New Britain herald., 1926-07-12
PERUVIAN SUB IS
 LAUNCHED TODAY
R-t Slides Down Ways at
 Groton Ship Yard

New London, July F P-Amid he shrill blasts of sirens, whistles and automobile horns. the Peruvian submarine R-1, sister ship of the re- gently launched R-2, slid into the Thames river from the ways at the shipyard of the New London Ship and Engine company in Groton, this morning, at 11:3O o'clock,
 The RI is one of two submarines of the Holland type built by the New London Ship and Engine company under contract with the Electric Boat company for the Peruvian gov ernment. The R-2, first of the two submarines to be completed, was launched the morning of April 29. Reels for both submarines We're laid in February, 1925, at which time Miss Isabel Leguia, daughter Of the Peruvian president, was sponsor. At an early hour this morning spectators poured into the gates Of the shipyard and automobiles took every available parking space near the ship and engine grounds and the Nelseco field. At II o'clock near ly 2,O00 spectators had assembled al the grounds,
 With the stroke of Ii o'clock, Il rally crew ot some 50 men took its place on either side Of the ways. A; a given signal they set their siedge hammers in motion and with re- sounding chatter, several hundred wooden wedges, driven q fraction ot an inch at the time, slowly raised the huge hull of her keel bringing all Of the pressure upon the thickly greased ways. In tree operations thQ steel giant was lifted clear of her keel bed.
 As the launching party mounted the platform, four men equipped with saws, ground away at the mar row strip of timber that held the E-1 to the ways.
 Mrs. Marie Meyer Ontaneda. wife of Lieut.. Commander Pablo Ontan- eda, who will command the R-2, was sponsor, assisted by Mrs, Madalaine De Castaneda, wife of Lieut.. Con- mandGr Umberto Castaneda, inspec- tor Of machinery.
 The launching party included members ot the Peruvian naval commission and their wives and among the guests of honor were Manuel Bedoya, first secretary to the Peruvian embassy at Washing ton; Captain E. J, King, commando ing officer of the |. $. submarine rn .l former member of the American naval commission to Peru. Mrs. Ontaneda and Mrs. CaStaneda car ried bouqucsts of roses, and an of- fcer of the naval commission brought to the platform the teak wood box containing bottle of Peruvian wine. The bottle was trapped in embroidered silk.
 With the final stroke of the saws upon the staybcams, the steel hull budged and the silk cncascd flask in the hand of Mrs. Ontaneda was shat tered against the steel prov. A tre- mendous cheer filled the air as the submarine slid down the ways, The cutaway was perfect and except for the sizzling of grease on the ways the slide was silent. On the deck of the RI Peruvian officers and men sent up an eXultant cheer.
 Gracefully the gleaming hull en- tered the water, without list or tilt few hundred feet out the cradle lines became taut and as the green under-surtace was immersed the
 III ,-I. Ttsa In wrought-up water and the R-1 float ed free. Only a thin strip of green paint showed between the waters edge and the black paint of the up- per structure. Nesting in a full sea at slack water almost without wind, the Ri pointed straight out, without turning 10 one side or the other. The Nelscco l went out to meet the submarine and after talk ing the Peruvian officers and men from the deck of the submarine put out a line and lowed the submarine toward shore, where the Ri was warped 10 a pier,
 The launching ceremony conclud- ed, an officer of the Peruvian com mission replaced the silk encased bottle in it's toakwood box. The box will be embellishcd with a silver plate and preserved as q memento Of the launching.
 The Ri is an exact duplicate of the R-2 which is now undergoing availability tests.
 During the construction period the Peruvian government has main tained at the Groton yards naval commission headed by Commander Enrique Monge as chief. assisted by Lieutenant Commander Umberto Castaneda, inspector of machinery.
 Engines and propelling machinery for the two submarines as well as equipment for the submarine base at San Lorenzo have been con- structed under their supervision.