Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-22
CRUISER DENVER LAUNCHED
Miss Wright, Daughter of the Mayor
of Denver, Christens the
Vessel.

PHILADELPHIA, June 21.-In the pres
ence of a distinguished company Of naval
%on1cers, many leading citizens from Colo
RADIO, and a large number OF persons from
New York and other nsarby cities, the I'M
armored cruiser Denver was successfully
launched this afternoon at the Neahe &
Levy shipyard.
Miss Roberta NJ. Wright, daughter Of
Mayor Wright Of Denver, christened the
vessel.
Elaborate preparations had been made for
the launching Of Denver and the ship
yard was gaily decorated with flags and
bunting for the occasion, but the hea w rain
spoiled the decorations.
At / o'clock the delegation was driven
to the big ship, where they were received
by President Seddinger. Because of the
heavy rainstorm the launching was post
poned until nearly 3 O'clock. Miss Wright
was escorted to the platform by President.
seddinger. When all was IN readiness and
Just as the last blow which was TO release
the new cruiser was being struck, Miss
Wright stepped to the edge ~f tho stand
and broke the traditional hottle of cham
payne on the bow Of the new addition to
the United States navy. There was tre-
mendous footing OF whistles from the yes
sells lying at anchor close 10 the yard snd
deAfening cheers as Denver slid grace
fully into the Delaware river.
Denver is one OF the six-sheathed
and coppered protected cruisers provided
for in the naval Appropriation act Of 1900.
Its keel was laid June 2s. 1900. II is 2s2
feet In length by A. feet in extreme width
and has a displacement Of 800 tons. Den
yer has splendid batteries, consisting OF
ten 6-inch rapid-hring guns in the main
battery and eight ~6-pounder and two l.
FOUNDER rapid-hring guns, four Colt au-
tomato guns and one S-inch field gun In
the secondary battery.
The engines are OF the twin-screw, verti-
cal triple expansion type, with water tube
boilers, giving a combined horse power OF
about $500. The engines are to be located
in separate water-tight compartment on
opposite sides of a fore and aft amid
ship bulkhead.
The ten 5-inch guns Of the main battery
OF the Denver are arranged one forward
and one aft, on the midship line OF the
upper deck. and four on each side on the
deck below. The runs Of the secondary
battery are distributed about the vessel
so as to give a large arc Of IRE.
Denver Is provided with a water-tight
deck, extending from stem TO stern, the
sides sIoping and joining the vessels side
below the water line. Tho slopes of this
deck abreast the engine and boiler space
are protected by nickel steel plates two
inches thick by eight feet in width. The
vessel has commodious quarters TO give
comfort and accommodation to its au-
thoriEed complement OF twenty-seyen on
GERS and 26s men.
II is rigsed as a two mASted schooner. the
mAsts htted with gans and signal yards
and fore and aft sails. The coal bunkers
are we'll arranged. with ample facilities for
rapid coaling and have a capacity OF zoo
tons.
The vessels OF the Denver class are re-
quired by their contracts to make a speed
Of l6h knots an hour for four consecutive
hours before acceptance. To sum up, II
may be stated that the provision Of the act
Of congress for the Denver class to have
the highest speed compatible with good
cruising qualities. great radius OF action
and to carry the most powerful ordnance
suited to vessels OF their class" has beer
fully borne out in the case OF Denver and
the vessel will prove q valuable addition
| 10 the list Of our naval ships,