The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-09-30
MISS WELLRS FAILED
 TO BREAK THE BOTTLE
WORKMAN OHRISFENS COYNEC<
 TIoUT IN NICK OF TIME.

Not Enough Muscle in YOung woman,s
 Arm-Launching of the BattIe.hip
 Successful Aside from This-rhirty
 Thousand Persons Witness the Event
 ship Took Just Twenty-six secondu
 to Clear the Ways.
 New York, Sept. 2s.-Although suc- cessfully launched to-day, the battle. ship Connecticut did not have her bot tie of wine broken by Miss Alice B. Welles. who had been selected as spon- sor for the ship. Miss weiles threw the bottle at the bows as the ship be- gan to move off the ways, but it failed to break when it struck the vessels side. Secretary of the Navy Morton and Rear Admiral Rodgers stood be- side Miss Welles. Rear Admiral Rod gers stood beside Miss Welles. Rear Admiral Rodgers attempted to grasp the bottle as it rebounded, but failed. and the ship was moving off into the water when workman on the deck seized the string that held the bottle and dashed the glass receptacle of the champagne against the side of the ship. shattering 1t to pieces, to the relief of + the superstitious. This was the only variation of the pre-arranged plan, de- spite the many sensational stories of attempts to do the vessel damage. | The navy yard was crowded, 1t being estimated that almost thirty thousand persons witnessed the launching. Every point of vantage was occupied. The Cob Dock had been reserved for enlist ed men. Stands for invited guests had been erected about the big red hull, and out side of this was fence behind which the majority of visitors were kept.
 The launching had been set for Il o'clock, and by the time the guests be- gan to arrive everything was in readi-i mess While the wedges were raising the ship preparatory to her slide Into the water, bands placed in stands on leither side played patriotic and popu- liar airs.
 Soon after il the cautionary flag was run up on the huge crane, over the bow and few minutes later the wart3ang to 'get away was given. Then at ll11:16, to the accompaniment of creak- ling timbers, booming guns, sirens and whistles. the big red hull slid into the, Iwater It took just 26 seconds for the lConnecticut to clear the ways
 After the launching several hundred. I guests were entertained at luncheon at 4 the Officers club Secretary Morton was I the guest of honor. A reception was Ialso held at the naval branch of the IY. M. 0 A where 1000 were enter- Itained Miss Helen M Gould received. ESeoretary Morton and Governor Cham lberlain were cheered by the men as Ithey entered the building, and both made short informal speeches.
 l Among those present at the launchsns
 were Governor and Mrs. Chanberlaii lof Connecticut and Miss M. G. Houghs lton and Mrs. w. R. Move, Miss Welless lespecial guests; Rear Admiral CoghlanF Chief Naval Constructor Capps Reax Admiral Melville, Rear Admiral Barr Iker, Major General Corbin, BrigadieF l General Grant, Admiral Rivet of the IFrench man of war Dupleix with the Icaptain of the Troude and staff; E. ,. lBerwind, Lewis Nixon, Commodore F. IG. Bourne, N. Y. Y. C., Major General
 Haywood, Commander Coonbs, Rear .t Admiral Sands, Rear Admiral Chester,
 Police Commissioner McAdoo, ex-as-
 sistant secretary of the navy. and oths CTS. N