The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-08
|PIAVE LAUNCHING
TRIBUTE TO ITALY
Ambassador di Celere Chief
Speaker Before Crowd of
10000 at Kearny, N. j.
DIAZ SENDS GREETINGS
5000 Ton Steel Ship One on
: Which Riyeting Record
Was Made.

If there is any foundation for the
salty old superstition that II Is good luck
TO launch ship some time between
rainfall and sunshine. the good ship
Piave, youngest member Of the Emer-
gency Fleet Corporations rapidly grow
ing family of steel vessels ought to ride
in safety through submarine zone and
mine field. and live 10 ripe old age In
Uncle Sans merchant marine service
after the war.
For soon after IL o'clock yesterday
morning. as Old Sol was poking n wan
but promising face through the clouds
that were still oozing few drops OF
rain on the 10000 or more persons gath
cred to witness the launching ceremony.
the Yiave slipped from her ways In the
yards of the Federal Shipbuilding Com
pany at Kearny, n. j., and dipped her
stern into the waters of the Passaic
River.
Countess Macchi di Celere. wife of the
italian Ambassador TO the United States.
christened the vessel. which was named
after the river on which the italian army
won its signal victory over the COM
bined forces of the Germans and Aus
ain, France, Belgium, Portugal and
Japan attended the ceremony and the
presence of company of sailors from a
Brazilian man-of-war bore additional
evidence OF the fact that the event was
Of international Importance.
Gen. Diaz Sends Greetings.
Thousands of Italian workmen en-
ployed in the Kearny yards watched
the proceedings with an intent eager
ness which seemed to justify the hope
of the Emergency Fleet Corporation that
the ceremony might tend to cement the
friendship between Italy and the United
States and thus pave the way to a COM
plete commercial solidarity between the
allied nations after the war. To this
informal approval a touch of official
sanction was added by the receipt of the
following message from Gen. Diaz, COM
mander of the italian armies:
ITO the good ship Pave, christened
by the noble American nation, after the
river of the Italian victory and the re-
demption of the whole Italian army
fighting on its we'll defended line and
ready to move forward to fresh battle
for the triumph of the common cause.
the army sends its most heartfelt
greetings"
The ceremony was conducted with mill
itary precision. Promptly at 10 o'clock
in the morning the "Piave Day" COM
mittee in charge of the affair left the
Ritz-Carlton with its guests and pro-
ceeded to Kearny in twelve automobiles
driven by members of the Women's Mo-
tor Corps under the commandership of
Major Bastado. At IL O'Clock the mill
tary band stationed under the flag
lacked launching stand struck up the
taIt 10, te,,, ,t.,s
whistle sounded and the big ship in gala
attire swept down into the river TO the
cheers of the crowd and the congratu-
laiory footing of whistles.
Ambassador di CeIere Speaks.
Speaking to the crowd from n plat
form constructed alongside of the
launching stand Count di Celere de-
clared that launching OF the ship forged
another link in the chain of supplies
reaching from the United States to the
battlefields OF Europe.
Gov. Walter Edge of New Jersey. who
followed Count di Cellere to the speakers
stand. expressed the hope that the ship.
with its inspiring name, would render as
valuable service to civilization as had
the "all important victory of the Italians
on the Piave."
After the speaking luncheon was
served in the Administration Building
in the shipyards to the guests of the
Piave committee. Among those who at
tended were:
Commander Tritoni, the Italian Con-
sul-General here: Gen. Guglielmotti, l ~
military attache OF the italian Embassy
Lieut. Prochet. Col. Binda Capt Tapp!.
Lieut., Spnola. Prof. Ettore Cadorin,
Commander Vanutelli, Major Serrati.
Kuramatsu Mural the japanese Vice
Consul in this city: Commander Belt
and Lieut.. Ridgley of the Royal British
navy, Capt. Vladimir Hurban, military
attache or the Czechc Slovak National
Council Princess Eugeila Ruspoli, Mrs.
William Jay. chairman of the I%avc
committee; Mr.. and Mrs. Iselin. Mrs
William Post, Mrs. NJ. w. Thompson
Col Wilson and Lieut.. BatcheIder of the
United States Army and Lieut.. Com
mander Longbottom and Lieuts. w. II
Scollan, H. Dies. James A. Wilson and
Ernest Wiiett OF the United States
Navy Lieut. Philip b. Birming ham
represented Major-Gen Bell at the cere
mony.
In addition to Mrs. Jay the Piave
committee included Mrs Herman Dur
yea, Gertrude Atherton, Baron de Car
tier. the Belgian Minister; Prof and
Mrs. iauOrln, 'naTltS W. Eliot, MET.
Fay, Mr.. and Mrs Felice Ferrero. Mrs
Goelet. Samuel Gompers, Sir I,owther
and Lady Grant, Robert Underwood
johnson. NJ. Jusserand, the French Am
bassador. and Mrs Jusserand DR.. Man
ming. Lionelo Perera. Mr.. and Mrs. T.
T. Ryan, Mr.. and Mrs. Charles NJ
Schwab. Or. Anna Howard Shaw and
Gen. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Many of the members of the committee
were unable TO attend the ceremony,
however.
Another ship Launched.
The keel Of the Piave-a 5000 ton
ship-was laid in March, and it was on
this ship that n record for overhead
rive;ing was made by a Polish work.
man,
Another steel vessel built for the
Emergency Fleet Corporation was
launched yesterday morning from the
plant OF the Downey ShipbuIlding Cor
porat!on at Arlington, Staten Island.
II was christened the Osakis by Miss
Priscilla Wing OF Brooklyn, the fiancee
70 l.n