The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-19
PRICE FIVE CENTS.

New York to Queenstown, and from
Queenstown to New York again, the
Columbia can overhaul and circle about
as though she were standing still. and
then if the little yacht. Mr.. Munro's Sti-
letto. would escape the American "Pirate"
she must keep TO the shadows where the
larger vessel cannot follow her.
Where there is water to float the Colum-
ola everything will be prey to her and tor
pedo-Ooats Will have no terror for this
fleet cruiser, because. unlike most vessels
OF war. she can run away from them also.
Inc cramps. 1t will be seen, have thus
produced the ideal c0mmerce-destroyer.
She can destroy commerce, sailing fast and
lar, because no ship of any nation can es-
cape her once she is fairly started in pur-
suit; and such Is her coal-carrying capac-
lty that she can keep up the chase if need
be around the world.
California was and is proud of the Olym-
pia, which recently developed wonderful
speed on her builders trial. and which is
TO show speed still more wonderful when
her official trial comes, but not even the
builders OF the Olympia can hope to equal
what the Columbia has done.
''She needs neither colliers nor coaling
stations, for she carries both between her
decks. She can steam completely around
the world without touching at any point
for coal, and yet, when the occasion arises
she can overtake with ease the fastest
Of the ocean greyh0un1s. Six such ships
would eXterminate the commerce of any
country under the present conditions Of
commerce protection"
So wrote Secretary Tracy of the great
triple-screw cruiser, one week before she
had her trial, and again he wrote that she
would have "a sea speed and a coal endur-
ance hitherto unknown in ships of war.
She will be a match for the most swift
trans Atlantic liner afoat to-day. This
vessel is absolutely without parallel
among the warships of the world" Natu-
rally the speed trial of such a craft is of
exceptional Importance, while in few
weeks there Is to be the launch of second
of the type, making two out of the half
dozen which would be capable. according
50 Mr. Tracy, of sweeping the commerce
of any nation from the ocean, and thus,
under the present conditions of COM
merce protection. absolutely preclude an
attack from commercial state, however
threatening in its demands, powerful in
its armored fleet, or aggressive in its
foreign policy"
In length the Columbia is full 400 feet,
the longest vessel yet built or designed
for the United States navy. Her breadth
is 5S feet. normal draught 23 and displace-
ment 7400 tons, or some 700 tons less than
the New York. The speed of the Column
bia was expected to be and has proven to
be rXtrao rdinary. Under the terms of the
contract her sustained sea speed was to
have been q knots, or fully equal to that
Uf the best Atlantic liners, and she was
contracted to have maximum speed of %
knots for short distance. She has full
filed these requirements in her trial, and
she is the fastest warship of any nation
afl0at.
The most interesting feature of the
| machinery, taken together, of course, with
| its enormous horsepower, is its system of
triple-expansion engines driving three
| screws the third screw being placed be-
! tween and below the other Two and fifteen
/ feet further aft. This is the first appear
ance of triple propellers in the United