The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-03-29
A GREAT WAR SHIP.
Preliminary Trial Of the Armored
Cruiser New York.
She Breaks All Records and Proves Her
self the speediest war Ship Ahoat
In the World-A Speed OF Over
Twenty Nautical Miles an
HUur Maintained.

PHILADELPHIA, March 2L-With the
proud distinction of having broken the
record Of all preliminary trials, and the
satisfaction OF being the fastest armored
vessel in the world, the cruiser New
York returned to Cramps ship yard
yesterday morning From the hour she
steamed down the Delaware until her
arrival Sunday, naval experts awaited
with deep interest the result of the
great war ships initial performances
Despite heavy rains, squalls and a Bit
ing wind from the southeast fully 5000
patriotic Philadelphians were present
to wish the warship God'speed 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 Sar-
gent 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 run down the river and bay was
made with fires half banked and under
natural draught The maximum pres
sure of steam carried was 100 pounds to
the square inch. Starting with forty
five revolutions, speed of ten knots
was attained and held until Greenwich
point was we'll abaft the beam. After
this the new vessel seemed to warm up
TO her work, the throttle was thrown
open, ninety-five revolutions reached,
and the speed increased to H. knots.
This made it rather uncomfortable fol
the figures Of liberty and justice on each
side of the stem, for they we're deluged
with cold spray from head to foot The
vessel seemed to glide through the water
us noiselessly as a yacht, however, ano
there was scarcely any vibration
throughout the ship, At the end Of al
hours run the steward came aft in {
great state of excitement and reported
the compartment in which his provi
sions were stored ankle deep in SCI
water. A careful examination of th'
forward part of the vessel revealed tn,
fact that the water had been forced II
through the forward torpedo tube. A
anchor, this opening is few feet abov
the water line, but at a high rate o
speed it is almost completely buried il
the sea. Constructor Nixon placed
water-tight bucller over II in place o
the temporary one, and the leak CAV
no further trouble.
without further excitement the New
York anchored at nightfall about sevel
miles to the northward Of the break
. water.
Saturday morning the wind had haule
to the westward and the weather wa
clear Fires were lighted at dayligh
and before o'clock the New York wa
under way running for the Fiv
Fathom bank light ship, distance Q
9.Ss nautical miles, the depth Of tn
water being 19 fathomS The followin
, table tells the story Of the two trials:
Five Fathom bank light ship I
Northeast end light ship, course mort
by east, distance 9ss nautical mile
Start, s:24:15; finish, s:5S:5S. DifferenC
20 minutes 3s seconds Speed, 20:C
nautical miles per hour.
Second trial: North end light ship
J Five Fathom bank light ship, cours
south by west, distance 9:ss nautici
miles Start 9:1S:O7; finish, 0:42:5
, Difference 90 minutes 81 seconds Spec
1881 nautical miles Average for tn
|, two trials 10. 95 miles In the afternoo
the cruiser was headed to the eastwar
in search Of deeper water. In run {
D four consecutive hours she maintainc
: n speed OF 2O:Ss knots per hour, reacl
ing as high as 20:50 as the water deel
t ened. With these satisfactory result
a the New York anchored for the nigl
t and steamed up to the ship yard @
: Sunday morning. She will be read
A for her official trial within three week
= Capt Redford w. Sargent was in con
i mand OF the New York during her tria
- There were $40 people on board.