The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-30

J nag was run up on the huge crane over
the bow, and a few minutes later the
warning to get away" was given, and
to the accompaniment of creakine
timbers, booming guns, sirens and
whistles the big red hull slid into the
water at 11:16 o'clock. 1t took just
twenty-siX seconds for the Connecticut
to clear the ways.
GUESTS ARE ENTERTAINED.
After the launching several hundred
guests were entertained at the Officers
Club, at which Secretary Morton was
the guest of honor. A reception was
also held at the naval branch of the
\. NJ. c. A, where a thousand were
entertained. Miss Helen NJ. Gould re-
ceived. Secretary Morton and Cover
nor Chamberlain were cheered by the
crowd, and both made short informal
speeches.
The bow Of the new battleship was
tastefully draped with a large Ameri-
can flag. Naval Constructor Baxter.
in charge of the launching, was con-
nected by telephone with all parts of
the ship and on hearing that every
thing was ready he gave the signal
to the workmen, passed the word to
Miss Welles, who threw the bottle OF
wine against the bow as the great
steel hull was on its way to the wa
ter.
The ship started slowly at first, gain
ing momentum as it slipped into the
water. A chorus of whistles from the
vessels in the harbor drowned the
strains of the warship's bands as the
big steel hull rode safely on the water.
Owing to the rumors of the last few
days of an attempt to wreck the new
ship at the launching, there was in
tense feeling of suspense among the
spectators and the officials and en-
ployes at the navy yard lest something
would mar the impressiveness Of the
ceremony.
BUILT IN GOVERNMENT YARD.
The Connecticut is a sister ship of
the Louisiana, and both vessels were
authorized by an act of Congress in
1902. The Connecticut was built in a
government yard and under govern
ment supervision, while the Louisiana
was built by a private shipbuilding
hrm at Newport News, Va. The con-
struction of both ships has been fol-
lowed with keen interest, as it was rec
ognlZed that IL was a test Of the gov
ernment's ability to cope with private
enterprise. Much depended on this
competition of construction, for If the
Connecticut is completed before the
Louisiana, then most of the govern
ment shipbuilding will be done by the
Ac~NNN%B SAAA ~ 10 CAPCNlCQ Tic new DIX
Navy Yard will be the shipbuilding
center for government work
The Connecticut. when finished, will
be the finest and most powerful boat in
the American navy, and will rank with
the most powerful battleships of the
naYies of other nations. Notwithstand-
ing the fact that a new plant had to be
created for the construction of the
Connecticut, this vessel is but per
cent behind the Louisiana, although
laid down two months later.
The last vessel of any size construct
ed at the New York Navy Yard was
the ill fated battleship Maine.
The keel of the Connecticut was laid
down on March 10, 1908, the stem was
erected on July rs, the armor placed
aboard April "a and the first boiler
shipped on July z.
DIMENSIONS OF NEW BOAT.
The Connecticut is of steel, with a
trial displacement of 5000 tons and a
maximum displacement Of 1870 tons.
The vessel is $50 feet on the load water
lire, 1853 feet over all, 76.1 feet beam
and 24.6 feet draught.
The engines will be of the twin
screw, vertical, four cylinder triple
expansion type, with combined horse
power of 1880 and these will accumu-
late speed of Is knots.
The Connecticut will carry three fun