Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-24
THE COLUMBIA'S PERFORMANCE.
Interesting Data Of the Trial Trip and
Run Home.

Mr.. Edwin S. Cramp of PHILADELPHIA, who
had charge of the Columbia during the re-
cent trial trip, representing the contractors,
has drawn up the following report of the
Columbia's performance during the actual
test and on the run home:
THE steaming capacity of the boilers is
ample for any demands that will ever be
made on them, and high rate of speed can
always be reached and maintaine with ease
and safety. The department will never have
to fear any harm from the severest tests
they can ever be subjected to. This fact
was so apparent to all that engineers and
officers aboard have declared that Chief
Engineer Andrade will be able as soon as
his crew is thoroughly drilled, to surpass
the record achieved on the trial, as he did
in the case of the Yorktown. He made half
knot better speed with that vessel than
was recorded on the trial trip. The indi-
Gated horse power of the Columbia will be
largely in excess of the estimate, and will
reach 1900. 1t is matter of sincere graft
fication that with all the machinery aboard
in as severe a test as any man-of-war was
ever subjected to, nothing went wrong. The
adjustments We're perfect, and We are in
condition TO go on trip around the world
just as soon the bunkers are filled with
COAL
The most noticeable feature of the trial
of the ship itself was the remarkable alb
sence of all wave. The triangular foaming
cataract at the stern formed with its apex
about ten feet from the ship, and then SUBJ
sided in height as it spread in width until
ii disappeared fifty feet further aft into a
series of gentle waves, similar TO those seen
in the wake of a stern-wheeled steamboat
The bow wave is light and mostly spray
Iii,
broken into showers and blown over the
decks in sheets. When at maximum speed
there was little or no vibration of hull, ex-
cept when passing over the shoal places
when the engines would slow down, and a
painting, leapIng motion would become ap-
parent, as III the ship was being held back
and was striving to break its bonds.
Too much praise cannot be given to the
engineer crew, from the chiefs to the fire.
men and coal passers. All did their duty
with vim, and each man had a personal,
living interest in the success of the ship
In a trial like this, the negligence or ignor-
ance of one man might nullify the endeav-
ors of all the rest.
THE engineer corps of the navy con-
Quoted an extensive trial on the way back
from Boston, of eight hours duration to
test the efficiency of the twin screws with
the center screw disconnected. At the same
time, the consumption of coal was carefully
weighed in the fire rooms and four boilers
only were used, with the same air pressure
as was used on the official trial the day be-
fore. The object of this was to obtain def
mite data as to the consumption with forced
draught, so that the radius of action of the
ship at the maximum speed can be accu-
rately determined.
ITO make it clear, / will state in figures
that for eight hours. with nine-tenths of an
inch air pressure ia fire rooms. with steam
on only four boilers. with the side screws
working and the center screw disconnected
the shin made 1857 knots per hour I4O
dc 90 h-s,,
room, the port engine making 116 revolu-
lions and the starboard engine ll3 revolu-
lions per minute. From $50 pm. on Sun
day to m. on Monday We ran with nat
ural draught and steam on six boilers only
and averaged Is knots with the same
screws as with the above forced draught
trial We averaged 40 pounds of steam
1l5 revolutions per minute of port engine
and 40 revolutions per minute of starboa I'd
engine. From midnight until dayhreak we
were in heavy northwest gales. the ship
was drenched with water, and the side
screws raced considerably.
THE data collected by the engineers nm
der direction of Chief Engineer Edward
Farmer is very complete. owing to the in
tereSt that every member of the supple-
mentary board took in the matter. Not the
slightest hitch occurred. and the skill that
the members of the trial board showed in
their different stations amply justified the
appointment of A permanent board for con-
Quoting the trials.
1.-The engineer officers of the hoard with
less congenial duties than their fellow new
hers, clad i'm greasy and grimv overalls did
their duties earnestly down in the engine
and fire rooms. where oil rained hot air
rushed and cindarS and ashes few En-
gineer-in-Chief Melville should he douhIv
Pratifed at the results attained. as they
nrove that his courage and FORESIGHT in the
advocacy of the triple-Screw princinle TO
the fast cruisers has been an evidence Of
rare Judgment. Speaking for the builders
7 can saw that we are proud of the Co.
lumhia II is possible m he Of the fastest
"rn'Ser that ever hraved on OCEAN wave
We are nroud Of her an American voSsel
and proud If her because she. comes from
Philadelphia"