The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-10-08
The Trial Trip of the ~I<1Iaue+t-


On Wednesday last, at IL A. M, the old steamer
KiLauea, now thoroughly renovated from stem to
stern, and from truck to keel, steamed out OF the
harbor with a large party of gentlemen, who had
been politely invited by the Agent, Mr.. Charles
Fl. Judd, to try the vessel and her new boilers.
Among the party we recognized their Excel
lencies the Ministers of the Interior and Finance,
also the Superintendent of Public Works, His
Maiesty's Chamberlain, and several other Gov
eminent officials. We also noticed Mr.. G. A.
Williams, the originator of the Kilauea enterprise.
Captains Daniel Smith and Wood appeared to
have charge of the log department.
The patent log was thrown overheard on pass
ing the spar buoy, and she steamed to windward,
past Diamond Head, against a pleasant trade
breeze, and a moderate head well and sea. The
engines soon attained 81 to Sc revolutions, which
was kept up steadily for two hours, with steam
blowing off at 25 pounds pressure, vacuum %.
On examining the patent log at the end of the
first hour, it was found she had made "a knots,
and at the end of the second hour II knots, or
lag knots in the two hours. which considering
the head wind and swell, and that the boat was
out of trim, with her bow up in the air, drawing
about eight feet forward and eleven feet aft, was
considered very satisfactory.
Just before turning round to return, some of
the loose dirt which is always found in new boil
ers, choked up the glass guages, and the stokers
in consequence allowed the water in the boilers to
get lower than advisable, before acquainting the
engineer. The fires had in consequence to be
slackened, and the steam on the return run was
kept at about fifteen pounds which gave ifty-two
OSCILLATIONS of the anuinaS RaInn 6eprivad 0f the
benefit of the glass guages, and having only the
guage cocks to be guided by, the engineer very
properly was not anxious to press the firing.
Still the run back to the spar buoy was completed
in one hour ~ffty-two minutes, and the patent log
showed a distance run of fourteen and three
fourths miles, or at the rate of a fraction less than
eight knots an hour. No sail was set on the trip.
Had the firing been kept up as on the run to
windward, there is no doubt she would have re-
turned at the rate of nine and one-half knots an
hour. In really smooth water, such as that II
which trial trips are usually made, and in proper
trim, the KiLauea may be put down as running
nine knots without pressing-say steam twenty
FIVE pounds, vacuum twenty-six, and revolu.
tions ffty-eight to sixty.
We have at different times heard a good dea
of criticism upon the KiIauea's engines, boilers
screw, and general efficiency. We now give 6
comparative statement OF dimensions between Ii
Ms double screw steam gunboat RingdoUe, nov
in this harbor, and which we have obtained from
Mr.. Foster the Chief Engineer of that vessel, an(
of the KiEauea. The engines of the RingdOu
were constructed by Mandslay, of London, il
1868, and show a type of the most modern ant
improved screw propeller machinery. This com
parison will afford a basis at any rate on which t.
form sound opinion for those who may feel in
criticising humor: