New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-01
THE BENNINGTON'S SUCCESS.
SEVERELY TESTED IN A HEAVY SEA.
THE NEW GUNBoAT's HORSEPOWER FAR ABOVE
THE REoUIREMENTs-HIGH SPEED AGAINST


THE REouIREMENTs-HIGH SPEED AGAINST
HUGE WAVES AND HALF GALE.
The new gunboat Bennington had second
onicial trial yesterday, and made record which
exceeds that required by the specifications and
places her in the front rank among boats OF her
class The first official trial was held on Thurs
DAY, and after a crcditable run of an hour and
hiteen minutes, during which she did better in all
respects than any boat Of her class on their
oiiical trials the port boiler tubes gave out, and
she bad to abandon the test because of lack
OF steam pressure. The Remington put
INTO New-London for repairs on Thurs
day afternoon. Engineers worked upon her
boilers night and day. and yesterday
morning \. T. Palmer, jr., the contractor, made
careful examination OF the boiler and engines
and Informed the Board of Trial that everything
was In readiness for another test.
The bennington left her anchorage at II :25
q. m. and proceeded at half-speed TO the open
water of Long Island Sound. The boilers and
machinery worked splendidly, and at Il 80 O'Clock
the vessel was turned over TO the Board of Trial
and the official test began. The starboard engine
room was In charge of Chief Engineer lieaton.
while Assistant Engineers Stevenson, Moritz, Leo
pold and Anderson looked after the gauges in
dicator cards and high, intermediate and low
pressure cylinders. In the port engne-room
Chief Engineer Lowe assumed charge. and was
assisted by Assistant Engineers Bates Mason, Red
grave Rcdgravc, II. Lowe and Bennett. The Gov
ernmen representatives in the ireroom were Passed
Assistant Engineers Eldridge and Carr.
At signal from the Chief Engineer the levers
were thrown open wide and the gunboat leaped
forward like racc-horse. A half gale was blow
Al.
in the teeth Of the wind. The gunboat pitched
and rolled in the heavy seas and the waves broke
over her bow during the eptirc trip Some of
the waves struck the vessel with such force
that the water was driven into tie vcntilating
tunnels and flooded the freroom. Captain Wood
hull and Pilot Bell were forced to leave
the bridge and had to take refuge from the
wind and water in the pilot-housc. The
commanders quarters aft were flooded all the
time, and there was hardly a dry spot on the
vessel The conditions were not favorable for the
test. and there was danger that the ship would
he strained by driving her at full speed through
q head wind and seas.
Corniicld Light was of the starboard bow at
the start, and the finish was on line midway
between Eaton Neck Point and Matinnicock
Point. Her course was practically straight
line for four hours the continuous period required
by the specifications. and the distance covered
was sixty-fve miles. She made run of ii.2
knots in the first hour. and averaged l6 knots
per hour for the other three hours. which Com
mandcr Bridgman said was splendid performance
considering the head wind and heavy sea.
The approximate result Of the trial Of the
Bennington. in comparison with the Yorktown and
Concord vessels OF the same class is as follows,
in round numbers: