The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-08-22
The Pennsylvania Slid
Down the Ways.
WAS CHRISTtNED BY MISS QUAY
She 10 a Formidable Fighting Machine
Something Like the
Brooklyn.

Philadelphia, Pa, Aug. 2z.-ln the
presence of one of the largest and
most distinguished crowds that ever
thronged Cramps shipyard on like
occasion, the United States armored
cruiser Pennsylvania was launched
today. Miss Quay, daughter OF Unit
ed States Senator Quay, broke a bot.
tie of American champagne on the
cruisers bow and said: Il christen
thee, Pennsylvania"
On the christening stand was q dis
tinguished party, the conspicuous f1g'
ures including Governor Pennypack'
er, Senator Quay and q number OF 9TH
er prominent representatives OF the
state from which the big cruiser takes
its name, Secretary of the Navy Moody
and a delegation of naval officers
from Washington, and many other In,
yited guests. 1t was fete day at
Kensington, as all such occasions are.
Grouped about the wharves and dot
ting the Delaware for miles around
were crafts of every description, from
local excursion boats to- foreign
Steamers.
The launching was accomplished
without a hitch. 1t, was a half-hour
past noon when the last shores were
knocked from the ways and the CO
lossal vessel began her brief journey
preparatory to taking her maiden
plunge into the deep.
As the marine monster glided grace
fully down the creased cradle, after
the proverbial bottle of wine had
crashed against her bow, the enthu
siasm found vent. The crowds in the
yard roared and screamed, the party
on the christening stand waved hats
and cheered, and the boats on the riv
er added, their WHISTLES to the gen
eral din. At the conclusion OF the
ceremonies luncheon was served in
the mold-loft and a number of felici
1ous speeches were made, among the
speakers being Governor Pennypack
er and Secretary Moody.
The Pennsylvania is regarded by
naval experts as marvel in the art
of marine architecture. She is class
ed as a first-class armored cruiser
She has been ikned to a battleship
possessing a protection of armor only
a little under the weight of that de
signed for the huge ships of the Geor
gia class, while she is superior to all
battleships in point of speed. The
Pennsylvania is to develop speed OF
twenty-five knots, which is a fraction
of knot more than the best perfor
nance of the fast-fying Brooklyn.
The new cruiser will hcve an unus
ally powerful battery, made up of a
great number of eight and six inch
guns. She was designed with the
idea of producing a ship of great
speed. equipped with battery of a
kind that did such execution a. Ma
nila and at Santiago; that is, of guns
of medium sized calibre.
The Pennsylvania will prove one OF
the most comfortable ships of the
navy for living purpose. the depart
ment's plans for her construction call
ing for a number of improvements re
garding the ventilating, heating and
cooling apparatus. Electricity has
been installed as a motive power in
place of steam in number
of the parts of the ship
especially in the sleeping quart
tes, which will have the effect of max
ing the vessel much cooler in the
summer than are most warships.
The Pennsylvania started on lis
career under the name OF the Nebras
ka, the appellation Pennsylvania hav
ing been first bestowed on battleshfT
now under construction at Seattle
Wash. The department was persuad
ed to swap the names Of the two yes
sells, the Washington people desiring
the name of some western state fol
the ship building at Seattle, while the
Pennsylvanians wanted their OWL
state honored by having the Cramps
vessels christened the Pennsylvania
N