The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-19
COLUMBIA QUEEN or THE OCEAN.
The New warship the Fastest Vessel
That Ever Flowed the Sea.

That Ever Flowed the Sea.
Bosros. Nov. is.-The Columbia today
fairly won the title Of queen OF the ocean.
Faster than ever sped warship or mer-
chant vessel. she steamed over the course
from Cape Ann 10 Cape Porpoise on her
trial trip with the United States board of
inspection on board. Her average speed
for IS knots was - 81 knots per hour, but
she steamed -. knots OF the run at rate
that averaged sos knots per hour 1t was
q magnificent display of speed. By her
little four-hour spin she won for her build
ers. William Crsmp & Son, neat honus6f
s450, 500. At sunrise the members of the
board and Cramp aud party appeared at the
head of Lewis wharf ready TO start for the
wArship. A light breeze prevailed, which
looked threatening. but the day turned out
fine. The ship made false start, and
cramp ordered her back for q new run
One boiler was then booming. When she
got back mile beyond the Dolphin, the
starting boat. she turned aud pointed her
nose once more on the course. Al 9:45
she vas off for Point Porpoise. speeding at
22js knot gait. She reached the Llama,
the second mark. at 10 o'clock. making the
first mark of her course at the rate of =. 05
knots. Her engines were given additional
steam aud averaged III revolutions. From
the kearsarge. the next marking vessel,
to the tug Leyden the speed of the ship
Was only - 5 knots per hour, and the rev.
olutions OF the engines were reduced TO
about lSl per minute.
Then the whole form OF the Columbia
vihrated with the fearful velocity of the
engines. The mighty shafts reyolved
two and one-half times every second, and
the huge screws churned the water into a
eaidron that rose high about the quarter
galley. Soon the Columbia passed the
23knot mark, and there was cheering ali
along her deck. The Narkate was an
chored seven aud three-fourths knots from
the Fern. and her stalky mast was Just
visible on the horizon. As the Columbia
shot with cyclone speed past the Fern her
speed tell 20 Ass knots. but il proved that
the Columbia was only gathering power.
She swept by the Fortune, the seventh
mark-boat. at lips, and then the three big
propellers hauled up mighty mass OF
seething, boiling water and iefs a trail a
couple of miles long in her wake. The
Fortune vas left far astern in twiukling.
and the spray, leaping ia over the bow.
drenehed the forward deck and whitened
the whlskers of Capt Sargent, who was on
the bridge. The Columbia was rapidly
nearing the first half Of her trial, and was
bent on smashing all records.
she is going = is now" said Mr.
Cramp, IN q matter Of fact way, land
guess We can get another knot out of her
If you aren't satisfied" "Weu. I'm salts
Ted, said Commodore Walker. shes a
hummer"
Never ship was built that equaled the
tremendous velocity which the Columbia
had now attained It Was not an easy
task 80 stand on the deck in the face Of
the gale which resulted from the onward
sweeping Of the mighty ship The bells
of the engine room mingled merrily as
Capt, Sargent demanded that every opnce
q steam he turned into the great cyiin-
dsrs. The Columbia had covered the last
81 knots at the rate Of p = knots peg
hour. on little better thau 81 miles, an
| average since the start had been made Of