Show CRUISER california LAUNCHED TODAY launching takes place under auspices of native sons of the golden west at union shipyards in san francisco san francisco april as th armored cruiser california was launched today at the shipyards of the union iron works of this city the electric button which started the vessel on her way to the water was touched by mrs walter 8 maytin daughter of henry T scott prea ident of the union iron works and the cruiser was christened callior Call for ala by miss florence may hardeo daughter of governor cardec of the of california the launching took place under tho auspices of the native sons of the golden wrt dranij lodge la in annual session at vallejo governor pardee and E E mayor of ban francisco major general aruar macarthur MacArt bur U S a tad of iho navy from the marc island navy yard and ofa cr of tae lull llla ru viewed the launching from the V S tuff slocum while four largo ferries carried nearly members of the native sons the cruiser california la supposed to embody the latest and best vessels of her class there are to be five vessels like her bat at present the nearest approach to her op any wafers Is the model british cruiser drake the construction of the california was authorized by congress march 1899 and the contract for her construction st was let about a year later she will coat complete her bull and machinery costing hw principal dimensions are bentli on load water una abet extreme breadth ca 12 feet mean draught 24 ewt and displacement 13 HO tin she will haitt twin screws anit triple expansion engines of awen ly larco thousand hurff power cap able of developing a maximum speed of 22 knots the california la the american ideal 0 a fighting ship her main battery la composed of tour 8 inch rifles placed in two armored turrets one tor ward awl one aft fourteen 6 inch and eighteen 4 inch rapid atre gunstra guns Tha secondary battery conalE tg or twelve three semiautomatic semi automatic guns four one automatic four one rapid fire guns two 30 galtung ga tUng elx 30 gentl metre automatic colts together with two tareo anch field pieces to bu used by landing parties the california will have a belt of steel armor seven and one hax inches wide on the water line nd varying thickness from three and a halt to six inches as welt as tho avo inches casement above the belt ot armor tor feet of tho vessels length the end of this ade armor will be joined by tra vente armor four inches thick thus forming a steel enclosure tor ten alx inch gutta the other four six inch guns are separately protected by nau inch armor at each corner of the superstructure er the eight inch gons are protected by armor alx inches illicit the steel protected ailt fk I 1 six blnche thick on lutc alope |