The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-24
LAUNCHING
VIRGINIA.
III y " --------.--.-... -. 81
Splendid Programme to- Accom-
pany# Christening Of Splci,-
did Battleship.
THE PRES DENT MAY COME
Grand Military Parade to Occur
After Ship Goes Overheard.
Description Of Vessel.
THE PRESIDENT MAY COME G;
tsp, ola t. rho TItmes.Dlspatch.)

grand old Commonwealth OF Virginia
Will occur on April 9Th next at the yards
OF the Newport News Shipbuilding and
Dry Dock Company. when the United
States tirst.class battleshlp Virginia Will
be launched upon the broad bosom Of q, the 10
James River.
Not since the days OF the staunch iron
clad Of the Confedcracy has a warrior OF
the deep borne the name Of the mother
Of States and Presidents 1t will be q
proud day. indeed, for tho sons and
daughters OF the Old Dominion when that
massive hulk Of iron and steel. the chris
tening wine dripping from her bow
plunges from herr cradle on the ways into
the element over which she Is to rule
like a new crowned queen. 8,
PREPARING FOR 10000. 553s4
The boosted patriotism Of virginians Is
about to be put to q test, and SO certain
are the people OF Newport News as to
the outcome OF, that test they are prerair'-
Ing 10 entertain 10000 visitors on Wiz
ginla Day Nowhere In hosptable VIZ
l$ginia does the word "entertaln" mean
3rnofe | han In Newport News, and when
lEher citizens set about to entertain TINS
erea t mass OF people they do more than
| to provide them with 70 onlES to with
1.-THE launching. They make every pos siole
provision for theft comfort and enter
1tainment while here, and exert every
effort to send them home glad th Np5Ni
came. and with pleasant remembrance IHr q !. o.
ina .t;olden Gate City Of the a tlantc,'
| The officials Of the shpbuildlng COM
many have set o'clock as the thou OF
launching n. High tide on Tuesday PHI
5th. comes at about tina t hour, an q ~ IS
| always n n cessary to float the SHIPS At
that time The seven thousand men ' en- 2,
Iployed at the yard will lay down &C w lheiI
| tools on M onday night, and VIII not p ,l1.
Iithem up gain until Wednesda Inornllis'
SThis dies not include, of course the nun "
i dra1s ~ n n Siyho% are needed ito assist
in the actual launching OF the ship. ne
8day has been designated a $ q State .ho ~
1 IA y 'l,v Tic Y 6 eneral Assembly. and the
entire city will be gayly decorated a IN !,
gala attire when the morning OF April
9Th dawns.
& President Roosevelt has been invited
to attend the launching. ana % =, ne mas
i sent ba ok the response that he Wlll&come
lif public duties viii allow n. : - 1,o ~
/ so. IA large number Of mem bers o. Cor,
gress. state s legislators, MAYORS =. a NJ
1 members Eof the councils OF cities
i nnf, towns throughout the Sta to- WILL %
4 here among the thousands Virginia is
"a furnish. Washlngto Ba O. I'm 9 !,
|3North Carolina ard West virginia MI D, ~
4 also be strongly represented.
The CITY. &c Newport News has APP
propriated the sum Of 500 TO enter
tain state troops who Will come. mere
i to participate In theS grand pa rade ], 70
4 be held just after the 5laurchlng. Inc ne
j Confederate Veterans OF Virginia, gthe
Sons and the Daughters, have ~ been
cordially invited to come, and all VINO
attended the session Of the gran ~ G camp
i here last fall Will make an clloIt - -
/ come back again. as ~
Governor Montague and ms parry
| including his thirteen-year-old daugh-
1 ter, Miss Matilda Gay. the sponsor,
viii arrive about IL O'clock, and VIII
be met by officials of the ship yard ana
| a committee of business men. Ihey
/ will be escorted Immediately to the
4 launching platform at the bow of the
i ship rs -g& .t,,s.7 4, B. 6s3
The gates Of the ship yard Will be
| thrown open two hours before the
| time set, and those of the crowd who
/ are not so anxious about securing choice
i vantage places for witnessing the launcf-
ing may go through the great plant,
4 where they will find much to interest
them. On other ways can DC seen the
i battleships Louisiana and Minnesota, yet
LIN tho early stuges of construction, ard
i tied IN at the wharVes In the vicinity
1 visitors may View Z the armored cruisers
West Virginia ard Maryland, and the
i nrotected cruiser. Charleston, all of which
i have been launched.
AFTER THE IIAUN CHI Gf.
After the launching the crowd VIII
slowly 5wend Its way back through the
/ Yards ana out Sorce more In the gay
1 streets Of tho city. The parade WILL
/ move down washington Avenue, the prin-
cipa street OF the city, which is said to
be the most beautiful business $ street IN
the State. The parade over. there VIII
be many ways OF entertainment FOR the
visitors There will be q play at tho
| thea tire, n a baseball game at tho Casino
Park In the afternoon. the theatre ngalr,
/ aud wrestling match at night.
One OF tho erandest features of tho
ltday will be the magnificent parade,
\ which will move through the principal
i streets Of the city directly after the
Launching. More than ten thousand
men will be m line, and bands and mlll-
| tary companies from all over the state
/ Hill participate. . ,ta
Tho Invited guests OF the shipbuld-
Ing company will be escorted to a wait
| ing steamer, Immediately after tho biz
ship gltdes into the water and viii
be carried to Old Point, Where a col.
lation will be served at tho Chamber
| lin Hotel.
! rho battleship Virginia now stands
about sixty per cent. completed on the
ways at the yard. She Is q sister ship
| to tile Georgia. building at the Bath Iron
Works. the Nebraska building at Moran
Brothers. yard; and this Rhode Island
ana New Jcrsey, building ut FIN !me
River ship-yard, .ai35
1t was through the efforts Of the Co
lonal Danes. who will attend the
launching ina body, that President Me-
Hinley had the ship named Virginia, and
they are .sndeavoring to raise funds to
nresent her With n silver service when
completed. Tho Finance Committee Of
The Legislature has promised a favorable
p,port at tho next session OH Senator
/ Hollis bill to appropriate $4,000 for u
| silver service The Virginia will be ready
| 10 go into commission In about eighteen
months,
DESCRIPTION or VIRGINIA.
Hul-Length OF load water line. 4s5.s;
beam. extreme, 76,2 IL; draft on normal
displacement Of l40s7 tons. 239; designed
| indicated horse power, 10000; speed, -
knots; complement of officers, 40; COM
element of seamen, marines, etcn 772.
! ENGINE and Boilers--Theya Will be two