Christened with a smile, by Miss Alice C. Seaver, the New Bedford, the latest addition to the fleet of the N. B., M. V. and N. Steamboat Co., took to the water Saturday. With her flags flying in the sunshine she slid from the ways at the fore River shipyard at Quincy before an audience of several hundred.
Two tugs awaited the steamer which slid smoothly down the ways, and within two minutes they had lines aboard the vessel. They towed her to a nearby dock, where she was tied up until after luncheon was served to the launching party, which then proceeded to inspect the steamer.
From this day forth the Islander and the Nobska are but names, not boats. The Islander becomes the Martha’s Vineyard, the Nobska the Nantucket. Deputy Collector of Customs Duffy of the port of New Bedford has announced that on application of the New England Steamship company the change of names for the vessels has been approved by the commissioner of navigation. The third new steamer of the line will be the New Bedford. Thus are honors distributed with mathematical precision between the ports of call of the Island line.
In just four and one-half months from the time her keel was stretched on Nov. 10 last, the steel steamer Nobska, built for the New Bedford, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket steamboat line of the New England Steamship Company, was launched at 12:43 Tuesday afternoon by the Bath Iron Works, Ltd., at Bath, Maine.
Steamer Islander, built by the Bath, (Me.) Iron Works, Ltd., for the New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamboat Co., was launched Wednesday afternoon of last week, at about 5 o'clock.
Crashing together in the dense fog Monday morning the steamers Miramar and Gay Head sustained serious damage. The collision came off Mosher’s Ledge, outside New Bedford harbor.
The upper-works of the Miramar were smashed and she was battered in only a short distance above the water-line. It is probable that the presence of mind and prompt action of both captains avoided a serious accident. As it was there were no serious injuries and the damage to the boats is the only result of the crash.