The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19
Event Draws Nota BILE
Gathering to New
port News.
LATEST ADDITION
TO AMERICAN NAVY
Superdreadnought Texas, When
Completed, Will Be Greatest
Fighting Machine Ever Con-
structed-Vessel Takes to
Water Without Hitch,
While Crowds Cheer.
fApeelai,o III rLmcg.l,is,.a,ch /,

special 10 Tb2 Times Disi.atch.l
Newport News. Va, May IS Nature
set beautiful background for the
stage arranged by man AT tho plant OF
the Newport News ShipbuiIding ana
DRY Dock Company this morning for
the crdwnins event in American ship.
building-tho iani.chiug Of Amer cas-
greatest man-of-war. the mammoth
auPerdreadnought Texas. Everything
moved without hitch ana when :he
new queen OF the scas finally was given
her freedom prompts at 1909 O'Clock.
the great hull moved slowly and grace
fully 10 hcr native element.
Scarcely had the huge. relocated hull
moved "A foot before little Miss Claudia
Lyon. the fourtecn-Scar-oId daughter
OF Colonel Cecil Lyon. Republican ma
tional committeeman from Texas, sent
the bottle OF native champagne cras
Ing against the immense nose OF the
ship. which projected over the lauhch-
Ing platform As the bot,le broke
wine was showarcd Tor radius Of ten
feet. and many Of the guests we're
dronchcd with the sparkling huid.
u christcn thee Texas" was All the
little sponsor said as she huFl 81 the
bottle. but later. when the good snip
OF the cEiisteuing booth to inquire OF
on oi tho yard officials IL shc had SAID
IT loud enough. When assured that she
nan. hcr face was Hreathed with smiles
she was the coolest OF ali the vast
throns gathered on The platform
Holiday mt shlpysrds.
1t was holiday a; the shipyar.is
AMI tho several thousand employees COLI
sFeEatet about the stock. and watched
with tatherly admiration the birth
OF THO uew So,o00-tor supCrdrsadnought
the miGhtiest OF all ships. As the
great fcsscI Was launched She weighed
more than 1000 tons. Her boilers
pati OF her machinery and some Of her
amor were IN Plap, when sh4 gI.ded
down into the water About $4,000
pounds OF tallow was usei 10 grease
Tile wooden Ways over which the heavy
steel null passed on rs way 10 the
water.
Al almost the exact moment sched-
ulcd' a year ~ more ago. the Texas
began - move slowly from her cradle
In less than Two minutes she Vas hoat-
Ing maj2stically on the waters Of the
James River. not far from where. more
than nfty years ago. her prototype the
Monitor. engaged In battle a. he nrst
turret armorclad warship. Could the
original Monitor have been placed
alongside her prcsent-day prctotype
y.
When the Texas bowed to the assem-
ble't ihrons her bow struck the wa.
ter, great weight was lifted from the
shoulders OF those upon whom the re.
sponsibility OF safely transferring tho
great hui from the land to the sea
rested General Manager Homer l.
Ferguson Was vslbly relieved, and
when the ship was atioat he hurried
to the christening booth to shake the
little sponsors hand.
You did just bully. Just bully" was
his words of praise 10 the little sid.
the youngest person who has ever
named a battleship for Uncle Sam.
Never has a more distinguished crowd
than that which gathered about the
ship been present al a launching here.
Prominent among the guests was Miss
Helen Taft. daughter of the President.
Secretary of the Navy George Won l..
Meyer. and Secretary OF the Treasury
Franklin MacVeigh also were present.
Miss Taft came down from Washing
ton on the Presidents yacht Maynow-
er. with Secretary Meyer and Mrs.
Meyer.
Congressman William \. Jones. OF
the First Virginia District, who was
one of the guests of honor rode down
to the sea In the new fighter. Mr.. Jones
had never been down with ship
when launched. and he elected to make
immensely. so nc said when he came
ashore.
Prominent Persons Present
There were score IF Senators and
Congressman present foI the launci-
inS. among them being BENJAMIN r..
Tillman. OF South Carolina. and Con-
gresham Richmond T.. ilohson, OF Ala.
bama. General Humphrey. OF WASH
ington. ana a dozen officers. prominent
in the army aud navy. also we're gath
cred on tho launching platform. and
there were society women from half i.
dozen different States.
Upwards of $1,000 people were gath.
cred around the ship and on the picrs
near where she was launched Just
before the vessel took the water, Mrs.
l. Norwich and her little son. Samuel.
fell overheard from one of the piers.
They plunged between the dock ana
the naval tugs Mohawk and Patuxent.
Instantly a dozen sailors of the two
tugs dived overheard and succeeded In
rescuing the mother and her son amid
the cheers of tho hundreds Of specta
tors.
These tugs, with two others. brought
Commandant Doyle and his party OF
naval officers and the marine band
from tho Norfolk Navy Yard. The army
mnc planter. General Mills. brought
Colonel Il. s. Strong and his staff Off
GERS from Fort Monroe.
One of the interesting features OF
tho launching was the making of NOV
Ing pictures OF tho event. Two picture
film companies had men here. and they
(CsontInued on cIrth Pc