The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-19
TRIAL OF The COLUMBIA.
She Averaged psi Knots O1a Course
Nearly II Knots Long.

Her Contract Called for 81 Knots.
The Builders Earn a Premium of
$3.50, 600 for the Excess of Speed.
For a Distance of7.74 Miles She
Ran at the Rate of 1881 Knots.
Boston. Nov. lS.-The triple screw
United States cruiser Columbia, first
called the Pirate, on her official trial over
thegovernment measured course, nearly Al
knots long averaged -. 81 knots an hour
during a four hours run. under forced
draught. thus exceeding all previous rec
ords on a similar run ana fulfilling the rea-
sOnable expectations of the ships build
ers and her well wishers The contract
which the government has with the VIII
liam Cramp Ship and Engine Building
Company. calls for a speed of p knots an
hour. As this is exceeded by "a knots,
the cruisers builders earn a premium of
$3.50, 900. at the rate of $4,000 for each L
knot of excess speed. The passage of water
into the port engine along with the steam
necessitated the slowing up of that engine
on more than one occasion. and undoubt-
edly prevented the ship from averaging
over % knots an hour, and in this respect
the trial was disappointment TO every
body on board.
BEAT THE RECORD.
On the trial trip up The course the Co
lumbia. with all conditions favorable,
was spurted between the seventh and
eighth buoy's, a distance of IA miles,
and she achieved the extraordinary aver
age of 25.3l knots an hour, erlipsing all
previous records. and putting her absO-
"a ( of Ct
craft. The course over which the Column
bia was speeded to-day is Just lS2 feet less
than Al knots. IL extends in line as
nearly straight as it was possible to make
ii, from Cape Ann, Mass to Cape POr-
poise Me. II was selected because it is
regarded as the best location on The coast
for such purpose. combining, as IL does,
smOOthness of water. with greater depth
than can be found anywhere else so near
land. AT the start and finish the main
land 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.
AN EARLY START.
The sun shoue brightly, and an early
start was taken in order to have the trial
over before h. weather should change.
The tug Nesta had been sent over the
course IN advance to warn fishing boats
OF: nevertheless. it was necessary at the
beginning to frequently give sharp blasts
of The COlamba's whistle to drive the
fishermen out of the path soon after
the cruiser got under way. the usual prep
araJious for forced draught' were he
gun. This consists of enclosing tightly every
opening to the boiler room, so that the
only air reaching the apartment goes
through the blowers. ~ The eight double
ended boilers with which the Columbia
Is fitted require the services of tifty-siX
% 1,..-
most skilful in their ability TO stand tn
hardships incident to a five hours stay in
the boiler room. Some time before the
twin lighthouse that distinguishes Cape
Ann, hove III sight the machinery had
been worked up to the forced draught
pitch and all below was in readiness.
THE RACE UNDER WAY.
The Columbia pushed her way rapidly
up the coast and at 20 o'clock the hoist
ing of the little red flag at her mast head
and prolonged blast of the whistle an
nounced to those on board the Dolphin at
the starting line, as well as everybody
above and below the decks, that the
great cruiser was ready for the test
There was a Scurrying to get
under cover, as nobody not at
work is allowed TO stav eXposed
to the wind. Every movable surface
hatmight catch the wind and retard in
the slightest degree the passage of the
ship is either put under cover or made as
snug and trim Is possible With this end
in view the ships boats were taken from
their davits ana tied behind the smoke
stacks, the aft az pole was sawed off and
the temporary hand rail around the bow
was taken down. All of this stripping
OF the ship as it is called, is customary
on trial trips
There was a slight increase in the lar
ring OF the ship as the engines revolved
faster and faster in response to the extra
quantity of steam the boilers were send
ing back to them.
Admirals Belknap and Walker. Capt
Matthews and Commander Cooper were
on the bridge, the latter two assuming
the task of the recording of the Sims
speed After Lieutenant Commander
Stone and Commander Cook performed
similar duties
THE BOILERS PRUNING.
The Columbia crossed the line at
9;26;2O. In less than two minutes it could
be seen that something was wrong. as in
stead of steering in a straight line. the
SHIPS wake showed decided curve A
moment later the information came from
below that the boilers We're .'priming."
necesSitating the almost complete stop
page for two or three minutes of the port
engine This, of course, explained the
curve 'Priming' is the passage of
engine
along with the steam. The exact cause
OF the defect is not known, although il is
probable the power was put on a trife too
abruptly The defect was soon remedied
ana the port engine was again pounding
away nearly at its customary velocity.
The complete circle necessary to get the
ship below the twin light house to begin
over again consumed nearly so minutes,
and at 954 40 o'clock the second start
was made, this time with less of the
former theatrical effort The wind at
this time was almost directly up the
course.
REPORT OF THE ENGINEERS.
The reporting engine room showed that
the average revolutions were 1876, with a
steam pressure of l5S pounds, and an air
pressure averaging three eighths of an
inch. II was very comfortable for every
body working below, although some water
and oil was flying as matter of course.
The ship was running steadily, there
being less vibration in fact, than is ex-
perlenced on the average ferry steamer.
Between the fourth and fifth markers
the engines worked better because of the
deep water, and for the first time the
speed between the buoys went above %
knots; The ship had passed over