New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-30
BA1TLESHlP LAUNCHED.
Continued from a-st page.

she felt thrill OF life. she moves" the cry
ran from mouth to mouth Slowly at first. but
with gradually increasing rush Of power. the
mighty hulk moved down her smoking cradle.
and long drawn murmur Of relief escaped the
crowd In less than twenty-four seconds she
was in the water. and a new battleship had
been added 10 Uncle Sans he4t.
In twinkIing every hat was of and waving
wildly. Then the bass roar of fifty thousand
human threats. the ear splitting faIsetto of two
hundred shrilling calliopes and the dull thun-
der of cannon took up the tale
Those on the stand alone knew that Miss
Welles had failed to name the vessel or crash
the champagne bottle across her bow.
The bottle swung from decorated lanyard
Attached to slender boom. Just how it hap
pened that Miss wenes failed at the critical
moment to do her part was not made clear. The
sponsor stood with the bottle in her hand for
several minutes before the great hulk started.
When the shoepieces had been sawn through
and there was a slight pause Miss welles turned
half round 70 speak to Admiral Rodgers At
that moment the huge hulk quivered and then
started With a slight scream Miss wenes
turned sharply round ard released the bottle II
swung clear OF the receding vessel. barely graz
Ing its red side.
Rear Admiral Rodgers realized the mishap in
en instant. and CALAMITY made clutch at the
inches Secretary Morton clutchins his coat and
preventing him from falling on.
Quarterman Byrnes stepped into the breach
and saved the day. With the unbroken bottle
dangling at cdtwater. the Connecticut shot
down. Fifty or seventy five feet down the ways.
however. 4 sun Drowned workman leaned out
over the bow, and. grasping the bottle lanyard,
hauled 1t in hand over hand He took the
lanyard shor, and swung the bottle down. Still
1t resisted. the swathing breaking the force OF
the blow. The stern now only a few feet
from the water and the bottle remained intact.
Swiftly The I'm blue overaIls shortened his
line, and. with a swing neither short nor I'M
certain. brought the bottle against the vessels
side II shiveIed into fragments. and the froth-
iug champagne streaned down over the steel
plates the vessel cleared the ways and shot
out into the channel
Few amid The cheering thousands who saw
tee ad;1irals and captains IN their brave uni
forms - braided god noticed the little knot OF
paua uea stan ling over quietly in a corner OF
the yard, These. none the Jess were the naval
constructors who had moulded the monster into
form. and who scarce dared 70 breathe.-untu
they ~aN her safely take the water.
The actual work Of launching was begun hours
lefore the frs, spectator arrived At dawn the
blue CARRIED agures OF the guards moved nys-
terlousIy 20 and fro. Mr.. Robinson vas even
The npaoing 20 and fro. watching his ship
Jockey watches his horse.
Witnessing the launching OF ship from the
outside and actually feeling the thrill OF I!fe'
within the craft two different things. As
s.staat Naval Constructor Richard II. Robinson
had command % the Connecticut from the be-
ginning 10 the end Of the launching and he and
his assistants were the few OF the many thou
sands present who actually realized what the
launching vas Hike one Of the men who were
aboard throughout the ceremony said.
The utter helalessaess Of the few score human
Beings aboard should serious hitch occur one
x tn- urst impressions you receive. II Is impos-
think OF Tie difference between mans -, SOUNDS
Az Ti ~ st"'' pounds "esnt o. ne ship itself
a. yn the NAYS You first ber "A few 1eS Ems % sbaS
not whether this Is an accident the natural
absolute help!essress is dominant and YOU in
next Then as The ship gathers beadRayv 'V YnS
can't help clutchiug al some brace for you know
checked With short turn II is much like shoot
~ me rapids al ,oney Island only In our II
After me ship is fairly in the water, OF course
are stationed in All he watertight comparfments
and IT. was With grea, relief that We received re- |
tie s. iecatey the great 6atjieshp S po HSy
away ne last stays aEd Blocks the "f blows o. ing
hammers could be felt ali over the ship.
After the launching Secretary Morton with
his party attended an Informal luncheon at the /
officers pavilion. Rear Admirals Rodgers and /
Barker making b-ief speeches Afterward Sec
Rotary Morton. with Colonel John J. McCook /
and Miss Helen Miller Gould. paid brief visit
10 the Naval J NJ {. \. The reception com
mit'ee included James D. Stokes Mrs E A.
McAlpin DR. l. G. Warner. Richard c Morse
and Miss Gould
Secretary Morton received a rousing cheer as
he entered the building as also did Miss Gould
and Mr. Stokes. The Secretary OF the Navy
If
Rear Admiral Rodgers IS to live in Washing
ton after his retirement, but will continue as an
adviser Of the Navy Department,
The Connecticut Is sister ship OF the I.ouisi-
ana. and both vessels authorized hy an
act OF Congress In 1902 The Connecticut ives
huilt In n government yard and under govern
ment supervision. while the Louisiana was built
by private shipbuilding firm at Newport News
Va The construction OF both shtps has hear
followed with keen interest as il was recognized
that IL was test OF the governments ability
10 cope with private enterprise Much depended
on this competition OF construction for II
the Connecticut is completed before the LOuis-
ana, then most OF the government shiphulldlnE
VIII be done at its yards. and il is expected the
New-York Nav Yard will be the shipbulding
centre for government work
The Connecticut. when finished. will be the
finest and moot powerful boat IN the American
navy and '.ill rank with the most powerful
battleshiFs Of the navies OF other nations Not
"ithstanding the fact that n new plant had 20 bs
erected for The construction OF the Connecticut /
mis- vessel Is orIv = per cent behind the Iouisf-
ana. although laid down two months la5er :
The Connecticut IS OF steel. with trial dis
placement OF I'tEO tons aud a maximum dis
placement OF lI13O tons The vessel is 45O Feet
on the load water line 1864 feet over all rs 10
feet beam and 2t.G feet draught The engines
viii be Of the twin screw vertical four cylin- [
der triple expansion type. with a combined /
lorseuoyyer OF i6 500 and those viii acc,,-,Ia,
speed OF eighteen knots The Connecticut will | .
carry three tunnels, two military masts two I {
main and four secondary turrets and a main ,
leck central battery. .
The armor has total weigh, Of 1892 tons
on each side amidships there is a steel belt c