Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1896 — AUNCH OF THE IOWA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AUNCH OF THE IOWA

BEFORE a distinguished gathering of representative citizens of the State bearing its name, the battleship lowa, the best fighter in this or any other navy, was launched at Cramps’ shipyard in Philadelphia Saturday. A fair daughter of the Hawkeye State, Miss Mary Lord Drake, christened the vessel, while the rest of the honors were borne by her father. Gov. F. M. Drake. Miss Drake is a typical lowa girl and a young

lady of grace and dignity. Since the election of her father to me office of Governor she has occupied the position of “first lady of the State” in a manner that has gained for her the esteem of all who have met her. Nearly 300 persons attended from Washington. The party included Viee

August, 1893. This ship cost the Government for hull and engines alone a little more than $3,000,000, and her guns and appurtenances will cost more than a million in addition. The lowa has a thousand tons greatei displacement than her prototypes, the Indiana, Massachusetts and Oregon, which are already recognized as among the greatest naval vessels afloat. Her length on the water line will be 360 feet; beam, 72 feet 2% inches; draft, 26 feet 9 inches; displacement, 11,410 tons. Her guaranteed speed is to be 16 knots an hour. The main battery consists of four 12-ineh and eight 8-inch breech loading rifles and six 4-ineh rapid-fire guns, and the secondary battery of 24 rapid-fire guns, four Gatling guns and five torpedo tubes. Her sides will be protected by 14-inch armor. The lowa is fitted with a ram, and in a close engagement her commander will be able to drive her at a speed of about twenty statute miles per hour, with all the mighty rush of 11,410 tons of steel, pushed by engines having 11.000 horsepower, at the foe. It is almost impossible to estimate what would be the effect of such a blow. Nothing that floats could stand against it. The lowa, as the latest and finest example of American naval architecture and engineering, has attracted the attention of all the foreign experts and is already one of the most notable vessels in the world.

GOV. F. M. DRAKE.