The morning call., 1890-08-30
BACK IN PORT.
Return of the San Francisco
From Her Trial Trip.
Results Of the Tests Made on the Passage Up
the Coast-she Gains for Her Builders
a Handsome Premium.

lttu uldhIi5 I'LL OIiNldl UP IhO Poo-
sage up from Santa Barbara was made in %
hours. The vessel was sighted from Point
Iobos about o'clock and at O'Clock she
steamed through the Golden Gate and passed
up the bay to her anchorage.
The news was quickly passed along the
front that the cruiser was passing in and
large number OF people hurried down to
the docks to get glimpse of her. She pre-
scented a peculiar appearance with her fam
tastic decorations. Every bit of bunting
on board was flung to the breeze, while
large kite. on which were printed the
figures "20O6," indicating the rate of speed
she attained during the last ten miles OF her
trial trip. flew from the poop-deck. The
same figures were also painted in large
characters on the side of the vessel and on
the smokestacks, stanchions, davits, etc.
and a row of coa-baskets was strung be-
tween the smokestacks.
When the cruiser arrived off Black Point
she WAS met by the tug Sea Queen, which
saluted with her whistle. The salute was
taken up by the red stack tugs at Vallejo
street Wharf, then by the Pacific Coast
steamships and the ferry-bOats, next by
Spreckels' line of tugs until every steam
craft on the water front was shrieking
welcome to the swift record-breaker. Cap
tain Miner Goodall stood on the bridge,
with his hand on the cord connecting with
q the fog siren, and was kept busy answering
the salutes,
The climax was reached when the cruiser
arrived at her anchorage. AS she rounded
to the whistles of the Union Iron Works,
the rolling mills, the gas works, the Arctic
OIL Works, the sugar refinery, the rope
works and all the other manufactu turing
establishments in tito Potrero footed out
welcome, the deep, hoarSe boom of the
siren juined, and such din was never
heard in Mission Bay before.
The San Francisco made great run up the
coast from Santa Barbara. She left there at
10 o'clock yesterday morning, and would have
arrived here much earlier yesterday had IL not
been that she was given series Of turning and
reversing trials few miles below Point Con-
ception, which delayed her several hours.
During these trials her engines were making
from seventy-fve to Seyenty-eight revolutions
per minute, and her speed was thirteen and
half knots.
She was first given two tests OF turning Ii
circle, with both engines going.
> The time consumed in completing the circle
was minutes and 81 seconds on the first trial
and minutes and 10 seconds on the second
trial.
No actual measurement was taken OF
these circles, but the general estimate was
that their diameters were from go to $50
yards, and the tests showed that the
mancuvering qualities of the vessel were
remarkable.
The turns were very much shorter than
those made by the Charleston year ago.
The next tests given the cruiser consisted
in throwing the helm hard over and revers-
ing one engine while the other went ahead.
Tie results from these tests were entirely
satisfactory.
Notwithstanding the fact that her en-
giues were moving at the time at rate
sufficient to give the vessel a speed of 132
knots. she seemed 10 turn almost on pivot,
and the diameters of the circles actually
made were less than the ships length.
The circles were com pleted in six min
utes and two seconds and sln SIX minutes
and twelve seconds.
The steam and hand steering gear were
next given thorough tests, and the helm
was thrown hard over, first on the star
board and then on the port side. IN remark
ably quick time.
THE STEERING GEAR.
All the tests were satisfactory except in
the case of the hand steering gear on the
quarter deck, and the Naval Board on the
cruiser will recommend that necessary al
terations be made in the plans OF IT this, SO
that its mechanism will be simplitied to an
extent which will enable the gear to be
used under high rate OF speed IN case OF
an emergency.
This gear, which consists of three I'M
mense wheels, was designed in such way
that but a very slight purchase can be OBJ
tanned on the iron rudder, which weighs
1900 pounds, and the gear can be USED only
when the vessel is going ahead very SLOWLY,
and greatly diminished resistance Is Oh
fered to the rudder.
Twelve men were stationed at these
wheels, but they we're unable to throw the
rudder over more than ten degrees, and even
then several cogs on wheel connecting the
gear with the main shaft were broken.
All the tests made with the other hand
and steam steering-gear, which is located in
the pilOt-house and coming tower and In
the extreme after part of the ship below the
protective deck, were perfectly successful,
and all the naval officers aboard expressed
surprise at the ease with which the cruiser
could be handled.
The last test was to reverse both engines
suddenly and send the vessels astern.
W ten this trial was made the engines were
making SeYenty-tlye revolutions per minute,
and ten seconds after they were reversed they
we're making sixty-eight revolutions In an OPP
poSlte direction, and III forty-tive seconds the
vessel was moving backward, having changed
her direction within her own length.
The engines were next thrown over to their
original position, and the vessel gained head
way gain in one minute.
The san Francisco made remarkable run
from FONT conception TO this port.
FORCED DRAUGHT.
At about 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon
she commenced running with one boiler
under forced dra1ght, the other three
boilers not being used at all. This test was
continued eight hours, and all the coal used
during that time was carefully weighed for
the purpose Of ascertaining the quantity of
coal consumed during four hours run
unGer forced draft with all the boilers in
Use.
I During the eight hours trial. with but
one boiler IN use, the steam pressure was
kept up 10 between $50 and 139 pounds, the
revolutions were from 70 to so per minute,
and the speed ranged from - to IA knots.
The exact amount OF coal consumed has
not been determined yet, but approximately
1t was between eight and nine tons per
hour.
With the four boilers in use this would
show ii consumption of between thirty-two
and thlty-siX tons per hour under forced
draught, but it is probable that on an actual
test Of the vessel, such as was given her
her during her trial run on Wednesday, the
consumption would be somewhat in excess
OF this hgure.
When the eight hours test was concluded
two boilers were Us ed under natural draught
1Or the remainder OF the trip.
lhe revolutions were increased to about
elghty-10ur per minute, and the speed
averaged nearly fifteen knots.
The actual speed made by the San Fran
cisco on her trial trip in Santa Barbara |
Channel last Wednesday morning has not
yet been determined, and 1t will probably
not be known definitely until after the
board appointed 10 conduct the trial has |
submitted its final report.
The calculations Lave not been completed
yet, and considerable work is necessary to
dtte mi 9 to the minutest detail the exact
Qls a. c. which the cruiser Travelled during
her nial, and the number OF hours, minutes
and seconds which elapsed while the vessel
wa, asolng over that distance.
1t l. definitely settled, however, that her
maXlI-um speed was 20.o6 knots, and that
this Fate was maintained during the last ten
knots If the run.
DO lar as tile average speed for the four
hours run can be determined now, the Trial
BOARD has agreed that the rate was d slight
iracI2h under 1912 knots, but this figure
IS 81 l subject 10 correction, though it is
not believed 1t will be reduced
PASSING UP THE BAY.
Cheering the Cruiser steaminr 70 u.r