Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-25
WARSH|P FOR TURKEY
Launch of the Medjidia at
Cramps.
LARGE CROWD PRESENT
BIG CRUISER SLIPPED SAFELY
INTO THE SEA
Mrs. Cramp Broke the Traditional Bot
tie of Wine-Distinguished People
Who Were There.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, July 25-In the
presence OF a distinguished gathering of
diplomats, foreign and American naval Of
ficers, and prominent citizens of Philadel-
phia the Turkish cruiser Medjidia. the first
warship ever built here for the Ottoman
empire, was launched today at Cramps
shipyard. The sponsor for the new addI-
ton to the sultan's navy was Mrs. Edwin
s. Cramp, and the baptism was an evasion
Of the Korans teaching turned into a
graceful compliment OF the American peo-
pie. The Koran forbids a Turkish woman
from participating in christening at which
wine is used. The difficulty was overcome
by the selection of American woman,
Mrs. Cramp. to break the bottle off the
bow of the fighter.
When the Medjidia glided down the ways
at 1:45 o'clock grouped about the christen-
Ing platform were a dozen Turkish officials
They included Chekib Bey. Turkish minis
ter to the United States; his two sons All
Bey and Osman Bey.
Distinguished Persons Present.
Djelal Munif Bey, first secretary of the
Ottoman legation: Sidkey Bey. consul at
New York city; his secretary, Selim Bey
Hald Bey and Bahadin Bey besides Lieut.
Of the Turkish navy. inspectors of ma
chinery and hull construction, respectively
on duty at the shipyard for the sultan.
Other distinguished visitors were Com
mander Alexandra Boutakofr, naval attache
Congressman I. S. Butler, Senior Don Con-
zalo de (Quesada, minister from Cuba; Rear
Admiral Charles O'Neil Capt c. D. Sigs-
bee. commandant at League Island navy
r1 ont L l,;1
station; Capt. J. F. Hanscom, u S. N;
Major Charles H. Laucheimer, u s. Ma
rine Corps at Washington, d. c.: Capt
VIM. S. Moore, U. S. N. and Comma ander
VIM J. Baxter, U. S. N, both stationed at
Cramps shipyard: Congressman H. c.
Loudenslager of New Jersey. Judge and
Mrs. John b. Mcpherson and various city
officials.
Description Of the Warship.
In 1900 Ahmed Pasha chief engineer of
the Ottoman navy, came to this country
for the purpose of examining the American
system of naval construction. AS a result
of his investigation the Turkish govern
ment contracted with the Cramp Ship
building Company for the construction of
the warship Medjidia, which is of the pro-
tected cruiser type
The general dimensions and characteris-
tics Of the vessel are follows:
Length of load line. $50 feet: beam, ex-
treme, ~ feet; draft. mean, 16 feet; dis
placement, $500 tons; speed. % knots
The armament consists of two SiX-inch
rapid fire guns 45 caliberS long; eight Al
rapid-tire guns, 30 calibers; six three
pounder rapid-fire guns. fifty calbers; six
seven -pounder rapid-fire guns, fifty cali
bers; one three-inch field gun; two tor
pedo tubes for fourteen-inch Whitehead
torpedoes.
The battery is capable of firing projec-
guns. Using the standard rates of firing
for guns of the caliber given the total dis
charge of all guns in one minute would
be 5000 pounds. The maximum thickness
of the protected deck over the space occu-
pied by the engine and boilers is inches
Otherwise the vessel is unarmored, with
the exception of the coming tower and
tube leading to protected deck. Each of
the larger guns is provided with a shield
for the protection of it's crew.
The vessel is provided with strong ram
at the bow strengthened by the protective
deck, which forms an integral part of the
ram. The engines are two In number. of
the inverted, triple-eXpanson type. driving
twin screws. These engines will be capable
of developing upward of 12,000 indicated
horse power.
The boilers are of the improved Niclausse
type
There will be a complete hospital on the
Ship and special attention has been given
to ventilation.