Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-05-22
BY TELEGRAPH.
TINE CRUISER MEN york


OS BoARp raE NEW YORK, May zi--
The unofficial preliminary trial Of the New
York took place Saturday. At O'Clock
A. NJ the-big engiGes began to turn over,
the swift ocean terror left her anchorage
of Boston light, and, after brief detour
to the southwark, headed for the scenes OF
her trials. The day vas perfect, an ideal
one for a trial of speed. There was gen
lie northwesterly breeze, with smooth sea
and light haze along the horizon, but the
weather was quite clear enough to dis
tingui,h the range beacons with ease.
At9.5o A. NJ, the forced draught vas
uut on and the pride of the new navy put
herself on her nettle. Volumes of smoke
poured from the tall tunnels, and perfect
shower of hot c,n,lers made life uncomfor-
table TO those On the after part of the ship.
The powerful propellers quickened their
pace, and by 10 80 they were making los
revolutions per minute. driving the ship
along at a speed of about 10 knots in the
direction Of Cape Ann.
As the forced dransht quiekened the COM
bustion in the torrii fire rooms, the pres
sure rose and at 10 4j the number of revo-
lutioas had jumped up 20 l20 per minute.
Five minutes later Cape Ann bore ahean,
the vessel now reaching her full power,
tearing through the water at u ttemen tous
speed.
The water was chnrned up in front of
her, girting her with. white foam which left
a long wake astern of her as far as the eye
could reach. A huge wave commenced at
her bow, rising fully six feet above the nor
mai water line, burying the forward torpe-
DO tubes and vanishing at point some 80
feet abaft the cutwater
As'she tore along. the crews of few
stray fishing craft near her course could b.
seen gazing with establishment at her for
midabie hull and great speed. AT 10 81
sharp she crossed the starting line which
was arranged between Dry Salvagcs and
beacon on Andrews point. The trial hal
begun. On deck all movable objects hal
taken within the ,uperstructure to avoid
the resistance of the wind.
For the same reason no person was al
lowed to stand on deck except behind an
elevator, bulkhead or other large surfaces
save the few officers at their stations. Down
in the engine and fire rooms the engineers
force under Chief Engineer Nelse johnson
and John Patterson, strained every nerve
to maintain the high power of the might,
machinery.
At 80 the naval transport steamer Fern
was passed, she being anchored at her sta
ton, marking the middle point of her
coarse. Boone island light bore abeam at
II 10, and at l.02 p. NJ. Capt Cooper.
standing on the forward bridge, waved his
hand. The whistle blew, and the engin"
room bells rang, in signal that the vessel
ha! crossed the finish range of Cape Por-
poise. The total time occupied in the run
was hours and minutes.
The distance in straight line between
the ranges is 4 60 miles, and basing calcu-
ations upon this, the New York steamed Il;
the average rate of 20.i3 knots. But she
really made considerable more.
For some reason the straight line was no
followed accurately, the vessel getting at
one time as much as five miles off her
course, owing. it is said, to the unrelability
of her compass, by which it was necessary
to steer. as none of the trial fleet of oh
serving aad marking vessels were on their
stations except the Fern.
There were thus no visible objects to-
ward which to steer, and the ship had to re-
turn to her course at the sacrifice of con-
siderable time. The actual distance Gov
cred was thus somewhat in excess of the
IL 65 nautical miles she will cover on the
day of the official trial
Her track as plotted, shows the distance TO
have been about ~ 2 nautical miles in tn
two hours and four minutes. and this would
show her average speed to have been 20 Al
knots, with the cold in.hore current settiug
to the southwark and westward dead against
her. On the official trial careful observa-
tons of the velocity and direction of this
current will be made and correction will
be made for it.
1t is confidently believed. as a result of
this test, that the corrected speed on the
official trial will be in the neighborhood Of
20.75 knots, which will earn Il premium of
$40 900.
1t may be said here that the nautical mile
adopted as the standard for the trial is that
adopted by the United States coast and geo
detic survey, and is G0S0.21 feet in length.
1t was determined upon from the fact that
it is one minute af an arc (that is to say
l-360th) of great circle of perfect sphere
having the same superficial area as the
earth (Which is not a perfect sphere, but a
spheroid.)
Throughout the run along the course the
number Of revolutions was maintained with
great steadness at about 1870 per minute
Steam was generated regularly, the pres
sure in the boilers being at about Us
pounds per square inch, delivering steam to
the engines, owing to the unusual friction
in steam pipes, ETC., at $50 pounds of pres
sure
In the FIRE rooms the temperature aver
aged about 81 degrees, which was assuredly
warm, but not unusually so, and was con
siderably less than what might naturally be
expected in view of the intense combustion
in the furnaces. II is reported that about
20 tons of coal were consumer per hour.