The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-05-15
THE NEW WAR SHIP CHARLESTON.
She Behaves Herself Handsomely on
Her Trial Trip.


SANTA BARBARA, Cal, May 9.-The
United States cruiser Charleston arrived
bere for her trial trip last evening, MAX
ing, under easy steam during the last
portion of her trip, little more than IA
knots per hour. The cruiser left Mis-
sion Rock in San Francisco Bay at 5:4S
o'clock Tuesday morning. In the irrcg-
ular bulwarks, fore and aft, where the
eight-inch rifled guns are to find posi-
ton, and in the sponsors for the accom-
modations of the siX-inch guns, were
piled high iron bars in sufficient num-
bers to represent the weight of her pow
erful guns. The brass ratings and
mountings lacked polish, while the
great portion of the wood and metal
work was covered with tarpaulinS for
protection. Lanterns were suspended
in the wardrooms and pasSagcwayS for
lighting purposes, in lieu Of the electric
light plant, which is not complete.
Apart from these features, which had
no bearing upon the working capacity
of the cruiser, she was in readiness to
attempt the duty assigned her
of developing seven thousand
horse power by her two compound en-
gines for four consecutive hours-a more
severe test, it is claimed, than any to
which ships Of war arc usually subjected
IN making tests of power and speed.
The cruiser was III command of Capt.
Charles NJ. Goodall. The official In
spection Board of United States naval
officers consisted of Commodore Ben
ham, Commander Henry Glass, Naval
Constructor Joseph Feaster, Lieutenant
E. F. Qualtrough and Chief Engineer
Harris. There were several representa-
tives Of the Union Iron Works on board,
also Naval Constructor Fernald I. S.
n, who supervised the construction OF
the cruiser on behalf of the government.
The inspecting corps of engineers, acting
on behalf Of the government, to as
certain the horsepower Of the engines,
consisted of Chief Engineers F. J. Hotf-
man and Z. T. Warburton, Assistant
Engineers Hollis, McElroy, Plckerell,
Disson, Kirkland. W. S. Smith and II.
L. Leonard. The naval contingent was
also supplemented by Captain J. c:
Watson, Commander T. 2. Gilmore ana
Lieutenant Calkirs and others. There
were about one hundred seamcn and
others who were present in semi
official capacity.
After her compasses had been salts
factorily adjusted, the Charleston, at s
o'clock, headed down the bay. a strong
Southwest wind had been blowing and
there were heavy waves on the bay.
She was soon in combat with strong
sea. The engines had been gaugcd to
forty revolutions, which served to
press the ship steadily forward. Besides
breaking forward, water began to come
over the starboard side. The cruiser
held steadily on, rolling very little, but
dipping down sharply after resting on
the big waves, lifting her stern high in
the air. During the toughest portion OF
the passage beth screws at various stages
were completely out Of water.
During this rough passage, Comlno-
dore Benham, together with Captain
Watson, were on the bridge. At times
the spray came over the breastwork OF
steel, rising seven feet above the deck. At
one time the Charleston took Il dip into
the trough of the sea and Immediately
pushed into second wave, which envcl-
oped all on board. The comb broke over
the breastwork, flooding the officers OF
the bridge and hosting the brass stan
chions on the foreward deck out Of po-
sition. At almost the same moment a
wave broke fairly over the starboard
side of the ship, followed by second,
which completely flooded the main deck.
She finally rode out to sea and encoun-
tered less bOisterOus seas.
The naval officers were free to say
that the Charleston had behaved hand
somelv, and that the test had been Sc
we're one in the matter Of her Staunch-
ness. Constructor Fcrnald remarked
that ten years service would probably
not encounter rougher sea or be sub
jecte6 to a more severe test as to her
structural Sea-going qualities.
From 10 O'Clock until l in the after
noon the engines were allowed to ex-
hibit little more power, and the cruiS-
er's progress Indicated an even speed Of
II knots. When off Santa Cruz the en-
gines were slowed down, on account Of
Slight tendency to heating shown by
the croSs-head of one of the high-preSS-
ure cylinders, and were finally stopped
to nut a shin under the croSs-head to
relieve this tendency, and the engines
were again started at o'clock IN the
afternoon 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 Francisco to Santa Bar
bara not journa! or pin showed heat
The engines had run smoothly and with
out Jar, and, with the one exception
noted, to the entire satisfaction OF the con
tractors and government engineers. The
air pump vacuum remained steadily
twenty-sevep inches during the run.
During the four hours run from off
Point Benchor to Point Conception, end
ing at o'clock yesterday evening, the
speed of the cruiser averaged 13 $40
knots per hour. From Point Concep-
ton to Santa Barbara the engines were
maintained at steadily increasing speed,
and the cruiser exhibited maximum
speed of II l2-1O0 knots per hour during
the last stage of the run to this port.
4 decision will be probably reached
to-day as to the time the four hours run
to test tGc engines Will take place.
Governor Thornpson's Appointment.