The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-07
A Cluster of Speed Trials.

The yachts and the horses are not to dc
all the great racing OF the present month
No fewer than five new war ships are booked
| to have their speed runs during it. Such a
series Of events within so short n period
has never been known in the steel navy.
The possible winnings in some of these
trials of the cruisers surpass those of the
greatest stake races on the turf. The New
York earned q premium of 5000. 900 for her
builders on the course off Cape Ann. and
they confidently count on like amount. or
perhaps S250.000. with the Columbia. No
Lampighter or Directum is more carefully
| prepared for race than a war shin that
can win or lose $4,000 for her builders by
| making quarter OF knot moro or
less speed than the contract calls for.
| The best coal obtainable. the work of
| the ablest and most experienced stokers,
the services Of the best engineers and su-
| pervising experts. whatever the cost are
| considered cheap, when such premiums are
| to be earned or penalties To be paid. Long
| postponemcnts Of the trials, notwithstand-
| ing heavy penalty for each days delay, as
prescribed by the contract, are arranged
freely. in the hope Of making the war ship
a little more fit for her run. 1t is partly
such delays that have CHANGED TO group SO
many trials at the present time.
The largest and most important Of tho
five vessels is the Columbia. long popularity
known as the Pirate. which with her 1850
tons displacement and her $1,000 horse
power, is. by her contract to make twenty
one knots an hour. but is fully expected to
reach at least twenty-five That would mean
100000 premium for CRAMP q Co., her
builders. Mr.. TRACY once called her +" n
vessel absolutely without parallel among
the war ships of the world" since in addi-
ton to her great sea speed she has radius
Of action exceeding 10000 knots, enabling
her to steam around the globe without
touching anywhere for coal. "She needs"
said tho Secretary. neither GOLFERS nor
coaling stations. for she carries both be-
tween her decks" and yet she Ia built with
the view OF overtaking the aeetest of tho
ocean flyers, like the Paris or the Iucania.
The speed trial of such vessel must DO
one of unsurpassed interest.
On the Pacific coast a cruiser ranking
only little lower than the Columbia both
for speed aud coal endurance. and surpass-
Ing her liz battery power. is also awaiting
her official trial. having already been sub
jected to preliminary runs by the Union Iron
Works. her builders. This vessel is the
Olympia. of $500 tons and 1880 horse
power. which Is guaranteed to go 20 knots.
AS her builders several years ago reached
still higher speed with tho San Francisco.
1t is hoped that this tino nov craft, nearly
1000 tons larger than the Baltimore, will
reach 20H or 81 knots. With her heavy
armament of four s-inch and ten rapid-hre
6-inch guns. and her effective radius OF
$4,000 miles. she will form a magnificent
addition to our growing naval force In the
Pacific.
The next two vessels set down for trial
are sister ships. the Montgomery and the
Marblehead. the former built by the Column
bian Iron Works of Baltimore. and the
latter by HARRISON LoRISG's City Point
Works OF Boston, but completed by the