New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-15
COLUMBIAQUEEN OFTHESEA
WONDERFUL BURST OF SPEED
TIE NEW CRUISER TRAVELS AT TIE RATE
OF TWEETY-FCUR KNOTS AN HOUR.
SHE COVERS FORTY.FOUR KNOTS IN LESS THAN
HOUR AND 50 MINUTES, An AVERAGE
SPEED OF 22.S7 KNOTS AN TOUR-EX
PECTED TO beat THIS or HER
OFFICIAL TRIAL.
rnY TrlrGRArn TO TIE TnIBuxr.l

OFFICIAL TRIAL.
rnY rrrrGRArn TO TEE TnIBrxr.I
Boston, Nov. l4.-Hail Columbia. the Queen
of the Sea, The United States steamer Colum-
bla. the unarmored trpe-screw cruiser, made
her preliminary trial trip to-day over the course
mapped out last spring by United States Of
icials, between Cape Ann and Cape Porpoisc,
about forty-four knots. and on the return COW
cred the distance in 1 hour 50 minutes and "a
seconds. an average speed of 22.S7 knots an
hour. 1t was not intended to develop in this
trip the extreme speed possible to be obtained
from this racing addition to the American
Navy but merely to become familiar with the
course and to get the big engine Of war into
good trim for Thursday's final official trial.
There were present, besides a few specially in
vited guests the following members of the
Trial Board: Captain Mathews. Captain Cooper.
Lieutenant Commander Allibonc Lieutenant
Meyers and Naval Constructor Foster. These
gentlemen were not making official data. but
merely assisting Edwin s. Cramp. one Of the
firm OF builders in making the first run of the
Columbia.
The weather was clear and cool. with light
westerly breeze and the pirate after cor
recting her compasses. was headed Tor Cape
Ann No attempt was made TO reach high
rate of speed going over the first half of th"
course. the ship being run on natural draft.
with the exception Of about ten minutes just
before reaching the line off Cape Porpoiso. She
started across the line opposite the Twin Lights.
of Gloucester. at a hfteen-knot pace. This was
gradually increased. and when about twenty
five miles had been covered the big vessel was
running at rate Of twcnty knots. and was
making from l2o to l2l revolutions with her
screws When tho first half was finished off
Cape Porpoisc she was reeling off Il fraction
more thar twcnty-one knots with about l3O
revolutions II her shafts. The average time
with natural draft over the first hal; Of the
course was twenty and throe-quarters knots.
and the time consumed in traversing the forty
four miles was hours and minutes
THE ETCoEDEREAXINc ECN.
Abou, twelve miles was used IN making the
turn. ana down the Columbia came toward the
line with a tremendous burst Of speed. under
forced draft. She crossed the line on her way
home at 1913. throwing up big volume of
water in her stern to the height Of about ten
feet. on she sped her propelIers turning at
the rate of l3i revolutions To the minute and
going AT the iate OF twenty-five knots per hour.
Quickly the buoys marking the course were
passed. and at 2OS the pirate shot past the
Twin Lights at Cape Ann. having made the re-
turn trip Of forty-four knot in hour and Sc
minutes. Her average time was 22.s' knots
per hour
This was done not with all picked coal, and It
is confidently predicted that she will make moro
than twcnty-threc knots on Thursday next,
when she will make her official test under even
more favorable conditions than that Of to-
day She is to-day the fastest vessel % her
has ever cquallcd the Columbias record
protracted run. She has beaten the Campana's
fastest time with the exception OF her trial
trip Of enc hour. and the Columbia to-
day. in going between two buoys. distance of
about seven miles. showed a speed Of twenty
four knots This Will probably settle the qucs-
tion of propellcrs. There will be three here
after instead of two.
When the Columbia made the outer turn and
started her mountaineering journey. John
Patterson. chief engineer FOR the Cramps, VINO
had charge OF tn" engine and fire rooms, had
completed all preparations for the forced draft.
the condition which develops every atom of cx-
crtion that can hc got OUT of boilers and ma
chncry The picked force OF machinists. engi
necrs. nrcmen and coal-passers who had care
fully prepared themselves for the ordeal they
were. 10 undergo shut out from all com
municaton with the upper portion of the ship.
Every opening through which air might pass.
except the blowers. was carefully closed. and
under circumstances. unless IL Dt the III
ness Of "a man, would Engineer Patterson con
sent To the opening OF even the smallest hatch
way. The three immense engines which turned
the shafts con"cted with the three screws were
working AT "A speed Of l3i revolutions minute.
Soon after the starting line was crossed this
speed was Increased to lSi revolutions min
ute and later the maximum velocity of l36
was reached. chief Engineer Towne, United
States Navy who designed the engines and
who was In the engine room during the run,
says the average under forced draft was l32
revolutions each minute.
rERrFCT WORKING or THE MACHINERY.
Steadily. Ike beautiful piece of machinery.
the Columbia ploughed her way through the
water her speed being almost equal to that of
the average railroad train. There was APP
parently no unusual excitement board. the
naval officers and guests standing around In
groups discussing the probable speed the cruiser
would develop. Occasional trips were made u
the stern to observe the magnificent effect pro-
duccd by the triple screws, which thrashcd the
water into white foam and threw great
masses of it nearly ten feet into the air. At
the bow the effect produced by the rapid part
ing Of the water was equally beautiful
Time computations were being almost con-
tinually made by everybody on deck. and there
was "A general belief that more than twenty
two knots would be made. In the pilot-hOusc
Captain Matthews and Commodore Cooper care
fully observed the effect produced by the tre-
mendous energy the engines were eXcrting.
chief Engineer Farmer and Naval Constructor
after part Of the ship. There came display
of excitement. however. when the seventh buoy
had been passed and the cruiser was making her
last desperate effort Everybody on deck stood
t!mcpiece in hand. eagerly awaiting the hoarsc
whistle which was To announce that the goal
line had been crossed. The moment the sound
was heard there was general scene OF rejoicing
among the men who had participated in the
greatest speed effort ever shown by warship.
The fact should be- taken into consideration
that there was no provision In to-day's run for
tidal corrections. such will be made when the
official trial trip comes off The tidal correc
;ions at most are not expected to deduct more
than one-tenth Of IL knot from her speed. This
would leave to-days performance at more than
twenty-five and thrce-quartcr knots
The feature Of to-days remarkable run was
the steadiness OF the ship. Old naval men on
board say they never vessel behave
better. The sea was not more than ordinarily
disturbed by the swift passage Of the huge
cruiser over It's surface. and there was an en-
tire absence of either rolling or pitching. This
according to the experts. Is due To the hneness
of the lines on which the ship Is constructed
After the race finished the machinery
was brought back To natural draLGht. ana the
cruiser steamed back to her anchorage. which
,ras relchcl al abOut 2.30 o'clock