The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-30
CONNECTICUT SAFELY AFLOAT.
ALERT IRISH LAD BREAKS THE
BOTTLE JUST IN TIME.


and the Battieship Was Sliding Into
the water Unehristened. When Frank
Ryan Did the Job-Great Crowd
on shore and on the Water-Speciai
Guests stay to Luncheon-Reception
10 Miss GOuid-The ship Described.
Although she tried hard enough, Miss
Alice welles, official sponsor, didn't christen
the new battleship Connecticut, which
was launched successfully at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard yesterday. Frank Ryan,
humble rigger, did the job.
It was he who, after Miss Welles had
delivered the bottle with short arm jab,
which failed to break II, climbed out on the
bows, seized the string which held 1t, and
sp,ashed the bottle against the bow plates
Az he did SO he cried-so say his fellow
workmen
you'll be christened anyhow, damn you.
You're the Connecticut
Although the battleship slid from the
ways at Ii:17, the final work Of the launoh-
ing began at 10 sharp, before the officials,
tho dignitaries and the christening party
began to gather on the stand before her
bows. At that hour Naval Constructor
Baxter, who had been up nearly all night
seeing that everything was in apple pie
order, took his place at the field telephone
before her bows and gave the signal for
the first gang Of workmen.
Immediately the long braces propped
against the vessels sides began to come
down. The Connecticut stood forth in
her bridal robes, dressed simply in red
paint, trimmedwith black anchor chains and
q knot OF United States colors at her bows.
The Kearsarge, her matron Of honor, rode
at her wharf close by in a gaudy dress OF
pennants and bunting. Further out. the
usher tugs fused around absolutely totter-
ing under strings Of flags,
The crowd was pretty well assembled
by that time, and when the last prop was
cleared away they started cheer which
was taken up by the jackies who bordered
the turrets Of the Kearsarge and which
foated ON out to the excursion steamers
frfnging the course.
At half past 10, when the anxious Mr..
Baxter dgnalled for the second gang to
fall in and drive home the plugs which
would lift the ship from her cradle, the Off
cial christening party entered the stand.
They were saluted with the national anthem
from the Kearsarge's band. Miss Welles
was dressed simply In gray silk, with q
plumed black hat. With her, In the little
enclosure at the bows, were Miss NJ. Hough-
ton and Mrs. Welles, who STOOD up with
her. Gov. Chamberlain OF Connecticut
and Mrs. Chamberlain, Admiral Rodgers
and Mrs. Rodgers, Secretary Of the Navy
Morton and Chief Constructor Caps.
MISS wELLEs COACHED.
Miss wellcs fingered the bottle, which
was wrapped In the national colors and
hung by q red white and blue ribbon from
Q spar like false bowsprit rugged on the
Connectcuts bows. She handled it .ner-
vously, for thewhole crowd was 'rubbering."
Secretary Morton and Gov. Chamberlain
coached her and for five minutes she prao-
tised the swing so as to make no mistake.
The hammering Of the battering ram
gang stopped. The big hulk had been
lifted just an imperoeptible fraction Of an
inch from the blocks on which her keel
has rested since It was laid. Gang No. 2
fell away, and down in the mass OF imbers
beneath her there was q clamor Of sledges.
driving the last blocks.
Tho Official stand was filing by that
time. Admiral Riyet and officers Of the
French cruisers Duplex and Troude led
the foreign delegation UP the steps, Gen.
Corbin was at the head OF a group OF off,
Gers swath ed In gold lace and stoop-shoul.
dered with medals
Through his megaphone Constructor BaX-
ter called up the last gang. whose saws were
70 separate the Connecticut from her shore
moorings. Miss Welles, drawing a long
breath, stepped in beside the bottle again,
the noise Of the hammers stopped and the
or hal
tho rasping OF the saws. Engineers grabbed
were to shove of the vessel in case she
soanded signal for call away"
When the vessel hung by only two inches
Of oak beam, Mr.. Baxter stopped the saws
md signalled to Mise Welles. She grasped
ohe bottle and got into position. Three
more strokes and the vessel shivered and
moved.
sThrow I'll" yelled Mr.. Morton.
THE BOTTLE DIDN'T BREAK.
Mis- welles threw it, but with a sh ort-
arm fab. The bottle bounded and did not
break. Mr.. Morton grabbed at the string
too late. The Connecticut was racing
down the ways unchristened.
On the port side, where they could not
SEQ all this. they we're cheering. When
the bow with the dangling, unbroken
bottle swung into view the cheers stopped.
And then a workman climbed on the
slender spar, pulled frantically on the
ribbon which held the wine, and swung it.
The bottle did not break. He swung
again with all his force, and it smashed
just as the great hull struck the water.
The crowd cheered like mad.
With one foot on the vessel and the other
balanced pcrilously on the bowH Frank
Ryan, the rigger-so say the other work.
men-delivered his christening formula.
you'll be ohristened anyhow, damn you!
You're the Connecticut
Miss Welles was standing with her hands
on the rail, gulping down her disappont-
ment. The crowd broke into cheers.
worl1men on the vessels decks swarmed
to the rails waving their caps. The naval
vessels along both shores fired the national
salute.
The Connecticut hit the water straight and
true, and bobbed and bowed in that splen-
did moment when vessel seems to have
received life. Her great red bulk glided
down the river, taller by the height OF a
house than the tallest vessel beside her.
Swinging round with the tide, she drifted
out toward the Williamsburg Bridge, and