Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-05
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~ launched
<fsiIia Takes The Water
Newport News Amid
Thundersus Applause
or LATEST DESIGN.
Distinguished CHESTS Present ~
Ccrcnony. C~hrIstened BY
Daughter Of Governor
or State

NEWPORT NEWS. ", April 81
In the presence Of thousands of cheer
inE spectators, and 10 4 chorus Of
booming guns, s~crceching whistles and
changing bells. the ls.ooo.ton battle
ship Virginia gracefully sIided from
the ways Al the yard u the Newport
News s~hipbuIIding and Dry Dock com.
psuy today. The interesting ceremony
took place shortly before / o'clock.
and AZ the new warship swept down
the ways and took her maiden dip in
The ripping waves Of the historic
James river. the assembled multitude
wildly cheered the new addition to
Uncle Sans fleet, Owing 10 the
easy access to all residents Of the
state bonored hy the navy department
when the Virginia was named there
was the largest attendance ever seen
II . launching here. In the forenoon
there wAs i large parade al state mil
itia, sailors and various patriotic 30
ciet<s.
The ship WAS christened by Miss
Matilda Gay Montague. daughter OF
Governor Montague of Virginia, Miss
Montague. who Is only twelve years
old, was accompanied from Richmond
BY a large and distinguished party,
Including state officials. the govern
prs staff and numerous influential
business and professional men. Near.
~ all Of the Virginia representatives in
congress we're on hand and also large
parties a citizens from Portsmouth.
Norfolk. Petersburg and other points.
With the first movement Of the huge
hull Miss Montague lightly poised the
gayiy berIhhoncd champagne bottle In
her daIny hand, and al the vessel
swept down to meet the tide she dash
ed the glass receptacle against the nm
yielding wall oY steel, and as the wine
flowed down toward the ways IN foam.
Ing rvuiets the fair sponsor said: Fl
christen thee. Virginia
Pandemonius had broken loose in
the crowd below as well as npon the
christening stand. Greeted with a wei.
coming blast from the shrIll throats
Of a score or more OF steam whistles.
the battIeshlp floated majestlcally out
upon the bosom Of the James. whore
she was brought 10 In midstream. Dc
cupying q place OF honor upon the bow
stood W. r. Kline, the only survivor or
the five men who were aboard the old
Virginia tMerrimacl OF tho Confeder.
ate navy, whom launched at the Nor,
folk navy yard.
After the launching The crowd dis.
persed. viewing with interest the cruis.
or Charleston. launched some time
ago: the Minnesota. whose keel was
laid two months ago. the West yir.
GINA. which is rapidly nearing com.
pietion. and the Maryland. which is
expected 70 be ready for the govern
ment In another year. Another object
Of inspection WINS the Louisiana. which
was regarded with special interest be-
cause II is known that there IN a race
on between the local shiphuilding com
pany and the navy yard nj New York
The invited guests. including Govern.
or Monrague's party. and the naval
officials from Washington, we're driy.
10 the Hotel Warwick, where a
delightful collation. was served.
The battieship Virginia cmbofbes
the highest ingenuity and mature ex-
perience of American naval experts
The general dimensions OF the ship
Length on load water line, 1876
feet: breadth. testrcme) at load water
line. 70 feet. ~ inches. trial dlsplace-
about 10000 tons mean drausht
at trial displacement. about 20 feet .
greatest draught, full load. 20
feet
III The $1,000 81 more tons repre-
IN The Virginia. the many an.
qualities essential 10 a per.
feet fighting machine have been com.
promised and incorporated In the pro.
which experience seems TO
pointed out AS the most desirable
and efficient To begin with. the ship
viii have a speed Of nj least nineteen
knots, which compares most fayorably
with any battleships under construc,
ton abroad. as well as with any In the
projected stage.
The yirginia will be propelled at
his high speed by twin screws driy.
IN by two four-cylinder triple espan-
sion engines, running. under condi.