Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-09
DANDY" CHARLESTON.
walks the Waters Like a
Thing of Life"
MOST SATISFACTORY TRIP.
The Union Iron Works of San Fran.
cisco Puts Another Tall
Feather in Its Cap.

SANTA BARBARA, May S.-The cruiser
left Mission Rock, San Francisco Bay, at
5 ;4S O'Clock Tuesday morning under
cloudless sky. The scene presented on
the deck OF 1.-THE cruiser was in sharp con-
trast to the smart appearance of the
American man. of-war in commission.
In the circular bulwarks, fore and aft,
where her S-inch riaed guns are to find
position, and in the sponsors for the
accommodation of the inch guns, were
piled pig iron bars in sufficient number
to represent the weight Of the powerful
guns. The brass ratings and mountings
lacked polish. while great portion OF
the wood and metal work was covered
with tarpaulins fer protection.
On the berth deck, sleeping ac,ommo-
dations had been improvised for those on
board in the shape Of straw mattresses,
pillows and blankets, while lanterns
we're suspen ded in the inward rooms and
passage ways for lighting purposes, in
lieu OF the electric light plant which is
not yet complete.
Apart from these features, which had
no bearing upon the working capacity of
the cruiser, she was in readiness to at
tempt the duty assigned her of develop
ing 1000 horsepower by her two COM
pound engines for four consecutive
hours,-a more severe test, it is
claimed, than any to which ships of war
are usually subjected in making test of
power and speed.
Tho oruiaor waa in command Of Gam
tain Chas. M. Goodall, official inspector;
the Board of United States Naval
Officers, consisting of Commodore A. E.
| X. Benham, Commander Henry Glass,
Naval Constructor Joseph Feaster, Lieu
tenant E. F. Qualtrough and Chief En-
gineer K. L. Harris As representatives.
of the Union Iron Works there we're on
board Secretary J. o. B. Gum, Major Il.
w. Dickie, Chief Engineer Robert For
sy;h, and Expert Engineer w. r. Reck-
ert. Naval Constructor j. L. Fernard.
! U. s. N, who supervised the con-
struction of the cruiser on behalf Of the
Government, was also on board, accom-
panied by o. FL. Hilton, carpenter,
| United States Navy. The inspection
corps of engineers, acting on behalf of
the Government, to ascertain the horse
power of the engines, consisted of Chief
Engineer F. J. Hoffman and e. T. War
burton, Assistant Engineer j. N. Hollis,
| G. w. McElrov, j. NJ. Pick ere,l, G. w.
OLSON, T. W. Kinkaid, w. s. Smith and
H. L. Leonard. The naval contingent was
also supplemented by Captain j. @.
Watson, Commander f. H. Gilmore and
Lieutenant G. W. Calkins, who were
present in their semi-ofiicial capacity,
with Surgeon Marsteller. United States
Naval Engineer Forsythe had seventy
seven men to assist him in the engine
department, who, with twelve seamen,
four quartermasters and twenty-five men
in the stewards department, made the
ships complement of men. Captain
Goodall was assisted by Chief Mate j.
g. Field, Second Mate E. McNevin,
Third Mate ]. Shea.
After her compasses had been satisfac-
torily adjusted, the Charleston, at 8
O'Clock, steamed down the bay, the
Union Jack flying at the fore, while the
American ensign was hoisted aft. A
ST. ong southwestward breeze had been
blowing, and rolling waves on the bar
gave full notice that the cruiser was to
receive rough baptism.
The engines had been gagged to forty
revolutions, which served to press the
ship steadily forward into the sea which
was coming almost directly head on,
tire waves raising higher ana higher
and breaking with increasing VIC.
lence. Besides breaking forward.
the water began to come over
the starboard side of the main
deck. The cruiser held steadily on, roll
ing little but dipping down sharply
after rising on a big wave, lifting her
stern high in the air during the toughest
portion of the passage. Both her screws |
at various stages were com pletely out OF |
the water.
During this rough passage, which |
nearly an hour, Commodore |
Benham, together with Captain Watson, |
were on the bridge with Captain Goodall, |
the Commodore showing critical inter-
est in the conduct of the cruiser, DESPITE
the fac that the spray came over the
bre astwork of the steel railing, seven feet
above the deck. At one time the
Charleston took dip into the trough of
the sea and Immediately pushed into the
second wave that enveloped the free
board and barbette with water to the
depth of seven feet; the comb, breaking
over the breast, flooded the officers on the
bridge and hoisted the brass stancheon
on the forward deck out of position. At
almost the same moment wave broke
fairly over the starboard side of the ship.
followed by second which completely
flooded the main deck, turning the head
Of the ship toward the south. She
finally rode out to sea. II
The naval officers were free to say that
The Charleston had behaved handsomely
md that the test had been a severe one
n the matter OF her staunchness. Con. +
,tructor Fernald remarked that in ten
years service she would probably not be
subjected to 80 severe a test as to her {
structural sea-going qualities.
From 10 O'Clock until | O'Clock in the 8
fternuon her engines were allowed to '
exhibit little more power, and the c
progress indicated an even &
peed of eleven knots. Q
When off Santa Cruz, the engines were v
lowed down on account of a SLIGHT
to heating shown by the cross.
lead OF one OF the high-pressure cylinders.
nd she, was finally stopped to relieve g
hat tendency. The engines were again d
tarted at O'Clock in the afternoon. and {
Gere run steadily to Santa Barbara at a n
radualiy increasing speed without show
ng further heating.
The engineers report shows that in
he run from San Francisco to Santa <
barbara not a journal or pin showed 3
eat. The engines have run smoothly and II
'ithout jar and, with the one exception L
oted, to the entire sa abstraction of the con.
actors and the Government eng;naar