The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-06-05
THE TRIAL OF THE MAcHIAs.
Instructions Which Show How Much the
Government Requires.

WASHINGTON, June 3.-The instruc-
tions to the board to conduct the trial
trip Of the gunhoat Machias, built at the
Bath, Me-, iron works, have been sent to
Rear Admiral Belknap, president Of the
board. The board is expected to make a
complete examination, with specific con-
clusions, upon the following points:
1. Whether the vessel is sufficiently
strong to carry the armament, equip
ment, coal, stores and machinery indi-
Gated in the plans and specifications.
2. Whether the hull, fittings and ma
chinery, including engines, boilers and
appurtenances of the vessel are strong
and we'll built and in strict conformity
with the contract.
8. Whether the vessel is, in all respects,
complete and ready for delivery; and if
the board shall find that the vessel is not
so completed, it will include in it's report
a statement in detail of the work re-
quired.
After the examination of the vessel at
she being weighted to mean draught of
12 feet, the board will proceed in her to
Long Island Sound. where the vessel will
be taken over nearly the same course as
that of the Detroit.
The official trial will consist of two
runs of about two hours each, over a
measured course of about 80 miles in
length. During these runs the revolu-
tions will be carefully observed for each
period of Is minutes Observations will
also be made to note the effect as regards
the revolutions of the engines of putting
over the helm in order to turn the vessel.
During each of the runs over this
measured course, a complete set of indi-
Gator cards will be taken from all the
cylinders of both main engines every
half hour. In computing the horse
power, the average revolutions for the 15-
minute period will be used with the mean
pressure found from the cards.
The information relative to the power
of the machinery has no. bearing upon
the official trial of the ship, but is only
for the information of the department.
The board has no control over the ma
chinery, but merely the instruments for
their men are not to be interfered with
in the management of the machinery.
A report upon the horse power devel-
oped will be sent to the bureau of steam
engineering, and will be accompanied by
| the steam log, the synopsis of the trial,
| the standardization tables of the indica-
tors and the data books showing the
original observations.
In addition to this report, each engin-
eer officer present at the trial will for
| ward to the department memorandum
containing the result of his observations
on the design, workmanship and general
performance of the smachinery, and it's
| details. The whole object of the reports
is to give the department. the fullest pos
sible knowledge of the working of the
machinery, and nothing is to be omitted
which will conduce to that end.
The Machias Ready.
| BATH, June 3.-The gunboat Machias
left Bath at o'clock this afternoon fol
New London, where she will receive the
naval board of inspectors. Gen. Hyde
and several gentlemen interested in the
Bath iron works, where the Machias was
built, are on board.
4 Postmaster at Lagrange.
| WASHINGTON, June 3.-The total mum
ber of fourth-class postmasters appoint
ed today was 50, of which So were to fill
vacancies caused by designations ant
death. Among the appointments was
D. N. Dyer, Lagrange, Me.
For a Great Canal. ~