The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-27
FASTEST CRUISER AFLOAT
The New Armored Vessel New York
Put Through Preliminary Trial.
All Records Broken by the $3.COO.O0O Wer
Ship Turned Out Of Cramps Shipyard
Last Week and Ready for Battle.

PHILADELPHIA. March 2G.-With the
proud distinction of having broken the
record of all preliminary trials and the
satisfaction OF being the fastest armored
vessel in the world. the cruiser New York
returned TO Cramps shipyard this morn
ing. From the hour she steamed down the
Delaware Wednesday, until her arrival
to-day. naval experts have awaited with
deep interest the result of the great war
ships initial performances. Despite heavy
rains. squalls aud biting wind fEom the
southeast fully five thoneand patriotic
PhiladelphIsns were present 10 wish the
war ship Godspeed as she backed out into
the stream and stood down the river on her
trial trip last Wednesday. When the giant
screws began 10 revolve and the monster
vessel was actually under way for the first
time. the spectators shouted them
selves hoarse. Captain Sargent waved his
cap from the forward bridge. and
acknowledged the salute with his powerful
whistle that seemed TO shake the mighty
ship from stem 10 stern. The New York
was headed up the stream. which at this
point - only tribe wider than the war
ship itself. A strong ebb tide was running
turn around in this narrow space was o
difficult If not impossible undertaking. A
three miIlIou-dollar ship was not a toy 10
be played with. AS soon as the moving
lines were cast adriit. however. Captain
Chambers. an old Delaw Gre-riyer pilot,
who has handled all of the Cramp ships.
directed the tug Newcastle TO make fast to
a steel hawser Though the powerful little
boat steamed away at fnH speed. she had
no perceptibie effect upon the heavy war
in hers
astern. and the tuR Frederick Mum WAS
given a line from the bow. Thus, with
al each end of the vessel, the New
York was turned around and headed down
the Delaware.
TIE RUN DOWN TIE BAY.
Now there arose another wild shout ms
the four powerful engines began TO vibrate
and tho water was churned into foam
astern. The run down the river and bay
wac made with fires half banked and under
natural drsught. The maximum pressure
of steam carried was 10 pounds to the
square inch. Starting with forty five rev.
olutions a speed of ten knots was at
tanned and held until Greenwich Point was
we'll abafr the beam. After this the new
vessel seemed TO warm up 30 her work.
The throttle W as thrown open until ninety
five revolutions wss reached and the speed
increased To l7.5 kots. This made it rather
uncomfortable for tho figures of Liberty
and Justice on each side, of the stem. for
they were deluged with cold water from
head TO foot. However. the vessel seemed
TO glide through the water as noiselessly
as yacht and there WAS scarcely any vi
bration throughout the ponderous steel
craft
At the end of an hour's run the steward
came aft in a great state of excitement and
reported the compartment IN which his
provisions were stored ankledeeD in sea
xUA mi. rf vh.. Fxx~x- a
part of the vessel revealed that the water
bad been forced in through the forward
torpedo tube. AT anchor this opening Is o
few feet above the water line. but 1T a hiv b
rate of speed it Is almost completely sub
merged In the sea- Constructor Nixon
placed q water-tight buckler over 1t. in
place of the temporary one. aud the leak
gave no further trouble. The question
now arose as to how the compartments
could be quickly emptied. for sea ater
and mess stores are not the most agreeable
ehipmares. Nixon cut the gordian knot by
having a small hole drilled through the
steel deck. This drained the compartment
into another Ia the deck below-one that
could not be injured by the introduction of
q small amount OF water. without further
excitement the New York anchored. at
DighrfalI. about seven miles TO the north
ward OF the breakwateT.
Wednesday was cold and damp, with q
fresh breeze from the northeast. The New
York lay quietly az anchor In the early
morning. and the prospect of run outside
looKed rather discouraging. At O'Clock
IL frightened ND a biz. and the cruiser got
under way for the purpose of correcting
her compasses and adjusting the COM
pensating magnets. This accom- plished
the vessel returned TO her anchorage to
walt for good weather to begin her trial.
By Saturday morning the wind had hauled
TO westward end the water was clear.
Fires we're lighted at daylight, and before
o O'Clock the New York was under way,
running for the Five Fathom bank light
ship, q distance of 0SS nautical miles. the
The following table tells the story of tho
two trials:
RECORD OF THE TRIALS.
First Trial-Five Fathom Bank lightship
to Northeast End Iightship; course, north
by east: distance. 9.sS nautical miles.
Start. S:24:15: tinIsb. $685. time, 29:2S
SPEED rate. zoos nautical miles per hour.
Second Trisl-North End lightship to
Five Fathom Bank iightship: course. south
by west: distance. SIS mantle al miles. Start,
e:ls:o9; finish. 9:42:5s; time. 29:5l Speed
rate. 1881 nautical miles. Average for the
two trials. 1875 miles.
In the afternoon the cruiser was headed
20 the eastward in search of deeper water
In a run of tour consecutive hours she main
tanned speed of 20.SS knots per nour,
water deepened. With these satisfactory
results. the New York anchored for the
night. and steamed mp 10 the shlpy6r on
Sunday morning. She will DO ready FOR
her official trial within three weeks.
Capt. BEDFORD w. Sargent was In CON-
mand of the New York during ner trial. as
sisted by Capt. George L. Cham bers an old
Deiaware-river pilot who has steered all OF
tho Cramps new ships. There were $40
people on board, thirty of whom were IL
the ward room mess. Two stewards. ter,
cooks and thirty-nine walters bad charge
OF the commissary department.. Mr.. Edwin
Cramp. the experimenting engineer of the
company. was practically IN charge of the
trial. He was ably assisted by DIR. Lewis
Nixon. the naval architect of the firm. and
chief engineers John Patterson, James
Younger and Nelson johnson. The follow
ing naval officers made the trip: Capt. Nv.
Phillips. who will command the cruiser
lieutenants Il. b. VI. Mason. her executives;
Waynswright Kellogg. her navigator; and
Charles o. Allibone. OF the Columbia:
chief engineers John Lowe. N. +. Towne.
past assistant engineers +. X. Freeman and
M. "A. Anderson. The invited guests were
Richard Peters. l.. T.. Paul. j. Z. Schaper-
koilsr and DIR. w. Barton Hopkins OF Phil
adelphia. and s. Dana Greene and William
Nepow King of New York.
Let Our Crnis-r4 he Shesthed.
WASHINGTON. March 26.-The question of
sheathing our naval vessels is one TO which
Secretary Herbert. it IL said. proposes to
give some earnest consideration. Naval
Constructors Hitchborn has prepared some