The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-15
Her Speed Exhibition Yesterday During
an Unofficial Trial Never Equaled
by Any Other Warship.
NEARLY % KNOTS PER HOUR
Under Forced Draught and 20.2
Under Natural Draught.
Builder Cramp Delighted with the
Cruisers Performance and Confident
of Better Results Thursday.

Nov. 1i.-The new commerce
destroyer, Columbia, was sent on a prelim-
mary trial spin over the government course
from Cape Ann, Massachusetts, to Cape
Porpoise, Maine, to-day, with the most
gratifying results. Under forced draught
she developed a speed of psi knots per
hour. and, under natural draught, 20.2
knots. This means that in the official trial,
which occurs next Thursday when the YES
sci will be pushed for every ounce of en-
ergy and every particle of speed that there
is in her. she will easily make twenty
three knots and earn a premium for her
builders. William Cramp & Sons, of Phila-
delphia, of close upon $500, 900. Her con-
tract specifications call for twenty-one
knots, and the builders are entitled to a
premium Of $4,000 for every quarter knot
in excess.
The length OF the course Is 1897 knots
and return. and it was covered in four
hours and eighteen minutes, which in
cludes twenty-one minutes expended in
making the turn at the eastern end of the
road. This is the fastest time ever made
by an American ship of war, and when the
eXhaustiveness Of the test and the length
of the course is considered it is unsur-
passed in the history of the navies Of the
world. Some lightly fashioned torpedo boats
nave skinned along faster, and several
cruisers belonging to other governments are
said to have better records. But these have
uniformly been made over short distances,
in smooth water, with steam bottled up
in the boilers for a brief rush. None of
them could have kept alongside the Column
bia for half an hour to-day.
The first half Of the run was made under
natural draught, and the cruiser was not
pushed to the full extent of her q, 900 horse
power. Her builders wished to test her
action in other ways, but she was going at
the rate of twenty knots when she swept
over the s~tarting-point at 9:50:2O a. m. This
speed was added to, and the easternmost
range of Cape Porpoise was passed at
II 90 a. m. There was no need Of being
in a hurry to make the turn, and pilot
Chambers guided the great cruiser around
in a wide circle at least six miles in cir
conference. 1t took about twenty min
utes to make the turn. When she makes
it officially she will be obliged to do it
without s~lackening the speed of the engines
for a moment. Otherwise it would afford
an opportunity to bottle up steam in the
boilers and thereby obtain an unfair ad-
vantage.
\ IHC OOiuiiIlDld dpplOdSISu lie III OH
the return trip an immense volume of
smoke was belched from her lofty smoke
stacks. 1t indicated that the forced
draught machinery had been set in motion,
and that an artificial current of air was be-
ing sucked through the CRATES. The ship
gave a bound forward and the number of
revolutions of the engines per minute adj
vanced from 125 to 10. She passed the
"a at 12.12.50 n m and r1lShad fhrOl1ph
the water at full speed. 1t was a terrific
pace that she cut out. The tugs which
accompanied her as tenders were lost to
sight in no time, and the fishing %schooners
were passed by as an express train whisks
by the telegraph poles at the side Of the
track.
Soon after 8 o'clock the ship was at her
old anchorage at quarantine, Boston har-
Dor, none the worse for the run. She was
at once put in order for the official trial,
which is set for Thursday, If the weather
is pleasant. Tomorrow a whole fleet of
naval vessels, including the historic Kear-
sarge, the dispatch boat Dolphin and a
dozen tugs and lighthouse tenders will
proceed to their stations along the course,
for the guidance of the officers on board
when she makes the run.
Edwir. Cramp was jubilant when a re-
porter greeted him tonight. He said:
1.-THE Columbia has far exceeded my ut
most expectations. She has proved herself
a marvel. 1 am delighted at the manner
in which she reeled eff the knots, and es-
pecially the performance under natural
dIaught. There was not a hitch in the pro-
ceedings and the engines were marvels of
perfection. The weather was perfect. /
could not have wished for a more delight
full day for the trial. / only wish it had
been the official trial. Still, I expect she
will do as we'll, if not a trifie better, than
on to-day trial. Yes, I shall wait for a
good day upon which to have the official
test. Thursday, If it is a good day, will
probably witness the official test. but, in
case things are not favorable 1 shall. of
course, exercise my right to put off the
test"