Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-27

THE NEW YoRK's TRIAL TRIP.
1t 10 the swifssst Of the American Armsred
Cruisers.
With the distinction Of having broken the
record of all preliminary trials and the salts
faction Of being the fastest srmored vessel in
/ the world. the cruiser New York returned to
Cramps shipysrd at Philadelphia yesterday
morning.
From the hour she steamed down the Della
ware until her arrival naval experts awaited
with deep interest the result Of the great war
ships initial performance. Despite heavy rain
squalls and . biting wind from the southeast
fully 5000 patriotic Philadelphians we're present
to wish the warship godspeed as she backed
| out into the stream and stood down the river
on her trial trip. When the giant screws began
| to revolve and the monster vessel was actually
under way for the first time the spectators
| shouted themselves hoarse. Capt. Sargent
waved his cap from the forward bridge and
acknowledged the salutes with his powerful
siren whistle that seemed to shake the mighty
ship from stem to stern.
The New York was headed mp the stream,
which is only trihe wider than the great war
chip itself. A strong ebb tide was running and
the wind blowing half gale. To turn around
IN TINS narrow space was a difficult IL not i'm
possible undertaking, and $3. 000, 900 ship was
not toy to be played with. As soon as the
mooring lines were cast adrift, however. Capt
Chambers. an old Delaware river pilot who has
handled all Of the Cramp ships. directed the
tug Newcastle to make fast to q steel hawser
which was led out from the starboard quarter.
Though the powerful little boat steamed away
at full speed she had no percepHble effect upon
the heavy warship, in fact herself towed
bodily astern. Another tug, the Frederick L.
Mum. was then given line from the port bow,
SO with one at each end of the lever the New
York was turned around and headed down the
Delaware.
Now there arose another wild shout as the
four powerful engines began to vibrate and the
water was churned into foam aste-n. The run
down the river and bay was made with fires
half banked ard under natural draught The
minimum pressure of steam carried was 40
pounds to the square inch. Starting with
torty-fve revolutions speed Of ten kno.s was
attained and neld until Greenwich Point was
well aDaft :he beam.
After this the new vessel seemed to warm I'D
to her work. the throttle was thrown open.
ninety-fve revolutions reached and the sceed
increased to 17.5 knots. This made !. rather
uncomfortable for the figures of Liberty and
Justice on each side OF the stem. for they were
deluged with cold spray from head to foot
The vessel seemed 70 glide through the water as
nolselessly as a yacht. however. and there was
scarcely any vibration throughout the ship.
THE FIRST DEFECT.
At the end of an hours run the steward came
aft in great state of excitement and reported
the compartment in which his provisions were
stored ankle deep in sea water. careful ex-
animation of the forward part OF the vessel re-
veaied the fact that the water had been forced
in through the forward torpedo tube At
anchor this opening is a few feet above the
water line, bat at a high rate Of speed it is
almost completely buried in the sea.
fxasncA No. 1 L
buckler over it in place OF the temporary one
and the leak gave no further trouble. The
question now arose as to how the com par tment
could be quickly emptied, for sea water and
mess stores are not the most agreeable ship
mates Nixon cut the go:Gian knot by having
SINAI! hole drilled through the steel deck.
This drsined the compartment. into another on
the deck below-one that could not be injured
by the introduction CT a small amount OF water.
without further excitement the New York
anchored at nightfall about seven miles to the
nsrthward of the b-eakwater. Wednesday was
cold and damp with a fresh breeze from the
northeast. The New York lay quietly at anchor
In the early morning. and the prospects OF a
run outside looked rather discouraging. At 8
| O'Clock it frightened up a bit and the cruiser
got under way for the purpose OF correcting
her compasses and adjusting the compromising
magnets. This accomplished, the vessel re-
turned to her anchorage to wait for good
weather 20 begin her trial.
SATURDAYS TRIP
By Saturday morning the wind had hauled to
the westward, and the weather was clear. Fires
were lighted at daylight, and before O'Clock
the New York was under way rrrSning for the
Five Fathom Bank lishtship. The race was to
be between this ard the Northeast End light
ship. distance of 9.SS nautical miles, the
depth Of the water being twelve fathoms. The
| following table tells the story of the two
trials:
Five Fathom Bank lightship to Northeast End
nautical miles. Start, o:2415: tiaish S:5S53
difference. 20 minutes 3S seconds. Speed
2O03 nautical miles per hour.
Second trial-Northeas End lightship to Five
Fathom Bank lighsship, course south by west:
distance, SO nautical miles. Start 9:l3O7:
finish. 9:42:5S: difference. 20 minutes and 5,
seconds Speed 1887 nautical miles. Average
for the two trials. 10. 95 miles.
In the afternoon the cruiser was headed TO
the eastward in search of deeper water. In a
run OF four consecutive hours she maintained a
speed OF 2O.3o knots per hour, reaching 90 81
as the wa,er deepened. With these satisfactory
results the New York anchored for tine night.
and steamed up to tbs shipyard on SUNDAY
morning. She will be ready for her official
trial within three weeks.
Capt. bedford w. Sargent was in command
of the New York during her trial, assisted by
Capt. George l.. Chambers, an old Delaware
! river pilot. There were $40 persons OF board,
thirty OF whom were in the ward room mess
Two stewards. ten cooks ard thirty nine walters
had charge of the comm;ssary depar tment.
MIR. Edwin Cramp. the experimenting engineer
OF the company. was practically in charge of the
trial He was ably assisted by Mr. Lewis
Nixon. the naval architect OF the firm, and
Chief Engineers John Patterson, James Younger
and Nelson Johnson
The following naval officers made the trip:
Capt. John W. Philip, who will command the
cruiser when she is turned over to the govern
ment: Lieut.. T. B. NJ. Mason. her executive:
Wainwright Kellogg, her navigator and Charles
Q. Alhbone Of the Columbia, Chief Engineers
John Lowe and N. E. Towne, Passed Assistant
Engineers E. r. Freedman and NJ. A. Ander-
eon The invited guests we're Richard Peters,
l.. I. Paul, ]. F. Schaperkoller and DR.. W. Bar.
| ton Hopkins Of Philadelphia and S. Dana
Greene AID W. N. King.