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Witnessed By Thousands

Witnessed By Thousands image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
October
Year
1898
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Newport News, Va., Oct. 5. - The mammoth United States battleship Illinois, one of the three latest additions to the navy and probably the most powerful fighing machine afloat, was launched today under auspicious circumstances. Mies Nannie Leiter, daughter of L. Z. Leiter of Chicago and Washington, broke a bottle of American champagne en the big ship's bow and said: "I '"-r'frten thee Illinois." Chicago and "Washington were represented by large delegations of prominent men and wanien, while the nearby cities and villagcs practically emptied themselves of their population in order to assist the state of Illinois in honoring the baptism of the great ship which is to bear the name of the prairie state. A conservative estímate places the crowd of visitore at fully 20,000, and it is believed that fully 30,000 persons witnessed the ceremonies attendant upon the launching. The weather was ideal. Secretary of the Navy Long and other government officials carne down on the fanious Gloucester. The other men-of-war detailed to be at the launching were the New Orleans and the Montgomery. T-he country'e famous sea-fighters were well represented by Capt. "Bob" Evans, Capt. Clark of the Oregon and Capt. Rogere. Following the launching there was a banquet this afternoon. President Olcott of the shipbuilding company had suggested these additional speakers and their topics: Secretary Long, "The Navy;" Gov. Tyler of Virginia, "Virginia." Judge Hamlin of Shelbyville, 111., and Senator Orville C. Berry were two of the speakers. Chief Constructor Hichborn gives the following description of the dimensions and equipments of the great battleship. Length on load water line, 368 feet; beam, extreme, 72 feet, 2% inches, inches thick at the bottom, except at the forward end, where it will taper draft, on normal displacement, of 11,525 tons, 23 feet, 6 inches; maximum displacement, all ammunition and stores on board, 12,325 tons; maximum indicated horsepower (estimated), 10,000; probable speed, 16V2 knots. The main battery will consist of four 13-inch breech-loading rifles and fourteen 6-inch rapid-flre guns. The secondary battery will sist of sixteen 6-pounder rapid-fire guns, four 1-pounder rapid-flre goms, two C!olt guns and two field guns. She will carry four torpedo tubes. The armor belt, which extends from the stem to abaft the after turret, Is to be 16% inches thick at the top and 9M inche sthick at the bottom, excep at the forward end, where it will tapered to four inches at the etem. Diagonal armor, 12 inches thick, connecting this belt armor and barbettes and extending from the slopes of protective deck to the top of the side belt on each side, is worked to give protection from a raking fire. The turrets will be operated by electric power; also the ammunition hoists and the dynamo and auxiliary blowers for ventilating purpoees. There will be eome eighty odd auxiliary engines in the vessel, adding greatly to the efficiency of the ship.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat