Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-25


hours longer, and it was not till 7:10 in
the even ng that the signal was given to |
slow down to normal speed, and even |
then the engines continued to move for |
half an hour almost at full power, until |
the heavy steam pressure could be
worked off.
FEATURES OF THE TRIAk.
Thare we're many remarkable features
connected with the trial. The continu-
GUS run of six hours under forced draft
at the high rate of speed which the
Charleston developed has certainly never
been approached by any vessel of her
class. The prototype of the Charleston,
| the Japanese cruiser Naniwa-kan, made
an average OF IS $40 knots over a run
of a measured mile, but the Charleston
developed almost the same rate OF speed
over a course of nearly 100 miles. Dur
ing a short run last Wednesday, when a
temporary disarrangement OF the
machinery caused suspension OF the
trial, the Charleston at one time made a
rate of over nineteen knots. and
developed speed superior to that of her
prototype.
Yesterday she demonstrated the
severe and constant test to which her
machinery could be put. The naval
engineers now on the Charleston express
a decided opinion as to the 1900 horse
power claimed for the Naniwa-kan, and
do not hesitate to say that the Japanese
cruiser never showed that development.
| A chief engineer of long experience in
| the navy said it was impossible for cylin-
ders the size of those of the Naniwa-kan
to develop that amount of horse power.
| He also declared that the Charleston
L., InxT
| in developing 5000 horse power if
the ship had been large enough to be
provided conveniently with cylinders of
sufficient size to use the steam which was
being made in her present boilers. He
expressed the highest admiration for the
Charleston's behavior yesterday, and de-
clared that she had developed the neces-
sary horse power and filled all the re-
|, quirements and that her record had
never been equalled by any other man
of-war.
Il Ninety.fve pounds of steam was indi-
Gated during the run yesterday and the
safety valve was blowing off all the time.
The racing of the forward engine, caused
by the etarboard propeller jumping out
of the water in the heavy sea, increased
the revolutions sometimes to 125 per
minute, but this was offset by the depth
to which the propeller sank when the
vessel rolled to the other side, and 116
revolutions is regarded as fair average
for the entire run.
IL CONSIDERABLE EXCITEMENT
i Prevailed on the Charleston during the
, trial. Such high rate of speed had
. been experienced by few, if any, of those
aboard before. The whole ship seemed
to quiver under the force of the powerful
b machinery. The American flag was fly
: ing aft during the six hour run and sew
n era passing steamers ssluted the cruiser
q as she left them in her wake The long
q run under forced draft was a severe
q strain upon sill the men who were obliged
4 to be in the engine room and the fire
i room. The atmosphere was sitting,
: owing to the intense heat from the fur.
: naces, and the fact that the matches had
been covered with canvas to keep the
g flying cinders from the machinery. A
n corps of naval engineers we're stationed
in various localities in the engine room
It taking data for computing the horse
: power. The men in the fire room sui
J, tered more than anyone else. Coal was
a poured into the furnaces for six Ions
" hours, and the men never left their post
IS for moment during all that time. Tht
/. black smoke rushing from the funne
1 showed the desperate efforts which were
i being made below, and the smokestscl
was so hot that it burnt the faces of the
q persons passing near it.
e WHEN THE TRIAL WAS OVER
g The first sound heard upon the vessel
!, was the loud cheers of the men in the fire
= = room, and in few moments as many o.
them as could be spared came rushing
fhn loIA 10 IAry ar
faces and renewed their demonstrations
on deck.
Irving NJ. Scott was the recipient o
l. many congratulations from the nava
Fs officers, and the men also crowded
ID around him and gave him cheer.
: 1t is impossible at this time to ascer
tain the development of the horse power
yesterday with any degree of accuracy
le Calculations will not be made for some
le time upon the data obtained today, but
~ the approximations as made by tbs
a naval engineers indicate development
st of 6,200 horse power by the main en-
n gines, to which 500 is added for the
st auxiliary engines, making total devel
Or opment of 6,700. This figure, it i:
10 claimed, will be within the limit.
10 Commodore Benham, as Chief OF the
e Naval Board appointed to conduct the
d official trial of the Charleston, has pre-
e pared dispatch to be forwarded to Sec
70 retary Tracy, stating that the trial of the
}, Charleston yesterday was satisfactory
9 and that the boilers, engines and ma
}. chinery worked admirably. He states
a that the approximate calculations show
= a development Of 6,700 horsepower,
Q and that the cruiser made a speed Of
}. eighteen kuots per hour.
II THE foregoing report was written by
n Mr. J. P. Duuning, of the Associated
= Press, and delivered to the HERALD in
e person, he having taken occasion, while
g the cruiser was coaling at San Pedro, to
n run up to the city to file his dispatches
y with the telegraph company. The yes
o sci was somewhat longer in coaling thar
If expected and did not get away from San
d Pedro until after O'Clock. It may be
:. stated in this connection that Mr.. Dun.
v ming is the able correspondent who 81
y graphically depicted the great naval dis
i aster at Samoa for the Associated Press
O Editor.
- OFFICIAL REPORT.