The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-06
GRAND LUNCH CHE0N AT s.5.s
THE CHAM BER u n 0TEL
a Thousand People, Including.
Distinguished Men 5of 5,o : STATE K:
and Nation, and Many Beat u.
tiful Women, iii the Grcat
Banquet Hall, Where ~
Speeches I'LL III Happy 3,33
Vein Are Made Sbsy
Famous Men. .5s5

tspecial from d Staff Corrcspondent@
NEWPORT NEWS, VA M Apr ii - Be 5s
meath Ideal April skies and tho brig, ,test
OF spring sunshine, and In the prcsence55 ot MI
a throng varously estimated at frorssa3 s
#thlrty-five to fifty thousand person :, s,3Sl
Fninety-five per cent Of whom were q, ,lr-sss
einians. the gigantic battlesilip Virginia.
sglided gracefully from her cradle In tho 59s
yards of the Newport News Slilpbuiidiingi5 I; 4
and Dry Dock Company In to the Welconll-s
ing waters or the y James ut stx minutes 8
aftert1# q clock this afternoon: isl II ISL s
The greatest launching lily tho hlstoryi yi5is
offth,s gres test sotsthe world sfilbulidtnE
plants an event per feet y every &c 1
was an acconpl shod fac : socon 's
after little Miss ida g
eldest daughter OF iovernor|rra or hiidroW '
jackson Montague. had sent tho i! n y tsls
Of Virginia vine CRASHING Ralhst y = 70 l1le'F
steel bow OF tho leviat tha he aus
cous event irS the history Q the United
states navy anu 8of tho $ tate OF
was hailed with noisy acclaim, IN Whicili lts
we're mingled the clleers q enth'us1i
thousands and the strident shrlelks a 2 ~
many steam whistles. S Sl5a
Banquet After the Launching
Eolowinc the launching of the future
nrida Of the navy, fully ono thousand
persons embracing many of the most dis
ting,lished men and beautiful women IN
this state with liberal sprtnkling ot y
official and cosmopolitan w asMnstoh.S
boarded the splendid steamer NeWpo &
News as the guests of the shpolillo+4hs 81
and dry dock company. and were con X;
yeyed to Old Point, where, IN the spa
cious and beautifully decorated banquet 65G
hall Of tho Chamherlin. they were en-
tertained at an, elegant Luncheon, " ms
hano,let was followed by toasts, to " hlclas3
Governor Montague, Assistant Secretary
of the Navy Darling, Hon. Robert 81
Bickford. General superintendent Waile,}s
A. Post Rear Admiral Harrington ana
N[r George w. Stevens president OF tnf'
chesapeake and Ohio Raj way, made elo-I5
duent !. and enthusiastically received re-
snonses The response of Governor Aloll-a
tagua to the toast OF the occasloh, W. 'Gf,
ginia, was IL particularly eloqneht ant ni
felicitous one, and aroused v IN noounup'o
enthusiasm s6f3. $j s,, , ,s Il 5S4sS
Thus ended d day which will be mems g
orablo in tho history OF tho common
wealth. 1, new chapter IN that b hlsto E ~
enacted within a few rods Of the Spot
where the prototype OF tho pa ttlesh1 l,sss'
launched yes terday fortSSy ears ago
conservation and destruction among thesss
vessels OF the old navy. and ieYolutlo,n-f8
lied naval warfare, " was wa emlnen1,y5 !.
fitting that the greatest Of tho 5"orlu 4 = ss3
iironclnds should first kiss tho waves a
almost, at the .very,fspot where the gol'-jj#
federate ram Virginia DESTROYED ths
frigatcs Congress and Cumber land and f
later fought he,, fnmons indeclslvo en-
gagement with Ericsson's ironelad, 'lns
Monitor. Appropriate, too, was y thal #
the vessel should he built ny Vlrslnlft
labor and skill IN n shin yard Wh'rl ''aiS tA II
contributed so conspicl,ously and sontl-
5merously 10 the worlds nhNies ana Y"
3the merchant marine OF this country.
All Virginia testified her pride IN 'ne
honor Of having this great fifteen tho.l5
sand ton bnttleship, the creates. Vess'i. 4
OF her class, named for state INA ll,A
contributed SO goriously 70 nation "
greatness and the worlds glory. Frlde ~
a great country, no less than N tn'
prestige of grand CommonWc'illn,a s.
echoed in every cheer and thrilled every
heart in that gigantic thlong
F..