New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-01
TESTING HER ENGINES.
IN GOOD SHAPE FOR THE CRUISER MAINE.
SOME OF THOSE PRESENT AT THE TMAL-sATls-
FACToRY RESULTS.

FACTORY RESULTS.
The decorations flags bunting, etc, at the ouin-
taba Iron Works yesterday, the occasion being an
exhibition trial OF the massive triple expansion engines
~ the armorled cruiser Maine, seemed super1ous Inc
visitors paid no atteoton to the decorations IN fct
f. is doubtful II ten per cent OF the invited guests
couId take an affidavit that there were any. They
- o., sno what Il had never been their privilege to
coo heforA-to inspect as experts the workings OF
douhle set OF steam engines which are TO give speed
NJ II knots an hour 10 the largest war vessel YET
buit IN this country and before they are put into the
vessel itself. They also had an opportunity OF ID
serving the great contrast between the rpeexpanson
engine with its ayI1ad rods and other parts ana inc
single low pressure directsoting engine with which
che ola 4rirote Powhatan was fitted In the early days
Of the steam navy; in fact, the difference also Dc
tween the Trploexpansion engine ana the COMPOUND
engine Of only few years ago.
The two sets of engines, with their three different
sizes Of cynders-the highpressure the intermedlhe'
and the Iow-pressure-were put up Ii the erection
shop in precisely the same manner as they VIII 10
mt into the vessel the eceentrcs and the link bars,
tba rock SHIFTS. the valves and all other parts all
working perfectly The engines were run by power
furnished from the small auxiliary engines TO Dc
connected TO the main engines for starting mehi'
This power was only great enough TO run thelh a'
q revolutions per minute, whereas me maximum
speed on board of ship is to be 132 revolutions per
picture Of the sailing figate Constitution as she ap
peared in 1917 under every bit OF canvas that she
oopld possibly caITystudding sails and ALL This III III
elf was marked illustration Of the advancement maue
in ship propusioo Every bearing, every vlVe IN lac'
the connections OF every kind, worked with eNact pre-
clsion and 'smoOthness, and there was no he'he VI
tho hearings In this connection it Is matter Oh
nnoora that none of the machinery which this com
has put into the war vessels has ever given any
trouble by heating and not drop OF water has been
used on any of the journals az the trial trips ms
was especially noticeable with the concord anu
Bennington. fl,
In another one of the shops are the elght man
boilers for the Maine, and these were also mlhuteS
inspected oy Secretary Tracy, Engneerin-Chel MeF
,ue and me others present These boilers have sew
eral improvements made to them, and one most .diu
able &c the arrangement of the forced draft system
The doors of the ducts for the draft ana OIL inc
furnace have automatic arrangement WIN" P,O
vents any possibility Of injury TO those worhng AT 'o
fires description of these engines ana boilers WAS
nuhlished IN The Tribune yesterday and those VINO
saw them In operation extended their congratulations
IN Fngneer-ip- hef Melville who designed tbeh ana
TO his assistant, Passed Assistant Engineer ~ ~
Matuce (who always spoke OF the designs 40 in'
"babys) who was unable TO come on frOm hostoh'
In fact the Maine is vessel for every American 10
feel proud Of as she IS absolutely an American vessel
Her bull was designed by the Bureau of Constrncuon'
the designs of the Bureau of Steam Engineering
bor runs and other armament have been designed by
the Bureau of Ordnance, and her materials OF con-
structon armor and ALL are the products OF American
soil and American furnaces and rolhngnlDis' Iue
engnes and boilers have been constructed In one OF
New Yorks Oldest iron works, and under the super
vision Of RhieDEigneer Albert W. Morley anu
Assistant Engineer Albert Moritz.
The data of the trial of the engines yesterday
were carefully noted in order that adjustment oil
valves or other parts that may seem necessary may
be made and sn about fou- weeks the work OF putting
them into the ship itself will be begun. This viii
take about year TO complete
Among the many persons present yesterday were
Secretary Tracy, Rear-Admiral D. J.. Braine, Commo-
dore George W. Melville, Chief Of the Bureau Of Steam
Engineering and designer Of the engines ex Engineer
In-Chief B. F. sherwood Captain Henry Erben,
commandant of the Navy Yard Captains Edward E.
Potter commandment of the Minnesota: Captain L. A.
Beardslee, conmandant Of the Vermont; Commander
Royal B. bradford. commandant Of the bennington ;
Lieutenant William s.. Cowles commandment of tho
Secretarys yacht Despatch Chief Engineers Albert W.
Morley Charles II. Baker. William W. Heaton, George
Ayfes, Jackson McElwel, Ralph Aston and b. J.
Wood Passed Assistant Engineers John G.. kafer,
Alexander b. Bates Albert F. Dixon and Frederick
c. Brig AssstantEngineefs Walter W. Mcfarland,
lister; Captain George W: Sumner, Uentenant-Con-
nander William c. Gibson, Pay Inspector John II.
Stevenson and ChefEngineer Theodore Zelcr, all Of
the Navy There were also among the wellknOwn
meuts, George w. Quintad. n. F. Palmer, IT.. Charles
f. Emery, Thomas II. Rowland, Captain F. L. Norton,
Inspector Of steam Boilers John Miller and Edward
Crainp, OF Cramp d Sons