The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-17
A Great Race on the California Coast

Tho people Of the Pacific slope will soon
be treated to a great race against time and
distance like that which the Philadelphia so
splendidly won little while ago off the south
shore Of Long Island
Tho San Francisco, which will figure in
this race, was contracted for at the same
time as the Philadelphia, and like her was to
have been finished, under the original stipu-
lations, near the close oflast October. They
were both provided for in the same act Of
March 8, 1887, and the same maximum
amount was appropriated for each, namely,
81, 800, 900 for hull and engines. But although
originally treated as equal ships OF about
1000 tons displacement, the plans adopted
are little different, and tho Philadelphia, &C.
cording to the official figures, is the larger
vessel. They are alike however, in their
armament which consists Of twelve six-inch
breech-loadlng rifles in tho main battery.
For the San Francisco course forty
knots long has been laid out in Santa
Barbara channel She will run forth and
back over this track. making eighty
knots in all precisely as the Philadelphia
ran on tho course from Southampton TO
Block Island and back. Tho stipulation in
the San FranciscO's case is, like that in the
PhilaGclphla's, that she shall receive $4,000
premium for each quarter knot in excess Of
nineteen. and shall forfeit Like sum for
each quarter knot OF deficit. Tho degree
Of Importance, both for tho contractor and
the Government, attached to accuracy In the
computation Of the results Is obvious. It
WAS known to be quito possible that the
Philadelphia would earn 100000 In preml-
ulns, and she did earn two-third5 Of that
sum. No pains will be spared to make exact
calculatiousin tho Santa Barbara trial.
VIII the San Francisco equal tho Philadel-
phia in point of speed? This probably Is too
much to hope, although her builders do not
think 1t beyond the reach Of possibility; and
they fully expect TO earn some premium for
speed above tho contract. Her machinery
was designed by tho Bureau Of Steam Engi-
neerng, and her hull by the Bureau OF Con-
struction. from plans purchased in Eng
land by Secretary WHITNEY. Her en-
gincs are of nearly tho samo dimen-
sion5 in detail as those of tho Baltimore,
which were planned by English engineers
There is good reason to expect that tho
San FranciscOwil exceed the nineteen knots
demanded of her. The Charleston, built in
the same yards, although falling little
ccoded tho speed expected. The new cruiser
looks still larger than tho additional dis
placement would promise, rs the Charleston
has hor decks low, both forward and aft
while the San Francisco is built up higher.
Tho latter, like tho Philadelphia, has the rig
Of thrcc-masted schooner. spreading 54oO
square feet OF sail. Tho contract price Of the
san Francisco is Sl42soOo, while that Of the
Philadelphia is Sl,3joOOO. Tho difference
partly results from the difference in the bid
ding, as the Philadelphia was built under bid
by which the contractor provided the plans
and specifications, whilo the San Francisco
employed those furnished by tho navy
bureaus. In addition, tho act specified that,
If practicable, ono OF these vessels was to DO
built on tho Pacific coast, If this could be done
at a fair cost. In reality the CRAMPS had
submitted a bid of $4,000 less on the Same
plans as those used by the San Francisco
builders. But taking into consideration that