New-York tribune., 1903-04-19
CRUISER LAUNCHED.
FIRST OF SIX BUILDING
Named West Virginia By Daughter
of That States GoUernor.

s.,~hter Of the State after which the warshtn
-rss called. cheered on to a glorious career In
she navy by thirty thousand patriotic Ameri
cans and welcomed by large and noisy feet
Of steam and sail vessels Of every size and
description. the new 15.000-ton armored cruiser
1Ves. Virginia was launched at 203 o'clock this
afternoon at the yard of the Newport News
ebipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. Another
launching record went TO the credit Of the New
-ort News shipbuilders. the new vessel being the
largest warship put overheard for the United
states Government, and the first of the six
East and formidable cruisers authorized by the
.71-fb Congress. to leave the ways The West
virginia viii be followed the latter part of this
month by the Colorado a sister building at
cramps shipyard. at Philadelphia and the
1ar1er viii be followed in short order by the
Maryland, another sister, which is building here
s,ongs.5e Of the West Virginia The other three
e--o-ed cruisers-the California, South Da-
l,o-a and Nebras aska-building at other shipyards
o-A not so far advanced.
The sponsor for the West Virginia was Miss
Katharine Vaughan White. eldest daughter of
cove~nor Albert B. White, chief executive of the
roal Mountain State She was attended by
.A-.a maids Of honor-AIiss Ashton Wilson
ssurbzer Of Ex-Governor Wilson. and the Misses
Grace and Ethel White. twin daughters Of Gov
e-ro- White. In the party also were Governor
ard Mrs White. their two sons and Miss Mabel
woodward. OF New-York. together with Gov
e-nor A J Montague Of Virginia. Mrs. Mon
tague. c 3. Orcutt. president of the Newport
News shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company;
Senator Scctt, Rear Admiral O'Neil. Rear Ad-
r1iraI TayICr. Captain Lemly, Edwin Cramp,
Decatur Axteu and James G. Lindsay.
Not since March "A, 1895, has Newport News
entertained such large concourse Of people
On that occasion the twin battleships Kearsarge
and Kentucky were launched at the shipyard
within an hour OF each other Two Governors,
many Senators and Congressman. as well as
state legislators. large party of naval oncers
and other government officials. and large num-
per OF men prominent in State affairs from
virginia West Virginia and elsewhere. were
among the spectators.
The regular steamers coming from New-YorK'
washington and Baltimore brought many
launching visitors this morning. Special e1cur-
sjons were run from Richmond, Norfolk. Ports
mouth and other cities in the State. all arriving
trains and steamers being crowded with eAcur-
s5onists Hampton. Phebus, OLD Point, Will
iarnstUrg and nearby counties poured several
thousand people into the city.
The launching Of the new arrnored cruiser did
not differ from other similar events at the snip
yard. like others being successfully accom-
vlished by z force Of skilled workmen, and pass
calculations Of the superintendent Of hull con-
sfruction N V D. Doughty. were accurately
made and the men under him worked as II they
were parts Of q huge clock set TO release the
monster hull above them at the scheduled time
Fer two hours before the hour announced for
+he event there was steady stream Of hu-
--anirv moving up washington-eve.. the prin-
-fra9 thoroughfare. toward the shipyard. and
bv the tine the naming party arrived al
the shipyard the space around the ways on
which the West Virginia rested was black with
uecple crowded together as closely as possible
On the opposite side Of the crane under which
+be cruiser was built rests the Maryland Near
r,~ rhe barr1eshfps Louisiana and Virginia, and
rhe protected cruiser Charleston. are also oul4o-
irE The battleship Missouri. which viii soon
20 on On her builders trial. and the German
rrotecred cruiser Gazelle, one OF the ships useo
Il enforce the Venezuelan blockade. are dockeo
end 70 end in drydock No 2, the largest basin
= the world. In drydock No 1 is the large
Fsven rnasted steel schooner Thomas w Law
s-r. beng painted
Al The bow of TIE West Virginia large plat
fo--r was built and Oh this the guests for the
cav assembled TO witness the launching. Close
II he towering steel prov. slightly elevated
above The platform Was the sponsors bootn
s-6 there the members Of the naming party
to-k tLe.r places Immediately on reaching the
s.snd from the shIpyard Offices. escorted by Mr.
C.r-,5-t and Tie general superintendent. Walter
4 Pest TIE platform was decorated with fags
srl bunting and flags and streamers hoated
above the vessel.
Below under the buiging sides Of the steel
hui 7ycrlzrae1 vve-e basly engaged removing
TIE shores and making ready the stout wedges
q vt.-e oak to Re driven home at The given sig
ri 70 sing the ship clear q the ground ways
o~ H. sliding ways or cradle built 10 carry
me reszzf . the water when released from the
heE il he'd occupied since its keel was laid On
September I6. 1901. ~ the word Of command
tn wedges we're driven home. anc soon after
tze sounds of tie hammers died away. the
priests ~ the platform heard the buzz OF the
immense which tore It's way through Inc
sc-er.ecss under the bow
Mss White stood vel forward IL the booth,
kclG.ag in her right hand the bottle OF chain-
payne inCased IN q silk net, ana decorated Win
ribbons spUrcpTi2L6ly INSCRIBED Al lL-e IL
increment q The ship Miss White quickly broke
TIE hottie on the steel wall before her saying
+I name thee West Virginia; may GOD pless
ycu."
-rae crowd below could not hear the words or
- e-o-sor but Il saw he ship start, and thar
VS. the signal for cheer upon cheer. Which CO..
tiaced until tire vessel gided out upon tl9e IiE+r
VII the buoyaCcy o. Z duck. Tugs plcAed tle-
T. s~5 fcrved her tC nearby pier W-2ere S-IF
Tn AVE her engines. machinery and boilers m
stalled and receive the finishing touches Inc
sin 7-as launched with several boilers n DiaC
v-r-- re West Virginia. after leaving the
wa-s WIS tied CD at Of the shipyard piers
the guests q the skipyaTd oAfcials inspected ne
numerous de-artr0enrs Of The large pant anu
ls-e~ roa-TeS The steamer Newport News, gong
n C-l= 1o-5-+ where The luncheon in honor OF
the cruisers sponsor wss given II the ol4liHS
heU r the Cham berlin Hotel. toasts being re-
sponded 10 by some of the distinguished men
present