Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-05-23
SHIP LAUNCHING
CEREMONY HAS
ANCIENT ORIGIN
CUSTOM OF BREAKING BOTTLE
OF CHAMPAGNE ACROSS BOW
is LINKED WITH HISTORY

The comparatively modern custom
Of breaking a bottle of champagne
across the bow of a new ship as it
slides down the ways has its roots IN
q tradition as old as recorded history.
Wine was not always used for this
important function. Time was, CEN
turtles ago. when the launching Of a
ship was considered Of such religious
Significance that a human sacrifice
was made to assure the benevolent pro-
lection of pagan gods. A less sanguin
ary custom was that of decorating the
new craft with garlands and flowers
and adjoining its crew with crowns of
blossoms. AS the vessel slipped into the
water, a high priest purified its bow
with a lighted torch and consecrated
It in the name of the god whose image
1t carried
Goes Back 20 Ancient Times
The present practice of using wine
at a ship christening can probably be
traced to the general celebration which
usually followed the launchings in an
cient times although some historians
believe that the first use Of red wine
on such occasions was directly sym
bolic of the human sacrifice and blood
christening of old
In any case, wine, and red wine In
particular, soon became identified with
the launching Of all new ships. At first, /
the wine was not spilled on the vessel (
itself, but lifted in a good-luck toast
as the boat slid into the water This
soon became a standard custom in
early Ireland, and the cup which held
the wine was flung after the ship as
she floated for the first time.
The actual christening ceremony as
we know it today soon developed. Wine
was no longer passed out gratis to
well-wishing spectators probably for
economical reasons, but instead a
small amount was poured on the PROV
of the newly completed ship Later,
when champagne became widely
known, 1t was substituted for red wine,
since it was more costly and held in
higher esteem
Naming the ship was originally done
by men, until an English prince broke
the tradition in the 18th century by
appointing ladies from the court as
sponsors. Generally speaking, this cere- /
mony has been a woman's job ever
since. Usually, sponsors are relatives
Of the ships owner, or descendants Of
some distinguished person for whom /
the ship is being named
During prohibition many strange
products were used to take the place l
of the traditional sparkling wine.
Water, molasses, tomato juice and even ;
ice cream are just a few of those on
record. J
Interesting Stories
There is popular superstition 7
among sea-faring men that ship may
be linked" if it is not properly
launched by the champagne method !
and this has resulted in many inter-
eSting stories One Well-l1nown Ameri-
can passenger cargo vessel christened )
during the dry era with spring water a
from various United States streams is :
singled out to prove the link" rule.
1t has gone aground, had one serious 4
fire, its shippers license was suspend
ed and its Sailings have been frequent
" delayed due to labor controversies. c
Pure coincidence, no doubt, but the :
nautical man doesn't see it that way.
Dressing champagne bottles for 81
Americas rapidly growing a
fleet is really an art. To keep up with
the fast production rate of United Il
States ship launchings, one of the
largest wineries in California has In b
stalled special department to prop .
erly adorn champagne for this cere- Fl
monial occasion.
According TO Miss Velma Walker, b
the young lady in charge, it takes five :
hours to fully dress a champagne Fl
bottle. The tuxedo" consists of a I-l6 a,
inch flexible mesh holding jacket that 70
keeps the glass from flying into lady :
sponsors faces, and double 60-foot long o
red, white and blue bunting Of special B,
cloth that holds its shape after the :
bottle is smashed. IN
Even this little industry is faced 10
with wartime restrictions. 1t is prov . =
Ing almost impossible to get the gros- -
grain cloth needed for the bunting. pr
and ordinary silks or satins won't do. :
because they either slip or fail to 81
hold their shape.
The champagne, of course, is wasted =
on the ships prov at the launching, "a
but those dressed bottles are saved and Fr
stored aboard for good luck.