Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1905-03-24
CRUISER LAUNCHED
WARSHIP WASHINGTON met The
WATER AT CAMDED, N. ].

In the Presence of Several Thousand
Spectators and Amid a Chorus of
Steam Whistles, the Warrior Was ]
chrlstened by Miss Wilson with Gus
tomary Liquid-Superor Ship.
In the presence of several thousand
spectators and to a chorus to steam
whistles and changing bells, the United
States armored cruiser Washington,
the most powerful of it's class yet built,
gracefully glided from the ways at the
yard of the New York Shipbuilding Co.,
at 1909 Saturday. AS the new war
ship swept down the ways toward the
ripping waters of the Delaware the
assembled multitude wildly cheered
the new champion. Owing to the dis
lance of the state of Washington from
| the city there was not a large at
tendance of citizens of the common
wealth honored by the navy depart
ment when the Washington was NAM
ed. There was an influential delega-
ton on hand, however, composed of
state officials, members of the legisla-
ture and the Washington representa-
tives in congress- The ship was chris
tened by Miss Helen Stewart Wilson,
daughter of former United States Sen
ator Wilson of Washington.
i With the first movement of the huge
hull Miss Wilson lightly poised the
gayly beribboned bottle of champagne,
and as the vessel swept down to meet
: the tide she dashed the glass recepta-
! Gle against the unyielding wall of
STEEL and as the wine flowed down
the ways in foaming rivulets the fair
sponsor said: 81 christen thee Wash
ington."
Pandemonium had broken loose in
the crowd below as well as upon the
: stand Staid matrons as well as giddy
+ maids were mounting points of want
4 age in order to see the new vessel
= leap into the arms of her native ele-
!. ment. Greeted with a welcoming blast
a from the shrill threats of several
r score of steam whistles, the cruiser
= hoated majestically out upon the bos
/ ON of the Delaware, where she soon
. WdS CdDlultu ny lu6 anu lOWSN -
one of the shipyard piers, where she
5, will be completed. She is now in a
# more advanced stage of construction
J. than any vessel ever before launched
l. for the United States navy.
i The Washington was contracted fol
on February 8, 1904, and at the same
% time the cramps were awarded the
r contract for sister ship, the Ten
o nessee. There has been quite ri
n valry between the two shipbuildini
ID firms to see which should complies
e its contract the quickest. The New
York Shipbuilding company is ahea'
& with the launching of the Washington
p This is partially due to the fact tina
W the ways on which the cruiser wa
lie built are covered by mammoth She
rs of glass and steel, allowing for worl
in all kinds of weather.
N The Washington, while not design
ed to be quite as fast as some O
" the lighter armed cruisers, will hav
H. greater battery and defensive power
as than any vessel classed as a cruiser
Sc In fact. she will be superior to man
d. battleships of the earlier type. Tn
n Washingtons' length on water line
Sc 5O2 feet; breadth at load water lint
70 feet; displacement on trial. rs feet
mean draught at maximum load, 2
feet. The steaming radius at 10 knot
will be $500 knots; steaming radius {
= full speed, about 300 knots.
- The armor plate protection range
from inches for the turrets to
- inches for the belt. The cruiser wi
have a very heavy armament. tn
main battery will consist of four i
inch guns and 16 6-inch guns. I'll
~ secondary battery will have 20 Zinc
u; rapid-fire guns, IL 3-pounder semi-aut
rn' matte guns, two 1-pounder automat
al and two 1-pounder rapid-fire guns, tv
I'm 3-inch field pieces and three small ca
bre rapid-fire machine guns.
The indicated horsepower of Il
D.. engines is $4,000, ana they are desig
-. ed to drive the vessel ct a speed of
~ least 22 knots an hour.
Governor Sends Greeting.
Lzc The following is a copy of tel
KS gram sent by Governor Mead to Il
Sc New York Shipbuilding company
10 Camden, N. j.:
gs' Accept my best wishes for the ST
cessful launching of the cruiser Was
VI, ington. May she reflect credit on b
.5O builders and honor on the state who
name she bears.
I'll ALBERT E. MEAD. Governor. "
Inc Russian Officers Killed.