The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-08
CRUISER CHRISTENED
HAS ITS NAME BE-
SLOWED UPON HER.
MANY SPEECHES WERE MADE
UPON THE OCCASION OF THE YES
SELLS LAUNCHING.

New Vessel of the Navy Rides the
Waves at ElizabethpOrt, n. j.
built by the United states ship
building COmpapy-3,O0O People
Watched the Launchimg-MayOr OF
ChattnnOOga's Daughter Christcn-
ed the Ship-statesmen Made the
Speeches.
New York, March I'm the presence
of 5000 spectators, including officials
of the state of Tennessee, the city of
Chattanooga, the city of New York
and many naval officers, the United
States cruiser Chattanooga was launch
ed to-day at the shipyards of the
United States Shipbuilding Company
at Elizabethport, n. ].
With flying colors the warship slid
gracefully down the ways and took the
water amid a tumult of cheers and
deafening whistle blasts from yachts
and other vessels crowded with Spec
tators. The Chattanooga was christen-
ed by the young daughter of the Mayor
of Chattanooga, Lillian Chambliss, who
broke bottle of champagne against
the prov with the words, II christen
thee, good ship, in honor of Chatta-
nooga." The maids of honor were
Miss Frances Bond and Miss Rieta
FaXon.
President Lewis Nixon of the United
States Shipbuilding Company and Mrs.
Nixon acted as the hosts of the day.
Several hundred guests. including the
city officials and the many Tennes-
scans living in this city, were taken
down to the shipyards from New York
in a special steamer, and, after the
launching. were entertained at lunch
con at the shipyard offices.
Spoke in the Saloon.
The navy was represented among the
guests by group of officers and heads
of departments from the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. During the return trip
on the special steamer, speeches were
made in the saloon by Gov. Frazer of
Tennessee, Mayor Chamblss of Chat
tanooga, Senators Bate and Carmack
of Tennessee, Lewis Nixon and Ly-
man ]. Gage, former Secretary of the
Treasury.
Gov. Frazer extolled the city Of
Chattanooga and the state of Tennes-
see and reviewed the history of both,
including memorable events of war In
which Tennesseeans had taken part.
Brave Tennesseeans, he said, led by
John Sewer, won great battle of the
Revolution, fought the best soldiers
of Europe with Jackson behind cotton
bales at New Orleans, and planted the
flag victorious upon the nights of Cha
pultepec in the Mexican war. In the
Civil War the state had furnished u.s.
900 Confederate and 10000 Union sol
diers.
1.-THE North sent Dewey to Manila"
he said, land the South sent Schley to
Santiago. When you saw Teddy Roose-
welt climbing San Juan HILL Gen. Joe
Wheeler was there. up a tree recon-
noitering."
Great applause greeted the Cover
nors declaration that the United States
should have the greatest navy in the
world.
Mayor Chambliss said he was proud
of his city when he saw the great ship
on the ways.
Ex-Seeretary Gage complimented the
South for its eloquence, craftsmanship
and military skill. Both the North and
South, he said, must be one in the am
bition to uphold the flag on land and
sea.
Senator Carmack made brief re-
marks, predicting that the new cruiser
would add to the fame of the city of
Chattanooga, carrying her name into
all parts of the world.
Senator Bate was introduced by Mr..
Nixon as a statesman who had fought
on the floor of the Senate for q, greater
navy.
How She Is Built and Armed.
The Chattanooga is sheathed cruis-
rf<I. 49, tc 90 arfo mir
Her length over all is 308 feet, inches
and 292 on the load water line. The
extreme breadth is A feet, draught 10
feet, 8 inches and displacement $500
tons. There are four steel decks, and
a deep Golfer dam is built completely
around the ship in the region of the wa
ter line.
The armament of the Chattanooga
consists of ten 5-inch quick-firing guns
in the main battery, one each being To-
Gated at the ends of the vessel on the
main deck, and four on each broadside
of the gun deck. The secondary bat
terry consists of eight 6-pounder rapid
fire guns, two 1-pounders, with four
machine guns and one field gun for
landing purposes.
There are two powerful searchlights
on the flying bridge, and the vessel is
to have wireless telegraphy equip
ment.
Among the visitors present from
Tennessee were Representative John
Moon, Mrs. Henry Bond, Miss Mary
Bond, Mr.. and Mrs. 7. J. Lupton and
Miss Temple of Knoxville; Charles A.
.Lyerly, president of the Chattanooga
Council; 7. J. Gillespie, city treasurer
of Chattanooga; Aldermen c. B. Rus
sell, c. r. Lieb and v. DeGeorgis of
that city, Capt. Chamberlain, c. w.
Olsen, Col d. NJ Steward, A. S.
Dickey, George Lancaster ]. N Mo
Cutcheon, Maj. John Knight United
States engineers, who have charge of
the Tennessee river improvements:
Gen. Boynton of the Chickamauga
Park Commission, and Col. c. A.
Baldwin. in command of the troops
near Chattanooga.
The British, German and Russian
consul generals were present, as were
also the Mexican officers who are here
experimenting the completion of two
cruisers for the Mexican navy.
MRS. KEITH CELEBRATES