The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-15
SWIFTEST SHIP AFLOAT.
THE CRUISER COLUMBIA BEATS THE
TWIN QUEEN CUNARDERs.

On q Preliminary spin Over Her Course or
Cape Ann Sac Reels or ea 81 Knot, an
Hours She spnrt- G.7 Kno.. Mt the
Remarkable Speed OF More Than "a
KNOTS an Hour--The Cramps Are Look
Ing Forward 10 IL Premium al $500 900.
BosToN. Nov. 14.-In an unofficial trip over
her trial course to-day the new cruiser Column
bia made n record of 22S7 knots an hour for
forty -four knots. This means that in sustained
sea 81 eed this new vessel Of Unco Sans Is n
marvel OF naval achievement and practically
tho most remarkable vessel merchartman or
naval. ever built. This record beats that OF
the Campania on her best twenty-fonr hour
average by half knot, or. to be exact. by
Observation-Disclosures OF a knot and it
Is thirteen hundredths OF knot faster
than the best seagoing time of the Luz
cania. The Lucania and Camrania. however,
are credited with over 80 knots on their trial
trirs. Naval officers or board tho Columbia
to-day say that the timo for tho Cunarders
was taken between certain headlands at we'll
known distances. say 10 or Is knots apart.
md that in this way their trial record was
made. To offset this. one o! the Trial Board
tod timed tho Columbia cween two buoys.
distance OF 81 knots. and found that in u
spurt 1T was iust after the forced draught was
put on she made "A knots and n trile over
1t Is safo TO say that on her record oday.
whon selected coal Was used under only two
Of her eight boilers. she Is tho fastest ocean,
going vessel in .he world. But this is not all.
On Thursday. when fresh i'ren are 10 he start
ed. when every round Of coal 10 he used Is
hand pick ed. when all boata md luggage OF
every kind are to be stripped from the decks.
when every man not especially concerned with
conductin: the trial mast get rehind cover. so
as not to impede the speed in the smallest
possible degree. 1t is reasonable to predict
that the Columbia will so 23 knots easily.
probably 23a, and may exceed even that
figure.
At the ratio OF $4,000 quarter knot pre-
MUM. she will undoubtedly make 100000
for the Messrs. Cramr her contractors. She
will cost I ne!e Sam that much in addition to
hor contract price OF about 81. $50. 600. but she
will be better boat than the contract calls for
by Just that amount of money. The cruiser
New York. on her official trip. made half a
knot more than on her preliminary spin over
the course. II the Columbia does as well on
Thursday her record ought to he 1887 knots.
or 2.37 knots in excess Of her required speed.
AL the naval men on the trip to-day were
simply astounded ut the result Tho repre-
sentatves Of the contractors. although ex-
rccting great things. could scarcely credit the
figures. and one Of them said to the newspa-
Ter men aboard: Il guess you may say sho
did 221s knots" but Just then Commander
Cooper OF the Trial Board, who had been tim
ing the vessel unoff!cially. came along and
said to Mr.. Cramp. who was speaking: Il
find that my figures ore 22.S7 knots" Mr..
Cramp gave him a surprised look and said:
1t seems almost too good to be true. but IL
Er. Cooper says those are the figures I don't
zee why they should not be given out Ihore
that we will have as perfect weather condi-
lions on the official run and as good fortune
as to-day. What do expect? Simply the
very best that she can do
There was no fuss. not even much enthn-
siasm. about to-day's run until it was oil over
The trial was conducted solely by the Cramps.
The nine buoys on the course had boon placed
in position by the Governments naval vessels.
and the run was made to see how the Columbia
would act The course was A knots long as
laid out Some Of the calculations say 1t was
one yard over that distance. Going north the
run was under natural drauRht entirely ex-
cept for the last six knots. The Columbia
crossed the starting line or Cape Ann at the
Joisurey speed Of 1Sh knots. She moved SO
smoothly and caused SO little disturbance that
she seemed to be just poking along. Gradu-
ally her speed increased. but 1t was scarcely
noticeable. and finally some ono announced
that she was going 81 knots and
over under natural drauGht, or faster than
the New York went under forced drauRht
The average run northwsrd under natural
6Taught. including the slow speed at the start.
WAS 20A knots. Then came the start for
home. the wind and water neither increasing
nor retarding her speed. The trained crew OF
the Cramps hit her up for all they could. and
she forged ahead faster not only than any ves-
sci over did before carrying tho American flag.
but fastor than any carrying any other flag.
barring. OF course little torpedo boats. which
are not to be considered properly as seagoing
craft. She dashed by buoy after buoy. and
finally crossed the Cape Ann line as II she
could keep that speed up clear across tho
ocean and call It fun. There was nothing
broken. no straining. no injury OF any kind to
either ship or Grew.
The race on Thursday BIDS fair. therefore.
to be the most exciting contest against wind
and water ever seen anywhere in the world.
and the crew OF the Columbia this eyoning be-
gan looking after the siren whistle OF the shr
80 that II she meets their expectations and
achieves nll kar performance of to-day indi-
Gates they will let the eagle scream, and they
expect 1t will he heard not only clear across
thin country. but in the capital Of every nation
that keeps. or pretends to keep. navy.