The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
All Previous Performances RCIipSed in
Her Official Trial.
AH ACCIDENT REDUCES THE AVERAGE
But the Final Squirt f. Made at the Rate
of 24.25 Knots Per Hour-Pre-
MUM Of s35O,OOO Earned.

I run, under forced draught, thus exceeding
{ all previous records on similar run, anC
fulfilling the reasonable expectations OF
the shipbuaders and well-wishers. tn,
contract which the government has with
the William Cramp Ship and Engine
Building Company calls for speed Of p
knots an hour. AS this is exceeded by
one ard three quarter knots, the cruisers
builders earn q premium Of 2g5O0JO. al the
rate of $4,000 for each qJarter knot OF
I excess speed. The passage Of water into
the port engine along with the steam me-
/ cessiJated the slowing up OF that engine
ON more than one occasion, and undOubt-
! edly prevented the ship from averaging
| over 23 knots an hour, end I'm this respect
the trial was a disappointment TO every
body on beard. ON the trial trip up the
course, the Colombia, with all conditions
| favorable. was spJried between the se-
| vcnth and eighth buOys, a distance OF
| ia miles, and she achieved the eXtraCr-
| dinary average OF Z.U knots an hour.
| eclipsiug an previous records. and placing
! her absolutely az the head OF the
| worlds fast craft. The course over
! which the Columbia was speeded to-day
! is just lS2 feet less than "A knots. IL
! extends in a line as nearly straight as
| it was possible 10 make it from Cape
! Ann, Mass, to Cape PorrCise. Me- II
was selected because IL is regarded as
| the best location on the coast for such
! purpose combining as it does smoOthness
| Ct water with greater depth than can be
! found anywhere else near land. Al the
! start and finish the mainland is not more
| than two miles away. but between these
/ points the coast dips in considerably
/ although the ship during her run was
never out Of sight Of land
The sun shone brightly and an early
start was taken. in order 20 have the
trial over before the weather should
! change. The tug Nesta had been sent
over the course i'm advance to warn fish
! Ing boats Off; nevertheless. IL was ncces-
sary al the beginning 10 give sharp blasts
Of the COlumbias whistle TO drive fisher
men out Of the path. Soon after the
Columbia got under way the usual prepa-
ration for forced draught was begun.
This consists i'm closing tightly every OPEN
ing % the boiler-rO0m. so that the only /
air reaching the apartment goes through /.
the blower" The eight dOube-end /
boilers, with which the Columbia is fitted, /
require the services OF Gfty-six dremen /
and coalers. These men are the most /
slilfEl in their line I'm Cramps employ
and are selected with a view 10 their
ability 10 stand the hardships incident \
Some time before the twin lighthouse
that distinguishes Cape Ann hove in sight.
the machinery had been worked up 20
forced draught pitch, and all below was
in readiness.
The Columbia pushed her way rapidlv
up the coast, and at 9.20 o'clock the
hosting Of the little red flag at her mast
head, and a prolonged blast Of the whis-
tie. announced 20 those on board the Dol
at s.Hrt H.
body above and below decks, that the
great cruiser was ready for the test
There ws a scurrying to get under cover
as nobody, not at work is allowed TO |
stay exposed 10 the wind. Every notable
surface that might catch the wind and
retard, I'm the slightest degree the passage
Of the ship. is either put under cover or
made as snug and trim as possible With
this end I'm view the ships boats were
taken from their dayits and tied be-
hind the smokestacks. the aft nag-pole
was sawed Off. and the temporary hand
rail around the bow taken down. All Of
his stripping of the ship" as II is
called, is customary on trial trips There
vas a slight increase i'm the iarring OF
he ship as the engines revolved faster and
'aster in response to the extra quantity
If steam the boilers were sending back TO
hem. Admirals Belknap and Walker,
md Captain Matthews, and Commander
cooper were on the bridge. the latter
wO assuming the task recording the
hips speed after Lieutenant-Command- j
r Drew and Commander Cook per-
ormed similar duty The Columbia j
rcssed The line at 9:26. In less than two q,
minutes it was seen that something was
wrong, as, instead Of steering I'm y
straight line the ships wake !
howed decided curve. A mo-
rent later the information came from be-
ow that the boilers were "prIming."
ecessltatirg the almost complete stop
oge, Tor two or three minutes. of The port o.
ngine This. Of course. explained the D.
urNe. "P inning is the passage of water iI
rom the boiler to the engine along with u
team. The cause of the defect is not p,
nown, although it is probable the power p
'as Put on tri1e too abruptly. The de- u
ect was soon remedied and the port en- u
inc was again pounding away meuily j.
I its customary velocity The complete b
rcie necef sary to get the ship below h
ne twin lighthouse TO BEGIN over again ~
onsumed nearly thirty minutes. and at n
jf.4O the second start was made at
his time with less Of the former theat- n.
C effect. The wind al this time was an
most directly up me course. re
The report from the engine room show o.
that the average revolutions were l3G. hg
llu steam pressure OF IJA pounds and ma
pressure averaging three-eighths of an hi
ch IL was very comfortable for every So
dy working below, alth 3u n some water so
d oil were flying, as matter Of course. w
le ship was running steadily, there be- W
2 less vibration, in fact, than is expe- go
need on an average ferry steamer. In
Between the fourth and fifth markers er
G engines worked better because OF
ep water, and for the first time the
eed between buoys went above twenty
rec knots. G.
Me last lap is over the deepest water =.
the course, and the spirits Of those =
10 were disappointed at the apparent -
)r showing made by the cruiser so far -
re revived when word was passed I 10
)und 10 look out for a spurt. 1t had ~
N agreed beforehand by those In charge - -,
the running of the ship that at this ee
mt every effort was 10 be made TO SO
lieve a record. IL was made at the rate
2i.25. On Tuesday Cramp wanted 10
w what the ship was capable Of. That y
Columbia was going faster than she mi
ever run before was apparent 10 eNI
ny man on her decks. but when the anC
nth and last buoy on the course was ba6
Ised at 1l:49h, and hurried computa- ope
Is showed that the ship had made the nun
knots in eighteen minutes and nine ina
4 seconds or at the rate OF 25.3l knots
hour. all were slow to believe the evil
ce presented by the figures. n
hen II was realized that the Columbia Cha
eclipsed all previous performances tor