Morning journal and courier., 1893-11-15
COLUMBIA IS 4 FLYER.

The New United States Cruiser Gave Most Remarkable Exhibition of Speed on Her Unomcfal Trial Trip-T She Was Steady on the Run ana old Naval Men Say That They Never Saw aVeasel Behave Better.
 BOSTON, Nov. 14-The new United
 States cruiser Columbia was given an un-
 official spin this afternoon under forced
 draught over the measured course between
 Cape Ann and Cape Porpoise, which Is a
 trife less than fortY-four knots long, and
 she made the unprecedented speed of g. ST
 knots an hour, an excess of 1.s7 knots over
 the contract requirement of 21 knots an
 hour. This splendid feat was accomplished
 under conditions of wind, weather and sea
 that could not be improved upon. In or
 der to take advantage of the tidal condi-
 tions 1t was necessary that the Columbia should be gotten out of the harbor early, and Captain Sargent therefore weighed an- chor soon after o'clock this morning and got away from the rendezvous in President Roads.
 The huge ship was anchored just outside the harbor until nearly o'clock, when af- ter getting Commander Cooper and Naval Constructor Frasier on board, she started toward Cape Ann about thirty miles dis tant. These two officers with Captain Mat thews and Chief Engineer Farmer were the only members of the trial board on the ship, Admiral Belknap, Commodore Walk CT, Commander Cook and Lieutenant Com mander Henphill preferring to defer visit ing the ship until Thursday when the of fcial trial will probably be made
 The first of the eight white buoya which mark the straight line of the course was passed at about 9:45 g. m. The speed was gradually increased until within few miles of the end of the course, by which time the boilers and engines had been worked up to "forced draught" pitch. Seyen-eighths of the trip, however, was made under natural draught. The time of the trip up the course was little over two hours, 20k knots an hour being the average. This fine performance made everybody aboard feel that something wonderful would be developed on the return trip.
 A very wide turn was made and then ct 12:02:45 the line was crossed on the record breaking journey. In the meantime Cramps chief engineer, John Patterson, who has charge of the engine and fire rooms, had completed preparations for the forced drsught, the condition which de- velopes every atom of exertion that can be got out of boilers and machinery. The picked force of mschinists, engineers and tiremen, who had carefully prepared them selves for the four hours ordeal they were to undergo, were shut out from all com with the upper portion of the ship. Every opening through which air might pass except the blowers, was care fully closed and under no circumstances, unless 1t be the illness of & man, would Engineer Patterson consent to the opening of even the smallest hstchwsy.
 The three immense engines which turned | the shafts connected with three screws | were working at a speed of 194 revolutions | a minute. Soon after the starting line was | crossed this speed was increased to 135 | revolutions 6 minute, and later on the | maximum velocity of 136 was reached. | Chief Engineer Towne, U. s. N, who de- | signed the engines, and who was in the | engine room during the run, says the aver | sge under forced draught was 132 revolu- | lions each minute. Steadily, like a beau | :iful piece of machinery, the Columbia | ploughed her way through the water, her | speed being almost equal to that of the | average railroad train. There was sppar- ,ntly no unusual excitement aboard, the | officers and guests standing about in | groups discussing the probable speed | which the cruiser would develop. | Occasional trips were made to the stern to observe the magnificent effect | produced by the triple screws which \ thrsshed the water into 8 white foam and | threw great masses nearly ten feet into the | air. At the bow the effect produced by | the rapid parting of the waters was equal | y beautiful.
 Time computations were being almost |
 1Io h., hl l. and there was @ general belief that more | than twenty-two knots would be made. In the pilot house Captain Matthews and | Cooper carefully observed the | effect produced by the tremendous energy | the engines were exerting, Chief Engineer | Farmer and Naval Constructor Feaster | performing similar duty In the after part | of the ship.
 There came display of excitement, how ever, when the seventh buoy had been passed and the cruiser was making her last desperate effort. Everybody on deck stood timepiece in hand eagerly awaiting the hoarse whistle which was to announce that | the goal had been crossed. The moment | the sound was heard there was 8 general l scene of rejoicing among the men who had | participated in the greatest speed effort | ever shown by a warship.
 The finish was made at 2:08:48, the time | for the run being hour, 55 minutes, .34 seconds.
 The course is 43 s6S knots long and this | would give a speed average of g. S7 knots | au hour. The fact should be taken into | that there was no provision l for tidal corrections such as will be made on the official trip. The tidal corrections | are not expected to deduct more than one | tenth of knot. This would leave to- | days performance at more than 22. 75 | knots.
 The feature of to-day's remarkable run | was the stesdiness of the ship. Old naval | officers say they never saw e vessel behave | better. The sea was not more than ordt- narily disturbed by the swift passage of the huge cruiser, and there was an entire ab- sence of either rolling or pitching. This, to the experts, Is due to the fine ness of the lines on which the ship is con- structed. After the race was finished the machinery was brought back to natural draught and the cruiser steamed back to her anchorage, which was reached about 3:30 o'clock.
 Apparently the two coolest men on board were Edwin F. Crsmp, who has charge of the Columbis's trial, and Captain Sargent, her commander, on whom depend in great measure the success or failing of the trial The latter stuck closely to his post on the bridge, while MT. Crsmp LOOK occasionsl trips around the ship, chatting unconcern- edly with those he met. Bulletins We're received by him from the engine room every fifteen minutes giving information as to the condition of the machinery. These were uniformly of 6 favorable char scter. It was said by one of the officials after the run that the only apparent effect on the engines was to get them in better trim.
 The official trial will take place Thurs- day. The outlook Is that there will be no change within the next forty-sight hours. The three engines today developed about 21 ,000 horsepower, which Is QUO less than their estimated capacity. The engi-
 neers claim that the engines are capable of
 13S revolutions 8 minute, which velocity, if obtained, ought to produce spsed of n pt less than twenty-thres knots an hour,
 making the Columbia absolutely fastrr
 than anything shost. Even If tC-dEy's
 speed is not exceeded the cruiser will earn
 8 speed premium of $350, GOO.
 Blew His Brothers Head or.
 MARION & D. Nov 14-WhfIA the