The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-10-19
THE GEORGIA LAUNCHED,
Monster and Magnificent 5attIsship
GIides from Ways at Bath MaInei
in Midst of Imposing Ceremony:


At 1852 o'clock Tuesday afternoon,
at the Bath Iron Works, the largest
vessel ever built in the state of
Maine, the twin-screw first-class bat
tie ship Georgia was launched.
The battle ship was gaily decorated
with flags and bunting, as were also
the offices and yard buildings, in hon
or of the occasion. EXcursionists from
all sections of Maine were present to
witness the launching, and the party
entertained by the officials of the COM
pany included Governor Joseph -
Terrell, of Georgia, and Mrs. Terrell,
Judge and Mrs. Hamilton McW 1orter,
Miss Camilla McWhorter, Congress
man F. Carter Tate, Miss Stella Tate
and Congressman w. c. Adamson, all
of Georgia.
Miss Tate was escorted to the
launching platform by Vice President
John S. Hyde, and instructed in her
duties as sponsor. Mr.. Hyde had also
personal supervision of the launching.
I A method somewhat different from the
usual one of releasing the hull by sew
ering a cord was employed on this oc-
caBion, when sawyers standing be-
ieath the vessel severed the monstrous
shoe piece with cross-cut saw, and
the vessel was started toward the wa
ter.
When the battle ship began to move,
Miss Tate broke a bottle of cham
payne across the bow, naming the
craft in honor of her own state. AS
the stern parted the surface Of the
Kennebec river, the. Georgia was sa-
luted by numerous craft and manufac-
turing plants along the shore, all of
which were acknowledged by her siren
and whistle, the battle ship being
launched with steam up. Both mill
tary masts were in position, as well
as the coming tower, and the three
smoke tunnels which gave the vessel
more the appearance of completed
battle ship than any previously
| launched.
Following the launching luncheon
was served.
The Georgia is one OF the three bat.
| tie ships authorized under an act of
congress, approved March 3, 1899, AMI
sis also a duplicate of the two author
lied and approved June 7, 1900. Bids
for these five battle ships were opened
at the navy department November Is
1900, and in February, 1901, the Bath
Iron Works was awarded the contract
for the building of the Georgia, a sis
ter ship of the Virginia, Rhode Island,
New Jersey and Nebraska, at a con,
tract price of $3,590,000.
The Georgia belongs to the most
powerful type Of battle ship afoat, and
also to the largest class. She has a
| trial displacement Of $1,000 tons, and
is 435 feet long, rs feet and 10 inches
beam, and under trial conditions will
draw "a feet, while she has an ex-
u S1uS vi AK VI ~ ICCC W1lCIL AuAAy 4Oou-
ed and equipped with stores, coal, am
munitiOn etc.
The craft is fully protected by the
best Of armor having a combined
weight of 300 gross tons, and which
includes a main belt extending the en-
tire length of each side from eleven
to four inches thick. The 12-inch tur-
rets and barbetts are covered with O.
10-inch armor, the 8-inch turrets and
barbetts with 6-inch armor. The con.
ming tower IS inches thick, the sig
nal tower inches thick and lie gun
protection and splinter bulk heads are
2 and inches thick
The battery of the Georgia consists
Of four Pinch breech-loading rifles.
twelve 6-inch breech-loading rifles OF
rapid movement, twelve 3-inch breech,
loading rapid-fire rifles, twelve g.
FOUNDER guns, four One-poundex auto
matte guns, two 3-inch field guns, two
machine guns and six automatic guns.
There are also four submerged torpe-
do tubes.