New-York tribune., 1903-04-12
LAUNCHING OF CRUISER.
Preparations to Put the Vest Tir-
ginia OUerboard.

Newport News, Va. April IL (specaD.-When the
new armored cruiser West Virginia is launched On
April Is it is expected that fully thirty thousand
people will see her plunge down the ways into the
James River In addition to the launching there
will be a military and naval parade and the clos
ing features of a carnival that will open on Apri
Is and continue through the week
West Virginia alone is expected to send from
5000 to 5000 people to the launching. The lesls-
lature of that State voted to attend in oody
The West Virginia colony in Washington Will SEND
large delega ton Miss Katherine v "hlIe
daughter OF Governor A. B. White VIII name
the ship. She will arrive here from Charleston on
the afternoon of April IT with the Governors stan
and partv Excursions will be run here from all
sections of West Virginia and Virginia and from
Baltimore, Washington and New-fork. large
party Of naval officers will arrive on speclaI
steamer from Washington early on the morning
of the 18th. Governor a J. Montague OF Virginia.
his staff and a large party Will arrive mere carry
in the morning
The military and naval parade in the afternoon
promises to be Of the largest ever seen IN liiis
State The 10Th and list Virginia regiments To-
gether with more military organizations halr
dozen companies of artillery from Fort Monroe.
detachment of marines and naval apprentices from
the navy yard. and a detachment or men from Inc
ships of the North Atlantic Squadron VIII DC III
line The city has requested the Navy Department
tn have the vessels of the batleshp division Of the
squadron which will be reviewed by Adrnirai
Dewey off ths Capes the latter part OF the tf'ohIi
anchor in the harbor by the 18th. and there is
son to believe that the request will De compheo
with as the ships coming here 70 COAL any
vav and to have them here that date Will De q
matter Of dispatching them only few days eariiei
The German cruiser Gazelle, which is oelils os
hauled at the shipyard, will send oetaci
seamen ashore for the parade follo"tis -.
launching. the shipyard will give dinner In holi0F
Of Miss White. ,,-,o,a
rbs wast Virginia is a sister OF the Marylano'
also building here, and of the Pennsy lVaiiia- a.,
-ornts Colorado and South Dakota puilulI4s o's
-b.-a The West Virginia will be the nrsI to 80
,-o-hoard These six ships, which Will haEo @
oa re at least twenty-five knots, VIII Dc me
rnoe+ formidable arTnored cruisers IN lne "oi
With almost the fighting power OF ~ DseI 80.
thew will have the speed Of the fastest Scout ip
and commerce destroyers- Naval ekperts pioo,o -
that they will be the nlosC seiS1
navy in event Of war. - Col
The dimensions Of the West Virginia are os -
,se Length on load water line, 502 feet; breadtn, &
sons mean draught trial @ 1oad S fe
"a feet inch extreme draught at rq IN iIr tgi screw
oT cvlinder triple expansion engines OF 2yy ms
dcaee horsepowe rhnhg m 1hgy Boilers in eight sep
srate water tight compartments. s.nS me r0S ions
o4nher alane4t will consist of four snch guns,
mounted in pairs in two eec[Pcsy sd o4 the middle
Inc one forward and one aft eaGh @ the upger al deck
Of train of at least EO garucture there will be
four 20 rhs s6c Fponsons 81 ThsTs ffn ne %1
p1ns 81 ,n broadsides FIVE each side TheTe WIZ ~
Be formidable Secondary battery -es fNeI1e g
eighteen 3-inch breech loaaIng III six automatic
T1rs Of small calibre mounted In the noSs @ CONS IONS
there win be two automatic l-Tounders, au Ia ETor
'-J,,1er Military tons single shot l-pounueT' ~
uPpeI tare viii be carried 500 rounds OF s-lncn
anrnion 1000 rounds Of 6-inch aInmuIlIilo, 90
ron-n5e ~ IA pounder 5000 rounds Of 5p0unueI 70
roIInds Of 1-pounder automatic ana Law roOIiN@ "a
1-DCInder heavy ammunition 20 . 11a+ar
line belt feet and inches in width A9reas bove o
sre7es and boilers II will be tncheS tlct
@ no terii-e belt to the main deck the tnlcEslsss
viii be inches The West Virginia VII oe6 9e EIoc
4ricv viii be extensively used for the pow ~ "a
the MANY a3Ixilaries All wood VIII De Ilrepioo10O