The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-28

cruiser San francisco gave splendid per-
formance on her official trial trip in Santa
Barbara Channel this morning. The trial
was made under the most favorable cir
cHnstanees, so far as weather was con-
cerned. The slightest kind of breeze was
blowing and, except in the vicinity of Point
Conception, the waters Of the channel were
as quiet as thuse Of a small lake. The
average speed OF the San Francisco, which
was determined by the Board Of Naval
Officers appointed to conduct the trial. vas
1851 knots per hour
AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT.
1t is generally believed that the speed
would have been greater than this had it
not been for an unfortunate accident which
occurred during the progress of the trial.
Water got into one of the chambers,
through which a current of air is famed
into the furnaces for the purposes of pro-
dueing forced draft Consequently the
water was being forced into the ash-pan
aud then into the fire, and it was necessary
TO stop one of the fans for some time until
the chamber could be clsesrGd Of water.
When the fan was stopped the draft was
accordingly shut off to certain extent and
the steam ran down. which fused consid-
cradle loss of power for some time. Irving
M. Scott, General Manager Of the Union
Iron Works and an expert engineer, w. K.
Eckart and Chief Engineer Rogert For
sythe, who also represented the Union Iron
Works, estimate that the tine lost by this
accident amounted to four sniautes, which.
If it could have been alIC,, d to the San
Francfsco's credit, would have given her
an average speed of SO knots.
ENTITLED TO a PREMIUM.
However, her maximum speed was over
twenty knots, and the average speed ac-
tually made entities her TO premium of
100000, and it is not probable that another
trial will be held.
United States Coast Survey steamers
Hassler and Macarthur, which have been
lying here several weeks, left during the
night to station themselves along the trial
course for the purpose of acting as stake
boats and also to make tidal observations.
The Hassler anchored ten miles above the
starting point. and the Macarthur anchored
at the northwestern end of the course. The
San francisco got under way about O'Clock
this morning and steamed in southeasterly
direction about ten miles below the soath-
ern end of the course. She then turned
and started toward the course, gradually
increasing her speed. The course was
determined entirely from shore bearings,
which had been previously placed IN p0-
slti0n. About 80 o'clock the San Fran
cisco was drawing to the line which marked
the CONFINEMENT of her trial. Her en-
gines were making over 100 revolutions.
and everything was in readiness to give her
a fair start. The members of the trial
board stood on the forward and after
bridges and on the poop deck to keep time
and make observations of shore bearings.
a dozen naval engineers were stationed in
the engine-roOms and fre-rooms to get
necessary data for determining the horse
power.
THE START.
At7:41 o'clock the San Francisco entered
the course and started on her long, hard
run Of four hours. Great masses of foam
ing water rolled from her bow as she
CUT her way through the channel, but the
great waves which she made when running
through the shallow water in San Francisco
Bay were not seen here, owing to the great
depth of water. Notwithstanding the ter
rife rate OF speed which she had already
attained the cruiser was perfectly steady,
there being not the slightest roll or pitcn
perceptible. The culver Of the ship, which
necessarily follows such rapid movement
of machinery was also comparatively slight,
and there was a marked difference between
the San Frapeisco and Charleston in this
respect. The first four miles of the course
was run over in little more than twelve
minuteS-almost twenty-knot pace. This
rate of speed was maintained during the
two hours one minute and thirteen seconds
the cruiser crossed the northwestern line q
minute and fraction being the trihing
time that prevented her from making the
whole distance at twenty-knot rate.
THE RETURN.
On the way up the course she had passed
very close to the Hassler and Macarthur.
The crews of both steamers stood on the
rails and cheered the San Francisco loudly,
and the steam whistles also blew salute.
IL was believed that what little current
there was in the channel was running
toward the northwest, and it was thought
that extra efforts would have TO be made on
the return run to overcome this difficulty.
On the rip up the channel the engines had
averaged from 126 TO 129 revolutions, but as
soon as the cruiser turned in a large circle
without diminishing her speed and had
struck into the course again, fifteen min
utes later, she was Immediately forced a
little more, and at one time maximum of
l31 revolutions was reached, and the vessel
was driven through the water at a rate of
speed probably exceeding anything within
the experience OF any one aboard. Com
paratively little smoke poured from her
f:nnels, but a cloud of cinders came down
on the decks and through the hatchways.
The cruiser seemed to be striving hard for
n twenty-knot rate, and there was much
excitement aboard in consequence.
TINE LOST.
which made it necessary to stop one of the
fans, and several minutes elapsed before
the ship again regained her greatest speed.
During the last few minutes of the run
there was considerable excitement aboard.
The cruiser reached the end of her course Il
moment after u o'clock, and as she crossed
+, the line. a terrific blast burst from her fog
siren and ringing cheers came up from the
hre-rOom and engine-r0om patches from
the men who had done their best for four
hon vii, xiot for tta
Francisco. The cruiser proceeded on the
same course for half an hour until her
superfuous steam could be worked off, and
then she returned slowly to Santa Barbara
and anchored about half mile off shore.
Actual time consumed in making the
eighty nautical miles, not including the
turning time at the farther end of the
course, was hours, minutes and 81 sec
onds, or practically hours and 6 minutes,
being only six minutes over the time which
would have given her twenty-kno OF record.
AVERAGE SPEED.
The actual speed average during the run
of 50 miles was 1876, being sixteen one
hundredths of a knot less than the record of
the Philadelphia. When the result of the
trial was canvassed there was general con-
graduation aboard the cruiser. and the fire.
men, with coal-begrmed faces, soon ap-
peared on deck and continued their cheer
ing for some time. During the entire run,
with the exception Of the tri1ing accident
already mentioned, there was not slip in
any part Of the machinery, and the fire.
room and eDgine-room were comparatively
comfortable. The trial course lay from
half-mile to three miles off shore, and the
greatest interest was taken in the trial, par
ticularly in the vicinity of Santa Barbara,
where crowds of people stood on the pier
and lined the beach watching the vessel
pass by. The San francisco will remain at
anchor here until tomorrow morning, when
she will start north, arriving in San Fran
cisco by Friday morning.
The trial board has forwarded a dispatch
TO Washington stating that the average
speed of the San Francisco was 19 7-10
knots.