The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-30
THE SWIFT WARSHIP.
San Francisco Noisly Welcomes
Cruisers Return.
WHISTLES MAKE uNEARTHLy DIN
Record Breaker Gaily Decorated = Her
Performances at Sea Exceed Ex-
pectations of Naval Ofiicers.

cate about O'clock and steamed slowly up tue
bay TO her anchorage of the Union Iron Works.
The cruiser was covered with flags aud bunting
OF every description, and about IF y brooms
were tied to the smokes ack, sfanehions,
davis, and every upright portion OF
the vessel, and on the smokesIaek and along the
sides were painted in large characters the fg-
ures .'2o0 5,' indicating the rate OF speed at
tanned during the last ten knots OF her trial trip
In Santa Barbara channel Wednesday.
The crew had spent two hours in the early
morning decorating the ship, and many of the
devices were very striking. The fremen
showed the part they had taken to
enable the cruiser to break the record by string
ing row OF black coal baskets between the
smokestacks and they had also fastened to the
stacks and osher parts OF the ship number OF
coal shovels, from which were suspended huge
demijohns on which were printed IN white
figures s20.G6." A nag also few from the poop
rail, and many other similar decorations at
tracted great attention during the trip up.
Captain c. M. Goodall he San Francisco's
commander, stood on the bridge with his hand
on the cord connecting with the fog siren, and
for nearly an hour he kept it blowing almost
constantly in response t, salutes from every
S de. BY Captain Goodalps side stood Irving
Scott, general manager of the Union iron o1ks,
waving his hat enthusiastically all the
time. The naval officers aboard were on the
after bridge and almost the entire crew were
crowded ON the ferry, giving back ringing cheers
at every salute.
When the cruiser arrived off Washington
street wharf the noise became deafening. Vol.
umes of steam arose from the docks as all
the tugboats, coast steamers and factories
blew their whistles. and hundreds OF shrill
noises were mingled with the deep tones of the
siren, which must have been heard all over the
city.
All the men had stopped work for the time
and had crowded on deck. They cheered again
and again. An hour passed before the excite
ment subsidized.
The san Francisco made a great run up the
coast from Santa Barbara She lett there at
10 O'Clock yesterday morning and would
have arrived here much earlier to-day
had it not been that she was given
series OF turning and reversing trials few
miles below Point Conception. which delayed
her several hours. During these trials her en-
gines were making from seventy-ive to seventy
eight revolutions per minute, and her spes was
1914 knots. Ste was FIRST given test of turning
in circle with both engines going ahead The
time consumed in completing the circle was
i've minutes and thirty-two seconds on the first
tlial, and six minutes and ten seconds on the
second. No actual measurement was taken of
these circles. but the general estimate was that
their diameters were from two hundred and
fifty TO three hundred and fifty yards, and these
tests showed that the manGuvering qualities of
very much shorter than those made by the
Charleston year ago.
The next test given the cruiser consisted in
throwing the helm hard over and reversing one
engine while the other went ahead. The result
of these tests were entirely satisfactory, not
withstanding the fact that the engines re
moving at the time at rate sufficient to give
the vessel speed of thirteen and half knots.
She seemed to turn almost on pivot, and the
CiamQfQrR a mi adj w lose
than the ships length. The circles were COM
pleted first IN six minutes and two seconds, and
second III six minutes and twelve seconds
The steam and hand-steering apparatus were
next given thorough tests, and the helm was
thrown hard over, first ON the starboard and
then on the port side, in remarkably quick
time. ALI the tests were satisfactory, except in
the case of the hind steering gear in the quar-
ter-deck, and the naval board on the cruiser
VIII recommend that the necessary sltera-
tons be made in the place of this SO
its mechanism viii be simplfed 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 immense
wheels, was designed in such way
that very slight purchase can be OBJ
tanned on the iron rudder, which weighs
1900 pounds, ard the gear can be used
only when the vessel is eoing ahead slowly, and
greatly diminishes the resistance offered to the
wheels, but they were unable to throw the rud-
der over more than ten degrees, and even then
several eogwheeis 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 In the extreme aft srpart of the
ship, were perfectly successful and all the naval
otic rs aboard expressed surprise at the ease
with which the cruiser could be handled
The last test was to reverse both engines sud-
denly and send the vessel astern. When this
trial was made the engines were making seven
ty-6ve revolutions per minute, ana ten seconds
after they were reversed they were making
sixty-eight revolutions in the opposite direction
ana in forty seconds the vessel was moving
backwards, having changed her direction with
In her own length The engines were next
thrown over TO their original position, AMI the
vessel gained Roadway again in one minute.
The san Francisco made a remarkable run
| from FONT Conception 20 this port. AT O'Clock
! yesterday afternoon she commenced running
| with one boiler under forced draft, the other
three boilers not being used at all. This test
was continued eight hours, and all the coal used
during the time was carefully weighed for the
purpose of ascertaining the quantity of coal con-
sumed under forced draft with all the boilers
During eight hours trial, with but one boiler
in use, the steam pressure was kept up to $50
and l39 pounds The revolutions of the engine
were from seventy-iye TO eighty per minute.
and the speed ranged from thirteen to over
fourteen knots. The exact amount of coat con-
sumed has not been determined but approx.
meieiy IL was between eight and nine tons
With four boilers in use this would
show consumption of between thirty-two ana
thirty-six ms per hour under the forced draft.
but IL is probable an actual test of the vessel
such as was given her during her trial run on
"Wednesday, the consumption would be s.me
what in excess OF this figure.
When the eight hours test was concluded
two boilers were used under the nat
ural draft for the remainder OF
the trip. The revolutions were in.
creased to about eighty-four per minute, the
speed averaging nearly fifteen knots
The actual speed made By the San Francisco
on her trial trip iE Santa Barbara channel last
Wednesday morning has not yet been deter
mined, and il will probably not be
known definitely until after the board
appointed TO conduct the trial has
submitted its final report The calculations
have not been completed yet. and considerable
work is necessary TO determine the distance
the cruiser Travelled during her trial. and the
number OF hours, minutes and seconds ELAPSED
wbie the vessel was passing over that distance.
IL Is definitely settled. however. that her
maximum speed was % &c knots and that this
rate was maintained during the last ten knots
OF ran. SO far as the average speed for the four
hours run can be determined the trial board
has agreed that the rate was a fraction under
1917 knots, but this figure is stin subject to cor
rection, though 1t Ii believed il will be reduced
Commodore Irwin, president OF the trial
board, on MS arrival here this morning received
a dispatch from Secretary Tracy, stating that
the ssa Francisco had broken the record.
The cruiser VIII remain at the Union Iron
Works about twenty-five days before she win be
turned over to Tue government and sent TO the