The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-18
Though Built for Seventeen Knots She Made
Over Twenty, and Proved Hersefthe Fast
est War Ship of Her Displacement Afost
Seven More Men.of.War Added to the
Fleet Anchored in Hampton Roads.
Arrival Of the British Fleet with the Blake and
Her Big Guns i'm the Lead-A Terrific Bonn.
bardment-An Argentine Terror"
FASTEST IN THE WORLD.

The Cruiser Detroit Attains a Speed Of Over
Twenty-Three Miles Hour.
NEW LONDON, Conn.,, April 11-Uncle
Sam owns the fastest cruiser OF her dis
placement in the world. On her trial to-
day the Detroit attained a speed Of over
twenty-three miles an hour. 1t has been
long. tedious wait but it has proved of ad-
vantage to the builders Of the cruiser, and
the United States will pay the expenses of
the chip during the several days of delay
aud attempted trials, which Will average
at least $4,000 per day, besides some $780,
600 bonus for extra speed developed above
the contracts, which called for seventeen
knots.
When the naval trial board gathered Sc
the breakfast tables this forenoon the
weather was doubtful, there being consid.
erable mist over land and water. They
gloomily talked over the prospects of clear
ing weather. but. according to orders, were
on the wharf, prepared to go on board chip
at 8 O'Clock. Soon after boarding the naval
engineers received their orders to prepare
to take data. 1t had cleared greatly and
there were prospects of Its doing stlll bet
ter. At SIS O'Clock the cruisers engines
were started and she turned upon her heel,
as 1t were, and slowly proceeded over into
Long Island sound. At $40 O'clock she had
arrived off the starting point and then cir
cled about for couple of hours. The tide
did not serve until 1898 o'clock, and as
an hour, 1880 was decided upon as the time
for the start This. it was reasoned. would
give a two hours run against the tide and
with the wind and two hours with the tide
aged the weather continued to improve
until at the starting tlmelt was all that
could be wished for and on the whole
broad expanse of the sound there was hard
ly ripple. for there was not more than q
one-balf knot breeze blowing. The sky was
just enough overcast to prevent reflections
upon the water. therefore allowing grand
opportunity to make the various land
marks. As one who was on board said
This weather is worth $4,000 to the build
ers." it SO proved to be. for many of the
board have all along contended that the
vessel designed for eighteen knots should
not be expected to make o great excess
above it. In this case the vessel was de-
signed for eighteen and contracted for
At II O'clock the board and it's assistants
took their stations. Rear Admiral George
l.. Belknap is chairman of the board. and
Capt Ph. Cooper chief engineer. Fer the
two hours during which she was circling
about the cruiser was gradually increasing
her speed until at liza so o'clock she leaped
past the small whale boat. making the
starting point and was fairly upon her
great test. One who has never been upon
last vessel when being exerted to her ut.
most. has no idea of the excitement and
danger which exist upon such a run.
For nearly four hours the en-
gines vibrated to their full capac-
ity, and appeared almost to jump
from their beds. 1t took but 29:14 minutes
to reach the Bache, which was anchored
about nine miles from the start. and the
center-etake boat was passed 3l.46 minutes
later. In 2S:17 more she reached the Blake.
about nine miles further on. and 1912 min
utes later she had passed the boat at the
end of the course. But GAO minutes were
occupied in turning about and coming
again upon the course. The run, to the
Blake was made In 27:37 minutes. and to
the center-stake boat in 26:33 minutes. The
Bache was made in 1912 minutes. Next
came the most exciting nine miles OF the
whole run because 1T was the fastest.
There had been some shaking up of things
on board before. but now every evidence
of speed was multiplied. and ehe flew
across the finish line in 25:55 minutes after
passing the last stake boat at q speed Of
slightly over twenty knots. or upwards of
twenty-three miles per hour.
From the data taken on deck the De-
troits average speed is estimated at 1S13
knots. but this may be slightly affected by
the tidal data. which will be supplied by
tHe OUScENutioB0 bdkeu lEOn tuo survey
steamers Bache and Blake, and the small
boats which marked the course. While
this speed run has always been called an
hour run. in thls case 1t did not prove to be
such. it being short minutes 4S seconds
the course having been covered in less than
the estimated time. The weather recording
machine was used as an auxiliary to
record the speed of the vessel. and il
was intended TO use patent tatfrail logs to
keep q further record, but tho vessel
hnu nVd hAf nj hatn fnn Dr.
Their interiors were ground to dust, so
rapid were the small wheels rev0lvad, and
early in the trial the port log stopped regis
terng. The engines turned from 10 to 176
revolutions per minute, and there was an
average head of steam of 163 pounds car
ried. Several little accidents occurred, but
happily no one was injured. Capt. Thomas
Lewis. of Baltimore, was in command of
the craft, and was complimented upon hrs
excellent management The Detroit will
sail at day break for New York. aud thence
to Baltimore. 1t will be at least two
months before che will 60 into commission.