Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-10
Tire United stntes Cruiser Charles
rBy telegraph to The Dispatch

SANTA BARBARA. en-, May 9.-Tbe United
states cruiser CasGe.tOn arrived here Tor
her trial trio last evening, making under
easy steam 0uuug the lat portion OF her
uip little mole than fourteen AnOts per
hour. The cruiser let Mission Rock in
san Francisco bay az j.iS O'Clock Iuesd1y
morning. Ina TIE circular bulwarts fore
and of, where the eiQhtiuch riled guns
are 70 ind position. and In the sponsons
for tie accommodation Of the siX.inch guns
were piled pig-iron bars IN sutil cient num-
Der ~ represent the weight Of her powerful
guns. The brass railing, snd mountines
lacked polish, while great portion Of tie
wood aud meia>work was covered with
larpaulme for protection. Lanterns We're
suspended in the ward-roOmS and passage
wavs for lighting purposes in lieu ot the
elecrTic.lighi plant, which IS not complete
Apart from tle.e features. which bad no
bearing upon tue working capacity OF the
cruiser. .he was IN readiness 20 attempt the
duty assigned her OF developing seven ihou-
eaud-hOrse mower bv her TWO compund en-
glnes for four consecutive hOurs-a more
severe test, il is claimed, than any 10 which
shlps OF war are usually subjected IN making
a test Of their power aud speed. The CRUZ
ser Wa. IN command OF Captain Charles W..
Goodal. The official inspection board OF
the United states naval officers consisted
n Commodore Benham, Commander
Henry Glass. Naval Constructor Jo-
eph Fea.ter, Lieutenant J.. i. Qual~
trough, and Chief Engineer Harris.
There were several representatives OF the
Union lion. W orks on board, also Naval
Constructor Fernsld, United States navy,
who supervised the constitution OF tho
cruiser on behalf Of the Government. The
Inspecting corps Of engineers, acting ON be-
bali Of the Government 10 ascertain the horse
power OF the engines, consisted Of Chci-
Engineers L. !. Hoffman aud J.. j. W-rbur-
ton. Assistant Engineers Hollis, McElfoy,
Pickerel. DlssOn, kink.d, W. :. Smith, and
II, l.. Leonard. The naval contingent wss
also supplemented by Captain j. G.. Watson.
Commander +. =. Gilmore, and Lieutenant
Clakins and others. iGere were about 100
seamen and Others who were present in
official capacity. After her cOmpssses
had been satisfactorily adjusted the Charles
ton al S O'Clock beaded down the bay.
strong southwest wind had been blow ing
and there were heavy wave on tue BAY. She
was soon in combat with a strong running
sea. The engines had been gagged 10 forty
revolutions, which served 10 press the ship
steadily forward. Besides breaking forward
the water began % come over the stEboard
side. The cruiser held steadily on, rolling
very httle, but dipping down sharply after
rising on y big wave, hitting her stern high
ia the aiF. Dung the rOughesi portion OF
the massage both screws al various stages
were complctely ont u the water. During
this rough passage Commodore Benham to-
etther with Captain Watson were on the
bridge. At times the spray came over the
breastVork OF steel rising seven feet
above the geek. At one time the
Charleston TOOK DIP into the trough Of the
sea and immediately pushed into second
wave which enveloped all on board Us
comb broke over the breasiWorks, flooding
the officers on the bridge and hosting tie
brass stanchiOn on the forward deck ont OF
It's position. Al almost The same moment a
wave broke fairly over the starboald Side Of
the ship, followed by a second winch cons
pieiely flooded The main decK. She finally
rode out to sea and encountered less boisie-
rous seas. The naval officers were free 10
Ray that the Charleston had behaved hand
somelv, and that the test had been severe
one in the matter OF Der stsunchness. Con-
slructor Fernald remarked that in ten years
service she would probably not Cncoun-
ter rougher sea or be subjected 10
more severe test a. 10 her structural
sea-song qualities. From ID o'clock un-
iii / in the afternoon the engines were
allowed 10 exhibit a little more power and
the cruisers progress indicated an even
speed OF eleven knots. W hen OF Santa
Cruz the e0gines were slowed down on &C.
count OF = slight tendency to heating shown
by tue cross-head OF enc OF the high-prcssure
cylinders, and were finally stopped to put
SHIN under the crOss-head to relieve this ten
depcY. The engines were again started Al
O'Clock ia the afternoon and were run
steadily 10 santa Barbara at gradually H.
crossing speed without showing further
heating. The engineers reports show that
in all the run from san Francisco to Santa
Barbara not a journal or pin showed any
heat. The engines had run smoothly and
without Jar, and with the one eN.
ceplIon noted to the entire satisfaction
OF the contractors aud Government
engineers. The air-pump vacuum re-
NAMED steadily at tweniy-seven inches
during the run. During the four hours
run from off Point Benchou 10 Point Con-
ceptlon, ending at ? o'clock yesterday alter
noon, the speed Of the crusier averaged
thirteen and three tenths knots per hour.
Prom Point Conception 10 Santa Barbara
the engines were maintained at steadily
increasing speed, aud the cruiser exhibited
A maximum speed OF fourteen and twelve
buudredths knots per hour during he last
Stage OF the run 10 tins port A decision
will probably be reached to-day as 20 what
time the four hours run 70 test the engines
will take place.