The New York herald., 1879-03-07
THE FASTEST CRUISER AFLOAT.
THE zABIAKA, TIE NEW RUSSIAN VESSEL, ON
TRIAL THIP-uNrREcEDENTED SPEED At
TANNED.


TRIAL TBIP-uNrnEcEDENrED SPEED At
TANNED.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
PHILADELPHIA, March q, 1879.
The Zabiaka, the fourth and last Of the new Rus
sian cruisers built in this city, officially tested
upon trial trip Of six hours duration to-day. The
Russian government-especally in the naval depart
ment-has manifested intense interest in
the result of this experiment. which has been
anticipated with lively curiosity not only
by the officials of the Cars navy, but by
many American naval engineers and constructors.
The other three Russian cruisers purchased in this
country were merchant ships hurriedly bought
ready built and altered to suit privateering pur-
poses. They are all admirable vessels, splenddly
fitted out and capable of great speed; but still the
Russians not quite satisfied. because the ships
had not been built specially for them. They wished
to secure the cruiser par excellence; Q sma
steamer capable OF the very highest possible
speed Nothing that money could buy
to make the cruiser the best Of her
kind aoat has been spared. and the Zabiaka is the
result. Tho Mischief is what her name would
mean in English, and the Russians think tonight
that she could play the mischief with the English
IL the occasion demanded it. A full description of
the Zabiaka published in the HERALD wnen she
was l0uncncO, so IL necessary TO repeat
that she 22O feet long, has 80 feet BEAM moulded
II feet inches depth Of hold. and has draft
of II feet inches She is bark rfgged and carries
great deal of The engine is q splendid
piece Of work and very powerful. 1t is compound
direct acting surface-condensing engine. fed by two
large cylindrical boilers and todays trial developed
fourteen or moro horse power. The high pressure
cylinder "a inches diameter and the low pressure
cylinder 36 inches diameter with 30 inches length
stroke. The Zabiaka is about the length the
Alabama. and is said to look like that famous
privateer externally; but. so far as speed is
concerned she would have much the
advantage Of the rebel pirate as an express train
would over an OK team. The battery Of the Zabiaka
consists Of six rifed breech loading guns of Russian
manufacture, sent from St. Petersburg and made of
cast steel. Four are of fourinch bore and are for
broadsdes. the ,,: other two are IRE Of six-ineh s
mounted on the spar deck, and the pivot
guns will train in any direction. The interior
workmanship and convenience. Every device that
add to the comfort of the 116 men and twelve
officers. which ,, is the complement OF the ship has
mans apartments are luxuriously tilted up in birds
eye maple and other polished woods of light coors.
with hangngs or rich stufis. and divans and chairs
OF blue velvet The wartiroom and officers state
rooms are small but handsomely furnished,
and provided with every comfort with
Ingenious economy Of space. A fine piano is one
of the attractions Of the wardroom the woodwork
of which is of the prevailing bir'iscyc maple Tho
sailors have finer accommodations than any in the
berth deck of an American manof-war being favored
with many little etceteras which unhcard OF
luxuries in navy. The cruiser steamed down
the Delaware to-day under the United States flag
"oficially, Sir Joseph Porter would say. She Is
still American vessel and the exclusive property
OF Mr. Wharton Barker. the banker of Philadelphia.
The neutrality laws, it is said, make this amusing
farce necessary by absurly forbdding the building
of ship-of-war anywhere in the United states for
any foreign nation, even in time OF profound and
universal peace Therefore, Mr.. Barker, an AIneri-
citizen, is the nominal owner of the Zabiaka, as
he Of tho other thrce cruisers. The transfer
will take place at sea somewhere beyond the nauti-
cal league from the coast to which the operation of
to-day Captain Semetchkin, Of the Imperial
Navy, in charge of the Russian naval affairs in
this country: Captain Loman. of the Imperial Navy,
who will command the cruiser after her formal trans
fer to Russia; Lieutenant Grigovovitch OF the Rus
sian Navy. executive officer OF the Zsbtaka; Chief
Engineer Ivsnhoh. Mr.. Wharton Barker. the Russian
financial agent and banker: Mr.. Charles II. Cramp
aud other representatives of the frm Passed Assist
tunt Engineer Crawford United States Navy, sndJ.
W. Griffith. OF the american Ship. The trial trip
lasted six hours. and extended from Philadelphia to
Fort Delaware and back The test of tho Zabiaka's
speed was extremely satisfactory to the Rus
sian officers In every respect. The Cramps
had tracted that tho cruiser should make fifteen
knots hour. and to-day experiment showed that
she will do much better than that. The time to-day
varied between fourteen and one-half to fifteen
and one-hah knots. tho average being over fifteen.
Captain Scmctchkin IN graceful speech ut luncheon,
enthusiastically complimcnted the Messrs. Cramp.
and declared the Zabiaka to bo the swftest vessel
atoat for her displacement. Captain Loman also
pressed the same opinion. There several
favorable circumstances in connection with to-days
trip, and 1t Is confidently predicted that when the
Zabaka goes to she will make . good sixteen
to-day with eighty pounds Of steam and the propeller
registered nincty-two revolutions per minute.