The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-09-05
NEW WARsHlP LAUNCHED
nattleship Vermont Takes the Water
at Quincy Mass.
chrisiening Ceremonies Held in DOCK
Yards-ATiss Jennie G. Bell
she sponsors

Quincy, Mass. The battleship Yer
mont, built for the United States COY
ernment. was launched at the yard Of
the Fore River Shipbuilding Company.
She was released from the stocks with
out mishap~and slowly and smoothly
gIided down the ways Thousands
cheered as the hall rushed into the
water
The guests of honor inelude ID Cover
nor Charles ]. Bell of Vermont, Cover
nor w. Douglas OF Massachusetts
and Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Charles II. Darling. They occupied
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
honoi, Miss Mary e. Moore, of Ran
dolph, VT, and Miss Virginia q. Perry,
OF McIndOes, VT. The Vermont Veteran
Association of Massachusetts, with the
Vermont Association of Massachusetts,
and the Massachusetts Daughters Of
Vermont, occupied special reviewing
stand near the bow of the battleshp.
The shlpbuilding company had
opened the gates of the yard to the
general public, and thousands saw the
launching from the premises
When the new man-of-war was re-
leased, Miss Bell drew back bottle of
American wine suspended from the
platforms by ribbons, and as the huge
craft dipped stern foremost into the
high tide she swung the pendulum hard
CO tl,o No
struck squarely and broke upon the.
ship. as Miss Bell exclaimed II
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 length of $50 feet
and extreme breadth Of 76 feet 10
inches. She win be required to steam
eighteen knots an hour for four con-
seeutive hours.
The main battery of the Vermont
will consist of four Pinch breechload-
ing rifles. two mounted forward and
two aft; eight S-inch breechloading
rifles, and, twelve finch breachlQading
rifles. In the secondary battery will
be twenty 3-inch 14-pounder rapid fire
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, President of the
shipbuilding company, introduced Gov
ernor Douglas and Governor Bell to
the 500 persons present. Governor Bell
spoke briefly.
Rear-AdmiraI Bowles then proposed
a toast to President Roosevelt. The
toast was: II give you the health of
soldier, peacemaker, statesman and
brave and honest Theodore
Roosevelt President of the United
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 greatestrof 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 20, 1906 When COM
pleted the new battleship will have
cost the United States $7.000,0O0.
The hull of the battleship is of steel
throughout. 1T is protected at the
water-line by complete belt Of armor
8 feet inches wide, having a maxi
mum thickness Of IL inches for about
200 feet amidships Forward and aft
of this the maximum thickness is 9
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 power of
1880. There are twelve boilers placed
in six water tight compartments
There are three tunnels. each 100 feet
high above the base line.