The Washington herald., 1909-02-14
LAUNCHING IN 1887
How DreadnOughts Of Past
Made Initial Trip.
DESCRIPTION OF TEE SCENE
Reports of the Event at
the Old PhiIadeIDhia Navy Yard
Give WozaerfsI Account OF the
Great ship OF the Line PennsyIva-
mia Gliding IBts the Water.

We have become so accustomed 70
statements OF new Dreadnoughts, as the
large new battle ships are termed coli
ioGuiaily, says a writer In the Philedsl-
phia Public Ledger. that little If any en-
thusiasm Is excited when the news goes
out from Washington that the United
States viii build several big ships OF 2s0oe
tons. The mere fact that they VIII sur
pass. in weight, and probably in fighting
qualities, any ship afoat or designed for
the navies CT the world seems to be lost
on the average reader. Yet contrasted
with the Dreadnoughts Of another day,
the change is startling. The single ship
now has tonnage almost as great as ths
entire navy Of century ago. In this cen
nection the story OF the crowd which as
sembled July Is 1857. 10 see the great ship
OF the line. the Pennsylvania, launched.
is not without interest.
Great Throng Present.
The tourals OF the time show that the
event was regarded as the most important
OF its kind which ever was Witnessed IN
the old navy yard, then at Front and cd
|eral streets. One OF the contemporary ac-
counts OF the launch asserted that 10000
persons witnessed the event. and de-
scribes the majestic ship as being the
largest ship in the world The old Penn
sylvania had tonnage Of 3.So3. and was
built entirely Of wood. The smaller ves-
sells Of the navy to-day average about
1000 tons, and are divided between pro-
tected cruisers and gunboats- The moni-
tors also srs about this tonnage
The day the Pennsylvania was launched
was "a day well calculated by its serenity
and clesrness 10 give briIiancy 10 the cir
cumstsnces.' ''The river fer a great dis
tancs around was covered with vessels.
steamboats,. and every variety OF water
craft. whose masts. shrords. and rigging
were alive with people Every tree. every
post. every fence. every window. every
roof which overlooked the scene had IT'S
occupants"
Three Hundred Vessels on River.
I'VE do not recollect, says the account.
'of ever having seen 50 large an assem-
biags Of people. except on one occasion
perhaps not even then: We anude 70 the
entry OF the Nations Guest, the good
Lafayette, into New York. on his arrival
in this country IN 1924 II Is said that al
least 480oo persons arrived in this city
within three or four days past These
were probably al present. and every man.
woman, and child IN the city who could
60 turned out. The number present. there
fore, could not have been short OF 10o. COO
It is estimated that there were az least
80 vessels and boats upon the river, and
We saw both shores lined with people as
far as the eye could reach"
The ship, of course. was alluded 20 as
the leviathaa OF the navy. the crowds
were Iikened TO pygmies aroond Titan.
and the river scene was said 70 resemble
in nagnifcence the marriage Of the Adri-
attic in Venice. Undoubtedly II was the
greatest event OF its kind ever beheld in
Philadelphia up TO that time and prob
ably there had never before that day been
collected so large number OF persons as
thronged the navy yard and the shores
Of the river on that occasion
Pierced for 40 6una.
In spite OF the immense interest which
the launch occasioned. the noble ship of
the line was OF small dimensions. con-
pared with those OF some more modern
sea fighters. But when one reads that
the mssts Of the Pennsylvania tower
about the height OF 80 feet. and from the
flying jibbOom 10 the end Of the spanker-
boom is over s75 feet. and that her main
yards measures about I'D feet even the
present day IS inclined to show some in-
terest in the wonderful vessel which
amazed our grandfathers- The PennSvi-
vania had three gun decks and was
pierced for 40 guns This statement alone
Is interesting IA these days when the ten
dency in naTies Is 70 reduce the number or
guns On the other hand. IT, OF course Is
true that ore modern gun not only carries
more metal at g shot than the whole bat
terry OF the old Pennsylvania, but viii
carry farther and sheet straight.