The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19


crowds. the sponsor and the ship.
Guests mt Luncheon.
After the launching. the Invited
guests took special cars FOR Old Point
and this afternoon they were tho guest.
OF the builders at an elaborate post
launching luncheon at the Chambcrl,n
Hotel, rendered in honor of the spcn.
sor
Nice-prcsid dent n l.. Hopkins. of the
shipouldins company. presided as
POSTMASTER. and toasts were responded
TO by Secretary Meyer, Secretary Mac
Ncagh. Congress smun IIobsou. ,,olouc,
Lyon, Colonel Boner, the personal rem
icsentative OF Governor .. b. Coiuuitt.
OF Texas, and X. q. 3ickford, of this
city.
Prepare for Launching.
Long before the shipbuilding plant
was thrown open TO the thousands who
saw the mighty craft take her initial
niunge a force of several hundred
picked workmen began the final prep
"rations Tor transferring the II 600
IONS OF stee! which the massive hull
represented from the land to the wate..
The boom. boom" OF the big oak rams
against the wedges under tn. ship
could he heard for half a ihile around
the plant. The wedges were between
the sideways ana the cradl. I'm which
the ship rode to the water AS the
wedges were driven home tho great
hulk was lifted bit by bit from tho
stocks upon which ii had bcan mill IA
the launching cradle.
Two hours and more were roouiroa
Tor this task and tho rams were still
heing thrown against the wedges when
the visitors reached tn. scene of IN.
'd"hchlhs' The plant was thrown omen
an hour before the launching took
place, and all of the available space
around the ship was quickly taken.
y squad of police kept the crowds
without the ropes which had b.cn
stretched around the ship OUTSIDE Of
Inc Hanger zone, so that In case of any
serious mitch in the launching program
inc spectators would not be injured
SPONSOR Arrives.
IL was not long after the big crowd
beSan assembling that the sponsor ANA
tho large party OF distinguished guests
from Texas and Wavn,nston reached
me plant and proceeded to the spa.
'ioua launching platform erected under
the huge steal PROV OF the shin. Little
MISS Lyon took her place In tho chris
iening booth with General Manager
ferguson, and, as every eve was TO-
Suseu on her. she was initiated into TN.
art of hurting the bottle of cham
payne against the PROV when he huh
should start DOM tho ways. Tho I'M
htructions ended, the sponsor noscJ
Tor photographs and then awaited the
hiEnal TO name the craft for tn. Lone
Star State.
In preparation for the launchina
the hull had bccn newly painted a
bright red and most Of the scaffnld
ihs had been removed Tho ship pre-
scented most imposing spectacle. and
her massive size did not fail 10 deem
y IMPRESS tho thousands who were
gathered about. Tho great hull tow
cred nearly 100 feet u the air TN.
torepeak projecting far above the Ton
platform of tho steel srcstlc beside
which III" craft was hunt
Another thing that impressed tho
visitors was the advanced stage OF
cor":let'on of he ship. Though tho
keel WAS not laid until Arrn II. 1911.
the vessel was g. per cont. connlctc1
IN" entire hui was finished and much
OF the wooden armor backing was, in
place. on tho main deck tho super
structure was IN place and projecting
above tho main deck was the barSctte
ermor into which the turrcts VIII set
when the ship is completed.
Tnsk Gigantic One.
As 1t rested upon the stocks ready
to bc put into tho sea. the hull weigh
cd cXsctly hoo tons. OF nearly 5000
tons more than that OF any other shin
ever put overheard ~ tins plant, The
task or safely TRANSFERRING TINS grca,
maas Of steel from tha stort- 10 Tho
water WAS a gigantic one. Tho slight
est hitch might mean the loss Of hun
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