Bisbee daily review., 1902-09-21
LAUNCHING OF
 DIES M1IN ES
LARGEST WAR VESSEL BUILT IN MASSACHUSETTS SINCE THE
 DAYS OF AMERICAN NAVY
The Cruiser pes Moines is Similar to
 the Cleveland, Tacoma, Chatta-
 noosa and Denver-Gov. Cum mins and Staff in Attendance

Hoo9d ana Oenver-Sov. Cum
 mins and Staff in Attendance
 Boston, Mass. Sept. 2e.-There was launched from the ways at the big plant of the Fore River Ship and En- zine company at Quincy today the largest war vessel built in Massachu- setts since the early days of the Amer ican navy-the steel cruiser Des Moines, a sister ship to the Denver. The launching was in many respects the most notable that has ever taken place in this vicinity; it was more over, one of the most beautiful and imposing. There was something curi- ously inspiring in the scene-the mass Of molded metal rushing headlong down the greased ways, the iuttering of thousands of handkerchiefs and the cheers from thousands of throats, the music, and the ceremony.
 The available space about the ways was packed with enthusiastic human ity. Work was suspended in the yard, and thousands of brawny workmen mingled with the great crowd On the Christening stand was a distin- guished party from Iowa, including Governor A. B. Cummins and his staff, other state state officials and repre- sentative citizens of Des Moines The national capital was represented by high officials of the navy department
 It was shortly after 12 o'clock when Miss Clara N. Carleton, of Haverhill. severed the cord and the big ship started on its journey down the ways. It was an instant after the ship began to move that Miss Elsie McComber of Des Moines flung the christening bot tie against the vessels shapely prow In less time than it takes to tell it the ship was riding gracefully on the bosom of the river As she was swung around and anchored in full view of the assembled crowds a mighty cheer went up from thousands of throats and simultaneously there was a deafening roar from the whis- ties of tugs and other craft in the vii cinity.
 The cruiser Des Moines is similar in design to the Cleveland, the Ia coma, the Chattanooga and the Den yer. Her total length on the water line is 292 feet; length over all, 3Os feet inches; nodded beam, 43 feet 3s inches; extreme breadth, A feet; freeboard forward. 20 feet; free board
 
 feet g inches; displacement, fully equipped for sea all stores on board and a normal supply of coal, 3,200 tons; full load displacement, $500 tons.
 The Des Moines has triple expan- sion engines which will furnish 4,700 horse power, and which will enable her to show better than the required Df coal capacity with the bunkers full is 700 tons, which will give steaming radius of 10000 miles, or allow her to cross the Atlantic three times with our recoaling. At full speed her coal ing radius will be 2,600 miles.
 The main battery of the Des Moines will consist of ten fve-inch fifty-cal- lore breech loading. rapid fire guns. The secondary battery will. comprise eight six pounder, rapid fire guns, two one-pounder rapid fire guns, and four automatic Colts machine guns. Corn pith with an estimated capacity of G. 720 cubic feet will be used as an ob- turating material for the water line protection, so that if the hull should be pierced by shot the swelling of corn pith placed between the outer and inner plates will prevent the in- gross of the water.
 The building of the Des Moines was authorized by an act of congress March 3, 1899, nd on August 2s, 1900, the keel was laid in the Fore River yard, the newest ship yard in the country, where also the largest seven masted schooner in the world was re- gently launched.