Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-09-29
Il is Successfully Launched 10
The Brooklyn Navy
Yard.
MISS WELLES CHRlSTENEO IT.
Il IS Ille First WarshIp Built ia a
Government Yard Since the
Inflated Maine.

New York, Sept. 20. AS the bands on
the several warshlps at the hayward
played The star spangled Banner. a
new United states bottleshp slid down
the ways INTO The water today ana Miss
Alice Welles granddaughter Of Pfes-
ident IApcoln's secretary OF the navy,
broke a bottle OF champagne over the
vessels PROV, naming Il Connecticut.
Many thousands Of people Witnessed
the launching Of this the flrsi battle
ship bull n government yard since
the il'feted Maine, large crowds gath
ering at the hayward and at various
points on the Manhattan and Brooklyn
sides OF the east river
More than $4,000 invitations were is
sued and few were not used
streanefs aud bunting were display
ca IN plplusion everywhere around the
hayward.
The bow Df the new battleship was
lastefully draped with a large American
nag Naval Constructor Baxter, IN
charge 81 the launching was connected
by telephone with AL parts Of the ship
and on hearing that everything was
ready he save the signal 10 the work.
men, passed the word 10 Miss Weles.
who broxe the bottle OF wine against
the bow and the great steel hull was
on It's way 10 the water
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 warshlps bands. and the
big steel huh rode safely on the water
Owing TO the rUmors OF the last few
days Of an attempt TO wreck the new
ship, a the launching, there was an in
tense feeling OF suspense among the
spectators aud the officials and en-
ployes at the hayward lest something
mar the impresslveness OF the cere-
mony, but Everything went of WELL
The Connecticut IS a sister ship Of the
Louisiana. and both vessels were au-
thorized by. an act OF Congress In 1902 |
The Connecticut was buN IN o govern |
ment yard and under government SUI
while the Louisiana was built !
by private shlpbulding firm at New
port News, Va The construction OF |
both ships has been followed with Keen |
interest US II was recognized that il |
was a test OF the governments ability |
10 cope With priyne erferprise Much |
depended ON this competition Of con-
structlon for II the Connecticut Is COM
pleted before the Louisiana, then most
Of the government shlpbuilding will be
done by the latter, and It is expected
the New York navy yard viii be the
center for government
work.
The Connecticut. when finished win
be the nrpst and most powerful boat
In the American navy and Will rank
With the most powerful battleships Of
The naVies OF other nations. Notwith
standing the fact that new plant had
to be created for the construction OF
The Connecticut. this vessel Is but ) per
cent behind the Louisiana although
aid down two months later.
The last vessel Of any size construct
ID at the New York navy yard was the
ll-fated battleship Maine.
The keel Of the Connecticut vas laid
Town ON March. TO- 1908 the stem was
ON July %, the armour placed
Iboard April "A and the first boiler
hipped on July 7.
The Connecticut Is Of steel with
rial displacement OF 10000 tons and a
maximum displacement OF l1,710 tons,
rhe vessel Is $50 feet on tile load water
Inc 1854 feet over all 16.l feet beam
md PAS feet draught
The engines will be Of the twin screw.
-erucal. four cylinder triple expansion
ype with a combined horse power Of
6 800. and these VIII accumulate
peed OF is knots
The Connecticut viii carry three fun
iels, two military masts, two main and
our secondary turrets and main deck
entral battery The armor has to-
al weight of 1902 tons.
On each side amidships there is
tee belt 1913 feet long, 3 feet inches
vide and II inches thick. Forward
nd AFT Of this belt is another. . inches
hick covering the magazines. This il
nded by six inch bulkheads. On the
he lower deck for 2s4 feet the armor IL
TX inches thick and on the main deck
Or 2S6 feet, where the central battery
;. the arnor is seven inches thick. The
rejected deck is one and half inches
nlck on the fat and Two and a half
lches ON the slopes. The main tur- ,
cts are eight inches thick with l2is- {
lch faces. There are two az these I
he barbettes are covered with 10 !
lches Of armor, and the secondary tur- ?
ITS with six inches Of armor, with
* and a half inch faces. The coming (
over Is protected with steel armor nine q
lches thick and the signal tower with II
fpa fua ~ ofall