Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-09-29
LAUNCHING OF BATTLESHIP
CONNECTICUT AT BROOKLYN
Witnessed by the Largest Crowd Ever Attending
Launching in This Country...Miss Alice
WeeS SmaSfeS the Bottle.

Especial Telegram to Evening Teller.)
NEW YORK. Sept. 29.-In view Of
probably the largest crowd that ever
witnessed a launching in this country
the battleship Connecticut slid down
the ways and took her maiden plunge
in the deep at II o'clock this morning.
The landing took place AT the Brook
lyn navy yard, where the vessel is be-
ing built A half hour before the event
the gates of the yard We're thrown open
and the public swarmed in by the
thousands. 1t was the first launching
OF a modern battleship in this vicinity
and as consequence. the public was
exceedingly eager to witness the event
As the huge hulk slid from the ways
into the East river the christening
ceremony was performed by Miss Alice
Welles, granddaughter of Gideon
Welles. OF Connecticut. who was Sec
rotary of the navy under Presidents
Lincoln and Johnson. Miss Welles
broke on the bessers bow gold
necked bottle of champagne draped
WIFI TIE ldtloIdl CoioTs.
The launching was witnessed by
many invited guests who We're received
by Admiral Rodgers, commandment of
the navy yard. In addition to the Con-
iecticut party. which was headed by
Governor Chamberlain and his staff.
there were present large number of
naval officers from Boston. Philadel-
phia, Washington and other points.
Great precautions had been taken to
insure a successful launching. On the
ways was spread fifteen thousand
pounds OF launching grease. Ready TO
grab the vessel almost as soon as she
struck the water were powerful tugs
moorings. To prevent any accident
and to keep the course clear, the police
boats. revenue cutters and the yard
launches patrolled the water to keep
all other boats out of the way. AS the
vessel struck the water the craft on
the Manhattan side OF the river. to-
gether with the factories in the vicin-
ity, sent up deafening shiek from
their countless whistles. To this line
was added the booming of cannon and
the shouts of the thousands of specta-
tors.
After the launching the christening
party and other distinguished visitors
We're entertained at luncheon by Ad-
miral Rodgers and the other officers of
the navy yard.
The battleship launched today is a
l.. L.
launched a few weeks since at New
port News. In view of the fact that it
is the first ship of the modern navy to
be constructed by the navy department
and not by private contract the pro-
gress of it's construction has been
watched with keen interest in naval
circles.
The Connecticut is $50 feet long and
has a beam of 80 feet 10 inches. Her
normal mean draft with 800 tons of coal
in her bunkers will be "a feet inches.
Her normal displacement will be l6,-
900. Her complement will be ~ officers
and 76O men. She will be fitted with
twin screws and twelve Babcock-Wil
cox boilers. developing 16500 horse
power. Sne VIII nave speed OF
eighteen knots.
Her turret armor will be twelve-inch
Krupp steel and her barbette armor
ten-inch Krupp, while the side armor
will be eleven inches thick at the more
exposed portions Of the hull, tapering
down to nine inches at the bow and
stern.
In armament the Connecticut will be
more powerful than any American bat
tleships now afioat. She win have four
twelve-inch guns IN fore and after tur-