Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-24
PEARY'S ARCTIC SHIP
LAUNCHED AT BUcKsPoRT, ME-,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

: Commander Robert E. Peary's Arctic ex-
ploration steamship. which was launcheda at
Bucksport, Me, yesterday, was designed by
Naval Architect William e. Winant of New
York, and 1t Is the result of all that expert
ence in Arctic navigation to this date can
suggest. She is considered to be the strong
est in construction, most powerful and best
equipped craft for combating the Arctic ice
ever built. The vessel is described as a
'.three-masted, fore-and-aft schooner rig
ged steamship with auxiliary sail power"
Her principal dimensions are: Length over
all 49, feet, beam 35.5 feet depth 1853 feet
mean draft with stores II feet gross tom
mage 614 tons and estimated displacement
about 1o00. Her model is similar to mod
ern built steam whalers. but rather more
sharp, the particular features being her
long, high raking bow. overhanging stern
and general wedge-shape at the sides. in
order that she may be lifted free if nipped
in the ice.
Built of White Oak
The steamship was built Of white oak. The
frames being treble and close together, with
double planking, making the walls from
twsnty-four to thirty inches thick. The
keel is sixteen inches thick but false keels
and keelsons form a backbone projecting
six feet under the entire length of the
vessel ses l., The low bow is backed by twelve
boilers will develop from LOCO to 1,500
horse power Her cost when ready for sci
will be 100000. The funds for the vessels
construction were supplied by the Peary
Arctic Club of New York She was chris
tened Roosevelt by Mrs. Peary.
The slip will be towed on Saturday 10
Portland, where she viii receive her ma
chinery. She will probably nave a trial
trip in June and will be ready to sail from
New York for the Arctic early in July.
Pearv's Address.
At the luncheon. given soon after the
launching, Mr. Peary said: 1.-The ship
launched Thursday. March %, is the first
ship ever constructed in this hemisphere
for polar work. 1t is believed she will
be the ablest vessel built anywhere for this
purpose The ideas embodied in the ship
are the result of careful study of various
classes of vessels which have been used
in ice navigation, and of all the craft which
have been specially built by other coun-
tries for the purpose of arctic and ant
arctic exploration, combined with the per-
sonal experience of nearly twenty years in
that portion of the arctic regions which
will form the field of action of the coming
expedition.
81 believe no ship was ever more faith
fully or conscientiously constructed than
this one, and in behalf of the Peary Arctic
Club 1 wish to express our deep apprecia-
ton of the labor and interest of Capt Dix
and his assistants, Capt. Houghton and
Master Builder Newcomb.
"One or two more points l shall note
here. First, the ship is not the Peary ship.
1t is the ship of the Peary Arctic Club,
that organization of generous and public
spirited men who have made her con-
struction possible.
Not Peary Expedition.
Second, the expedition for which she
has been built is not the Peary expedition;
not personal, not a local project but
national proposition, and one which should
have the support, approval and interest Of
every citizen in this great country; for If
the objects of the expedition are attained
it means that this country will have
marked a milestone in the history of the
globe, which in the future will stand forth
as distinctly as does the discovery of the
rev world by Columbus, and should this
object be obtained, it should not be for
gotten that it was through the geneI osity
and public spirit of these men of the Peary
Arctic Club that the nation became the
winner of this great prize.
The expedition has the moral support of
the government. 1t is to Judge Charles H.
Darling, assistant secretary of the navy,
and his deep interest in arctic matters
me to undertake the work of the exped1-
ton, which has enlisted from the first the
personal interest and the approval of that
magnificent figure who stands at our head
today-Presdent Roosevelt, God bless him.
1.-The government does not and has not
contributed one dollar of financial assist
ance either to this expedition or my
previous ones. They have all been backed
and carried out by private enterprises.