The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-16

the Record OF 1917 of the MachiaS-
The Corrected Time May Exceed 16
Knots-How the Second Bath Bui1t
Gunboat Was Tried on the Sound Yes
terday.
New London, Sepember 15.-The speed
trial of the new gunboat Castine was a
wonderful triumph for the builders. The
actual time of the Machias, the sister
boat to the Castine, in her recent speed
trial was 1917 knots, and the corrected
speed 15.464. The actual speed of the
Castine is 16 ~ knots, and the corrected
speed will be made known tomorrow
when the naval board makes its computa-
tions, but it is not expected to be less
than an average of Is 3-4 knots, which
win represent a bonus to the builders OF
$4,000. 1t may reach 16 or 16 IA knots.
The trial was without an accident OF any
kind. Commodore Walker and Gen.
Hyde expressed themselves as highly
gratifed at it's success. She has proved
to be the fastest vessel in her class.
The start from New London was made
at TO- 40 this morning, the gunboat pro-
ceeding direct to the course over which
the speed trial was to be made. The
government tugs Irwana, Nina and
Fortune, the cruiser Vesuvius, and the
dispatch boat Dolphin left the harbor
early this morning to take positions on
the course as stake boats. The start
from New London was made in misting
rain, with the wind south-southeast, and
the prospects seemed rather unfavOrable
for good weather. A light fog hung over
the Sound, but gradually lifted, and by
H. 80 there was no doubt that the trial
would be made under reasonably good
conditions. At II, the wind shifted to
west-southwest. The board ~of naval
inspectors had reported ON the Castine
and consisted of Commodore J. @. Walker,
Captain E. o. Mathews, Chief Engineers
r. j. Whitaker and J. N. Entwistle,
Commanders P. FL. Copper and Samuel
Belder, Lieutenant Commander j. N.
Hemphill, Lieutenants r. G. Davenport
the board. Chief Engineer Herschelt
Main and Naval Constructor S. W.
Armisted, with nine assistant engineers
were assigned to various duties in con-
nection with the speed trial.
The Bath Iron Works was represented
on board by the officers of the company,
and those in compand OF the Castine.
erintendent G. r. Oliver, Engineer C.E.
Hyde, and 7. E. Hyde superintendent of
the engineer S department., and the off
GERS in command of the Castine were
Captain &c. Oliver, Mate b. G. Reed,
Pilot Frank Dingley, and Chief Engi--
neer Samuel Hmckley. Quite a list of
guests of Gen. Hyde were on board in
Galen c. Moses, John W. Bellew, r. P.
Eaton, Albert H. Shaw, Col. Frank
Hayden, Naval Constructor j. B. Hoover
and Assistant N. A. Tunkins, r. 6.
Donnell, A. F. Snow, J E. Andrews,
David r. Wylie and Charles Il Mcclellan.
There were also on board Col. A. G. Tyler,
Washington, Wm.A. Slater of Norwich,
of New York, and W. E. Bryant of Boston.
The instructions covering the trial
were that the tidal observations should
be recorded to hundredths and the times
be reduced to the 18th Meridian. The
vessels marking the course were stationed
as follows: The Dolphin at station A.,
a can buoy off Horizons point: the For
stations B, G, d, and e, respectively.
The tidal observations were made an
hour before the trial and were recorded
at 10 minutes intervals until the Castine
had passed on her return, and for thirty
minutes later. The Castine reached the
first stake boat on the trip out from New
London about one O'Clock and steamed
dIOuud UiiC ubOCA lHIluuOc
before the start was made It was the
general opinion on board that the Castine
did not proceed sufficient distance from
the starting point to give time to get the
line marked by the Dolphin. At 1.21,
20 3-19 she was only carrying 120 pounds
of steam and making 1853 revolutions
Between the first and second stake boats
pounds and her revolutions to 205,
gradually increasing to 21S. She passed
the second stake boat, the tug Fortuna
at l. so, beating the time made by the
MachiaS over the same distance by over
fifty seconds. She passed the third stake
boat, the tug Nina, at 217.3a, making
23S revolutions with a steam pressure OF
for that distance by minute, SO seconds,
so far bearing out the assertion of her
builders, that she was the faster boat.
The tug Irwana, 1.-The fourth stake boat
was passed at 2. 45. 25 lilo, or 50 seconds
less than the Machias for the same dis
tance. The last stake boat, at the first
half, was passed at 3.13.37 $40. The
with head tide, or "A seconds faster
than the Machias. Thirteen minutes
and eight seconds were occupied in
turning and the Vesuvius was passed at
20. As 1-1O The second stake boat was
passed at 3. SO. 81 $40; the third, at
l. 20. 81 $40; the fourth, at 4. 40 lilo, sand
the fifth and last stake boat at 5.13. 35
6-10, the Castine making 24s revolutions
and having speed of Is. AZ knots for the
whole distance without tidal corrections
The total time for the sixty miles was
three hours nine minutes and seven and
eight-tenths seconds AS she passed the
last stake boat, hats were waved in the
air and the cheers of guests and crew re-
sounded throughout the ship.
tha dio1tar that followed tnoctc
were drunk and there were organizations
on all sides on her splendid achievement
At the conclusion of the trial the vessels
which served to mark the course re-
turned to New London and as soon as
possible handed in their observations to
the senior officer of the board at the
Crocker house.
Ammen Ram Rammed.
Bath, September 15.--The Ammen ram
got dose Of her own medicine yesterday
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