South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-16
Fifteen Thousand Ton Super
Dreadnaught is ChriStened
While Bishop PrayS = Ger
man Sea Captain is Guest.
NAVY NEVER SO READY
AS NOW, SAYS DANIELS
Secretary Calls Attention to
World That United States
Now Has the Strongest War
WarShip AfIOat, Bar None.

NEWPORT NEW :. Pa. March I6
Fifteen thousand tons of steel, the
20 per cent complete superdread-
naught Pennsylvania, the largest ship
in the American navy, slid off the ways
of the Newport News shipbuilding dry
dock company into her native element
at 1850 o'clock this morning While
thousands of spectators cheered As
she slid into the water her stem was
adrip with the champagne from the
bottle cast against her by her sponsor,
Miss Elizabeth Kolb of Germantown,
Pa.
For a moment after the whistle
which signalled the release of the hy-
draulic trigger which sent the great
mass of steel on her way to the wa
terS of the James river, the Pennsyl-
vania hung for a moment and then,
slipping downward, gathered head
way as she went, rolling up before her
stern frothing wave of water.
Miss Kolb, together with her maids
of honor. Miss Katherine Kolb and
Miss Katherin Martin and Miss Mil
dred Harold, students at the National
Park seminary, occupied the sponsor
stand, together with Secy of the Navy
Daniels, Gov. BruInbaugh Of Pennsyl-
Vania and other dignitaries of the navy
and state officials
Bishop Prays.
The Pennsylvania went on her
launching unaccOmpanied by the blare
OF music as in the usual cases. Instead
the christening OF the graf ship was
prefaced 10y a prayer, delivered by
Bishop Perry of Pennsylvania, through
whose low clear tones the clink of
hammers in the hands of workmen
knocking away the final chOcks,
sounded as he prayed.
Among the guests of honor at the
launching was Commander Thierich-
ems of the German sea raider, -Prinz
Eitel Friederich. Shortly after he ar
rived an effort was made by an elder
ly white haired woman with n placid
face. to convert MIN TO the doctrine
of peace. She introduced herself as
Mrs. NJ y. Thomas of Beacon, y. Y,
a member of the society of Friends
and as she retained the big Drowned
hand which the sea raider offered her,
she asked:
Captain, do you not thing that the
time has come for the killing of man
by man to cease? Can YOU truthfully
say you love your fellowman as you
love yOurself?"
Says War Was Inevitable.
At first the big German sea warrior
was interpreted to him, he replied,
bending over the wrinkled hand which
stili was in his, said:
Dear madam. this war had TO be.
After il Will come a long time Of peace
After that perhaps there viii be an
other great conflict
AS the Pennsylvania left her ways
the Prinz Eitel Friedrich. beside
which was the presidents yacht May
q fnI no of 10
navys party arrived, sounded a blast
from her whistle in salute for the new
born dreadnaught. A luncheon at the
Chamberlain. Old Point Comfort, fol-
lowed the launching.
Says Navy il Efficient.
Declaring that the United States
navy was never SO powerful, SO ready,
or so efficient as now, Sec'y of the
Navy Daniels called the attention OF
the world in his speech at today s
luncheon in Fortress Monroe. in cele-
bration of the launching of the new
battleship Pennsylvania 10 the fact
that the United States has the strong
est warship now afiOat.
Our new Pennsylvania with its dis
placement of 31.40O tons and speed
of p knots carrying L 14-inch guns
he said, lis a more powerful battle
ship than the Queen Elizabeth. OF
lished.
.The Queen Elizabeth, Ensland's
most powerful battleship, is of 27,5OO
tons displacement She carries eight
15-inch guns in four turrets of two
guns. Although the guns of the Queen
Elizabeth are one inch larger than the
guns of the Pennsylvania. the total
weight of shots fired in one broad
side Of II guns from the Pennsyl-
j. oil q
than the amount thrown by eight guns
on the Queen Elizabeth, while the
speed Of the Queen Elizabeth is four
knots greater than that OF the Penn
svlvania the arnlor protection of the
PENNSYLVANIA is clearly greater than
that of the Queen Ellis beth and the
speed OF England's later dreadnaughts
will be about the same as that OF the
PENNSYLVANIA.
Jap ship Approaches Ii.
The Japanese battleshiD FuSO. now
building. approaches the Pennsylvania
more nearly in size than any othe.
foreign battleshIp. She is OF 90. 600
tons displacement with a speed Of q
knots She carries / . 14-inch guns in
six turrets OF two guns each.
The launching of the Pennsylvania
is one OF many concrete proofs of the
strength. effectiveness and steady de-
Velopment OF the navy of 1915 We
shall take leave to be strong upon the
sea in the future as in the past" de-
clared Pres't Wilson in his December
message 10 congress In correctly out
lining the duty OF the United States.
The motto OF the navy Of today IL
training. training and more training:
practice and more practice Nothing
else keeps ships and men fit Today
thev are ut and ready"