy Long, Secretary
Of the Interior Hitchcock. Rear Adrni-
ral Melville. l. s. y, chief Of bureau Of
steam engineering; Rear Admiral ONeiu.
[. S n. chief of ordnance; Judge Advo-
cate Lemley. L. S. n; Lieut.. Gov. j. A.
Lee of Missouri. acting for Governor
Dockery; Governor Tyler Of Virginia:
Corwia II. Spencer, of St. Louis, repre-
senting the Louisiana Purchase Exposi-
tion company; Congressman Rixey, rep
resenting The house committee on naval
affairs; Senator Cockrell and a number of
army and navy officers.
Mrs. Roosevelt, wife Of President
Roosevelt, came up from Old Point Com
fort on the United States dispatch boat
Dolphin. with her guests, and viewed the
n 1fsrcr TT,(
When the big ship glided OFF the ways
into the water. the crowd on the guests
platform gave three cheers for Miss Cock
rell, three for the army and navy. and
three for Secretary Long; and then three
for the shipyard
After inspecting the various departments
Of the plant. the guests repaired TO the
shipyard wharf. where they boarded the
steamer Washington, going to Old Point.
At the Chamberlain hotel this afternoon
The customary post launching banquet
was given.
Five hundred guests sat down to the
banquet. President c. r. Orcutt OF the
Newport News Shipbuilding company
acted as toastmaster. Occupying seats
Of honor on either SIDE of Mr. Orcutt
were Secretaries Long and Hitchcock,
Senator Cockrell Governor Tyler of Vir-
ginia, Lieutenant Governor Lee of Mis-
souri,. Rear Admirals Melville. Cotton.
ONeiub Captain S. c. Lemley. and c. II.
Spencer, first vice president of the Lousi-
ana Purchase Exposition company.
A toast TO Nhe president was drank
standing. Tt was responded 20 by Sec
Tetary Hitchcock, who bore to the gath
ering the greetings of President Roose-
Welt. and his regrets at not being present.
Applause greeted Senator Francis N.
Cockren as he responded to the toast:
Missouri
The senator said Nissouris rank in the
Union entitled the state TO have a battle
ship named after her. She had taken a
prominent part in every controversy, civil
and foreign that has taken place since
her admission to the Union. The sena-
Tor aroused enthusiasm when he said that
the state had sent sixty thousand men
into the Union army. and nearly as many
into the confederate army. IN the late
war with Spain Missouri furnished her
fun quota, and would have furnished
many more, had they been accepted.
SECRETARY LONGS SPEECH
After Governor Tyler Of Virginia had
spoken Secretary Long responded to the
toast. THE Navy"
He said in part:
II have been interested in the circular
signed by many eminent citizens. my be
loved friend ]. z. Hale at the head. in
which they regret the estimate of 800 0oO.-
oio for the increase of the navy.
The size OF the navy. If there is to
be navy at an. Is question like the
tarif-of adjustment rather than Of prin-
ciple. OF course. it IS rather taking
thing 70 say as matter of theory. as
this circular SAYS. that Sioo000oo for the
navy means a tax of S6 on every family
iu the United States. And yet. on the
other hand. as a matter of practical fact.
s. that sum is spent. there is probably not