The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-09-07
~ > ~
new WARSHiP LAUNCHED
Battleship Vermont Takes the Water
at Quincy, Mass.
AL..IlAA -Laaae
81 k-MIE #a68NN8a
Christening Ceremonies Held in Dock
Xards-Miss Jennie c. Bell
the Sponsor. ssh

Quincy, Mass.-The battleshin4Fver-
mont, built for the United States Gov
eminent, was launched at the yard of
the Fore River Shfpbuilding Company.
She was released from the stock with.
out mishap, and slowly nd~smoothIy
glided down the ways. Thousands
cheered as the hull rushed into the
water.
The guests, of honor included Cover
nor Charles J.@Befl of Vermont, Cover
nor w. l.. Douglas of Massachusetts
and Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Charles II. Darling. They occupied a
platform in the bow of the big vessel.
Miss Jennie G. Bell, daughter of Gov
ernor Bell and the sponsor of the YES
sci, was the central figure on the plat
form. Beside her were the maids of
honor, Miss Mary 3. Moore, of Ran
dolph, VT, and Miss Virginia e. Perry,
Of McIndoes, VT. The Verment Veteran
Association of Massachusetts,, with the
Vermont Association Of Massachusetts,
and the Massachusetts, Daughters of
Vermont, occupied a special reviewing
stand lei the bow of the battleship. :
The s%hipbuilding company had
opened the gates of the yard to the
general public, and thousands saw the
launching from the premises. g htaaEs
When the new man-of-war was re-
leased, Miss Bell drew back a bottle Of
American wine suspended from the
platform by ribbons and as the huge.
craft dipped stern foremost into the
high tide she swung the pendulum hard
against b armored bow. The bottle
struck squarely and broke upon the
ship, as Miss Bell Exclaimed, ST
christen thee Vermont"
The battleship is one of the largest
and most powerful of the ships Of war
that have been constructed for the
United States Navy. She is of 10000
tons burden, with a length of 40 feet
and extreme breadth of 76 feet. 10
inches. She will be required to steam
eighteen knots an hour for four con-
secutive hours.
will consist of four 12-inch b~reechload-
ing rifles, two mounted forward and
two aft; eight S-inch breechloading
rifles, and twelve finch breechloading
rifles. In the secondary battery Will
be twenty s3inch 14<pounder rapid IRE
guns, twelve 3-pounder and semi-auto-
matte guns, six %1-pounder automatic
guns, two .1.pounder semi-automatic
guns, two 3-inch field pieces, two ma
chine guns and six automatic guns.
At the luncheon which followed
Rear-Admiral Bowles, Presidentaof the
s~hipbuilding company, introduced Gov
ernor- Douglas and Governor Bell to
the 500 persons present. Governor Bell
spoke briefly.
Rear-Admira1 BoWles then proposed
a toast to President Roosevelt. The
toast was: 81 give you the health of a
cni1HioTs noaaono E0fs cfa fncuaonr ord n
brave and honest Observation-Disclosures
Roosevelt; President of the Omitted
States"
An enthusiastic demonstration fol-
lowed. Every one present arose and
cheered. *
Assistant Secretary Darling. In re-
Spouse, spoke of the Presidents part.
in the victory of San Juan and his {
courage in making the recent trip on
the submarine boat Plunger. Then
he said: But greatest Of all, he is an
envoy of peace. In uniting Russia,
our longtime friend, and Japan, our
foster child-the Yankee of the East
he has added great glory to himself"
The contract for the Vermont was
signed in June, 1903. At her launching
the vessel was about two-thirds fin
ished. She is to be ready for commits
sion December 90. 1906. When conn
pleted the new battleship will have
cost the United States 81, 900.
The hull of the battleship is Of steel
throughout. It is protected at the
water-line by a complete belt of armor
9 feet 8 inches wide, having a maxi
mum thickness Of IL inches for about
200 feet amidships. Forward and aft
of this the maximum thickness lis 8
inches within the limit of magazines,
from which points the thickness is
gradually decreased to 4 inches at the
stem and stern.
The engines are Of the vertical, twin
screw, -four cylinder. triple expansion
type. of a combined horse poWera0f
1880. There are twelve boilers placed
in six water tight compartments.
There are three tunnels. each 100 feet
high above the base line.