The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-15
The Columbia Likely to Prove the
Fastest Vessel Afloat.
SHE LOGGED NEARLY % KNOTS
ON YESTERDAYS SPIN.

and Overhaul the Atlantic Greyhounds
Yesterdays Trial Was Preparatory
The Official Test To Be Made Tomor-
row, Weather Permitting.
Boston, November 14.-The new United
States cruiser Columbia was given an
unofficial spin this afternoon uner forced
draught over the measured course be-
tween Cape Ann and Cape Porpoise,
which is a trifle less than a knots long.
She made the unprecedented speed of
22. 81 knots an hour, an excess of 1,S7
knots over the contract requirement.
This splendid feat was accomplished un-
| der condition of wind, weather and sea
that could not be improved upon.
AT $50 O'Clock this morning, the
| anchor came up from it's muddy bed in
Boston harbor, and the vessel picked her
way down the channel and out past the
lighthouse. Captain Sargent was in
charge and Lew Chambers, the famous
Delaware pilot, who steers all the
Cramps ships, was at the wheel, imper-
tur bably chewing bit of tobacco and
guiding his fine craft around schooners,
barges and dTedges, with a turn of his
finger on the spokes. The Columbia
canoe and her steam steering apparatus
is wonderfully sensitive and strong. Like
some great bird trying her wings she
circled around in deep water, and zig
Jagged this way and that, testing the
gearing OF the rudder. Then, pointing
her sharp nose toward the north, with an
ever accelerated speed, she bore down
upon the line. Bit by bit the needles
on the indicator dials moved along.
showing that the pressure on the boilers
and the speed of the screws were increas-
ing. The three propellers churned up
ships company got behind shelter to
avoid holding the wind. The captain,
pilot and Mr.. E. S Cramp alone occupied
the bridge The vibration was very
slight, although the engines were turning
over 125 times every minute. At 9s55
the range beacon and the dynamite vessel
Vesuvius, marking the starting line
were.passed. They swept astern like a
way station passed by the limited ex-
press She made splendid time all along
the course. Her wake was straight as
an arrow. Her engines worked with the
regularity and ease of a grandfather's
clock. The Isles of Shoals were passed
at II O'Clock, and half an hour later the
black spindle of the light house on, Boone
island was a-beam. At 11.53 the ship
htw across the line at Cape Porpoise-
She had accomplished half the run, AZ
miles and a fraction in two hours, one
minute. and three seconds, practically
two hours. 1t was better, than 20 miles
an hour, because of the added distance
Still it shows that the cruiser was not
pus he'd to her utmost capacity. On her
official trial the New York did it in two
hours and one minute. So this record is
beaten handily The Columbia swung
in a wide extended circle and recrossed
the line on the homeward run at 12. Is. so
pm. Then they opened the throttle
valves and let the great ship drive At
1.22 the Isles of Shoals were passed on
the return The Columbia was surging
along like locomotive behind time on
down grade with mad engineer in the
cab. The Colum bia tore across the
finish line at 2. O3 p. m.
The official trial, if the present good
weather prevails, will take place Thurs
day. The three engines developed about
q, 900 horse power, 1000 less than the
claim the engines are capable of 1888 revo-
lutions a minute which velocity, if oh
tained. ought to produce speed of not
less than 23 knots an hour, making tie
Columbia absolutely faster than any
thing afoat.
the Cramps shipyard the workmen
named her the Pirate. They did SO s.be-
cause of her 'rakish line, but more par
ticularly because she was being con-
structed to outsail any cruiser aloat.
She is the only steamship ever made that
can sail around the world without stop
ping at coaling station. With her ex-
pected twenty-five knots an hour she. can
race with the inter-ocean liners the
Campania and Lucania. The Columbia
is much larger vessel than the Olympia.
just completed at San Francisco. The
Olympia is good for 81 Ia knots an hour.
Comparison can hardly be made with Che
cruiser New York which is an armor clad
of much heavier displacement than
either the Columbia or Olympia. The
New York made twenty-one knots on her
trial trip.
The Columbia is provided with triple
screws, being the first OF our war vessels
to use this device, although it is found
on some new vessels of France and Ger
many.