Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-05-15
SHE'S A GOOD SEA BOAT.
Satisfactory Trial Trip of the Cruise
Charlie Cn-Ou i'm u

20 lao arp OA HI NTuISE
Charleston-Out in n
SANTA BARBARA, CAL, May 9.-The
United States cruiser Charleston ar
rived here for her trial trip last even
ing, making under easy steam, during
the last portion OF her trip, a little more
than fourteen knots per hour. The
cruiser lett Mission Rock, in San Fran
cisco Bay, at 4:5S O'Clock on Tuesday
morning. The circular bulwarks fore and
ait, where the S-inch r te guns are to
find position and in the sponsors Tor the
accommodation of the six-inch guns
were piled pig iron bars in sufficient
number TO represent The weight rs
powerful guns. The brass ratings and
mountings lacked polish, while a grea
portion of the wood and metal WORK
was covered with tarpaulins tor pro
lection. Lanterns were suspended in the
ward rooms and passageways Tor lighting
purposes in lieu Of the electric plant
which is not yet complete. Apart from
these features, which had no bearings
upon the working capacity of the
cruiser, she was in readiness to attempt
the duty assigned her OF developing
1000 horse power by her two compound
engines for four consecutive hours-a
more severe test, it is claimed, han any
to which the ships of war are usually
subjected in making a test of power
and speed.
After her compasses had been salts
factorily adjusted, the Charleston, at 8
o'clock headed down the bay. The
union jack hoated at the fore, while the
American ensign was holsted aft. A
strong southwest wind had been blow
ing. and there were heavy waves on
the bay. The engines had been
gagged to forty revolutions, which
lily forward. During the toughest
portion of the passage both screws at va
rious stages we're completely out of the
water. At one time the Charleston took
u dip into the trough of the sea and inn
mediately pushed into the second wave,
which enveloped all on board.
The coma broke over the breast,
flooding the officers on the
bridge, and hosting the brass stanchlon
on the forward deck out of position.
At almost the same moment a wave
broke fairly over the s~tarboardside OF
the ship followed by a second which
completely flooded the main deck, turn
ing the head of the ship towards the
south. She finally rode out to sea, and
encountered during the remainder of
tuC gay I0S6 UOISLCIOuS SEAS.
The naval officers were free to say
that the Charleston had behaved hand
somely, and that the test had been u
severe in the matter of her staunch-
ness. Constructor Fernald remarked that
in ten years service she would probably
not encounter a rougher sea, or be SUBJ
lected to q more severe test AS to her
structural ~seagoing qualities.
From 10 o'clock until l O'Clock in the
afternoon the engines were allowed to
exhibit a little more power. and the
cruisers progress indicated an even
speed of eleven knots. When off Santa
Cruz the engines were slowed down on
account of a slight tendency to heating,
shown by the cross-head of one of the
high pressure cylinders, and were
finally stopped to put a SHIN under the
cross-head to relieve this tendency.
The engines were again start
ed at 6 o'clock in the after
noon, and were run steadily to
Santa Barbara at gradually increasing
speed, without showing further heating.
The engineers reports show that in the
run from San Frantisco to Santa Barba-
ra not a journal or pin showed heat.
The engines had run smoothly and with
out a jar, and with the one exception
noted, to the entire satisfaction of the
contractors and the government engi-
neers. The airpump vacuum remained
steadily at twenty-seven inches during
the run.
During the four hours run from off
Point Benchon to Point Conception
ending at 2 o'clock Yesterday afternoon,
the speed of the cruiser averaged thir-
teen and three-tenths knots per hour.
From Point Conception to Santa Bar
bara the engines were maintained at
steadily increasing speed, and the cruis-
er exhibited maximum speed Of four
teensand twelve one-hundredths knots
during the last stage of the run to this
mort