New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-30

The new super Dreadnought New
York, rearing its vermilion nose above
the roofs Of the navy yard buildings,
looked its very biggest yesterday. This
morning at high tide, which comes be-
tween 10 and II o'clock. the monster
is scheduled to slide off its ways and
hide permanently the greater part Of
Cts huge bulk in salt water.
President Taft will be there to see il
take it's plunge; so will George Won l..
Meyer, Secretary of the Navy; Rear
Admiral Osterhaus, commander of the
Atlantic fleet; Major General Barry,
commanding the Eastern Division Of
the United States army; Governor Dix,
Lieutenant Governor Conway, Mayor
Gaynor, Senators Root and O'Gorman,
the New York Congressman. and any
number of other officials. For this is TO
he the launching of a real ship Of
state.
Some Of the, workmen busted them
selves yesterday Chopping away the
PROPS from under the New York.
though one wondered how any amount
OF wooden shores" could hold aloft tina
crushing weight of gayly painted steel
Buejackets, who looked more orna-
mental than useful by the side Of the
srimy WOrkmen on the ship, devoted
their time 10 draping the naming stand
and the vessel with bunting and the
travelling cranes overhead, and the steel
riyeters within went right on with their
work OF construction as if all this
nonsense attendant on the wedding OF
ship and the sea had no place at all
n the scheme Of things.
Relief for Naval Constructor.
The man VINO will sigh with the
greatest relief when the show is over
and his ship has lodged successfully on
the bosom of the East River is Naval
Constructor j. +. Bailey. Mr.. Bailey,
though a young man, is now grOaning
under a load like that of Atlas. The
10000 tons embodied in the hull Of the
New York rest on his shoulders, meta
phorically speaking, for he has had full
charge Of her construction and will
have full charge Of her launching. He
is dying to have the East River share
the burden with him.
Mr.. Bailey was climbing about the
vast child of his busy brain yesterday
looking after the final touches, thor
oughly in his element amid the angry
tattoo Of the riveters and the shouts
Of commanding foremen. He showed
no visible signs Of nervousness over the
outcome of to-day's ceremony.
II is safe to say that much more
nervous person than he last night was
Miss Elsie Calder, daughter Of Con-
gresham Calder, OF Brooklyn, who will
name the ship. Miss Calder simply
must break the bottle of champagne
over the New Yorks beak when the
word is given. The President and all
those other august officials will be
watching her and the fate Of the ship
viii. depend on her accuracy.
Miss Kathleen Fitzgerald, daughter
Of Congressman John ]. Fitzgerald, is
only nine years old. but she has part
10 play. The little Brooklyn school girl
will toss flowers on the water az the
great ship takes her first plunge.
Bailey Will Snap Fingers.
The saving off of the sliding ways,
so carefully watched in former launch 70
jngs, will be missed on this occasion.
After all the shores" have beer re-
moved and the wedges which lift the
ship up on TO the sliding ways have
been driven in the only thing holding
her back will be two ALPHABETICALLY
operated steel fingers or triggers. The
turning Of a little valve handle will
release these two miraculously power
fol fingers. To turn II at the wrong
time might bring destruction to ship
and workers alike. Mr.. Bailey VIII
therefore take personal charge of this
valve and give it gentle twist only
after he has satisfied himself that the
yath IS unobstructed.
With all her boilers inside Of her the
Nov York will hit the water weighing
10000 tons. About two years more
win be consumed in completing her. SO
that she may leave the navy yard a
fun hedged fighting ship. 1t is said
that so far her builders have made
a record for speed Of construction.
They laid her keel on September II,
1911, but actually they have consumed
only ten months and half in getting
her ready for launching deducting, that
is. forty days OF bad weather last win
ter which prevented her progress.
President Taft. after viewing the
launching, will visit the Naval Young
Mems Christian Association, in Sands
street, and talk to the men, and in the
evening It is expected he will attend
the dinner in the 18th Regiment
Armory at which the men who have
done the work Will celebrate the
launching Of their ship.