The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-04-05
x7yc BATTLESHIP TOOK her
MAIDEN DIP AT NEWPORT
NEWS TODAY.
acHrsstened by Miss Matilda Gay Mon
aauue-imposing Ceremonies Held
sn Presence Of Thousands.

sss,r presence of thousands of cheering
zx,,,,,.tstors and to a chorus of booming
xuns screeching whistles and clang-
5.g bells. the big 16,00Oton battleship
Virginia gracefully glided from the
ways at the yard of the Newport News
sSf,ipbuilding and Dry Dock company
To-Day. The interesting ceremony took
mace shortly before one o'clock, and
ss the new warship swept down the
ways and took her maiden dip in the
r7rDIing waves of the historic James
liver the assembled multitude wildly
chetred the new addition to Uncle
Sans fleet Owing to the easy ac-
cess 10 all residents of the state
IGNORED by the navy department when
fff Virginia was named there was the
largest attendance ever seen at
5au1,-hing here. In the forenoon there
mas q large parade of state militia
The snip was christened by Miss Ma
tIIa Gay Montague, daughter of Gov
-Tnor Montague of Virginia. Miss
Montague. vino is only twelve years
oI1. was accompanied from Richmond
by large anu distinguished party, in
t.yui!ng state officials, the governors
sraT ana numerous influential business
am; professional men. Nearly all OF the
virginia representatives, in congress
HeIe 40 hand and also large parties of
citizens from Portsmouth. Norfolk, Pc
-ersburg and other points.
Min the first movement of the huge
nuD Miss Montague lightly poised the
gayly beribboned champagne bottle in
Ter danny hand, and as the vessel
swept down to meet the tide she dash
I'll Ihe glass receptacle against the UNI
yielding wall of steel, and as the wine
ffODed down towards the ways in foam
FUE riNulets the fair sponsor said: 4
'.hrJsitn thee Virginia."
Pandemonium had broken loose in
the crowd below as we'll as upon the
coming blast from the shriIl threats Of
J score OF more of steam whistles, the
fsauleship foated majestically out upon
nv bosom of the James, where she was
Drought to in midstream. Occupying
place Of honor upon the bow stood
" p. Kline. the only survivor of the
Ele men VINO We're aboard the old Vir-
GINA 3Nerrimac. of the Confederate
Ga.y when launched at the Norfolk
elayy yard.
after the launching the crowd dis
oersei, viewing with interest the
s,TlsHr Charleston. launched some time
ago. the Minnesota. whose keel was
lal! TWO months ago: the West Vir-
s1nian. which is rapidly nearing COM
pietion. and the Marylands. which is
; expected To be ready for the govern
fnt'ri In another year. Another OBJ
Hct Of inspection was the Louisiana.
Shlrh Was regarded with special inte-
resi- because it is known that there is
a race on between the local shipbuild-
1ng company and the navy yard at
New York.
Ihe invited guests. including Cover
1or Montague's party and the naval
officials from Washington. were driven
I'd The Hotel Warwick. where a de-
nshtfui collation. was served.
The battleship Virginia emhodias the
highest ingenuity and mature expe-
Fhnce of American naval experts. The
general dimensions of the shin are.
Af7g1h on load waterline, 435 feet:
breadth (eXtreme) at load water line
3 fact. 2l2 inches: trial displacement
ABOUT 1900 tons: mean draught a,
flal displacement, about % feet G
inches: greatest draught full load %
feet.
III 'he l''"oV or more tons represent
I'D III the Virginia, the many antaeonis.
nc qualities essential to p narfao,
hshtlng machine have been common.
lsed and incorporated in the pronostior
which experience seems to have noi,.
-ed out as the most desirable and ae
cient. To begin with. the shin u-,,
have speed of at least nfnetaan 1,ro+s
winch compares most favorably with
any battleships under constrnc+io,
abroad, as we'll as with any in the nro-
lected stage.
The Virginia will be propelled q,
This high speed by twin screws drive,
oy TWO four-cylinder triple exnarsior
Engines, running, under conditions ~