The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-23
UAWSERS HELD HER FAST.
rryiJ TRIdL or THE ENGINES OF
THE ARMORED CRUISER MAINE.

The Machinery Was All Ia Place. asd Il
was Thought Rest Not TO Keep tho Con-
tractor, Wnitihs for Their Moaey-A Sue.
.r..tui Triai-DeaniteR Results Not Known.
Tho formal preliminary test Of tho engines
y, IN, United States armored cruiser Maine.
now building at tho Navy Yard In Brooklyn.
vos completed yesterday The test began on
friday afternoon. 1t was conducted by Chief
Engineer James W. Thomson. The test was
satisfactory. So far rs could BIO judged. the ro-
ouirem ents OF the contract between the Gov
srnpent and the Quintard Iron Company. who
nut in the engines and machinery. are moro
than met.
Early on Friday morning tho Maine
vas got In readiness for the trial
She was swung around at her dock with her
stern toward New York. Eight hawsers. each
thicker than the arm Of Sandow. were dropped
from her stern and wound around and around
asmany big piles on shore. Six more hawsers
were dropped from her bows and fastened to
nve piles driven deep into the ground. Big
iron props and wooden poles were inclined
from the ground and braced against the star
board side of the ship. A gangplank was let
down and It dangled from the side
Dense volumes Of black smoke soon poured
from the stacks OF the ship. Chief Enginee'
Thomson. with his assistants. went aboard
ABOUT IL y ClOCk. AZ In " cioth tho Vi
smoke doubled. Engineer Thomson went be-
low into the stoke hole He inspected the fires
and furnaces to see that oil was right Then
he passed to the engine room. The mazo OF
machinery gistened and shone.
Are you all right Jerry" shouted Mr..
Thomson as II talking to the machinery.
"All right" camo the answer. seemingly from
one of tho big shafts.
Then grimy face appeared from among tho
machinery. followed by q short fat body.
clothed In greasy overalls and blouse.
hand reached out and turned small wheel.
The starboard engine began to shake and
throb. The ship trembled and rocked. Out
side. the hawsers creaked and sroaned. The
screws tcgnn to churn and chop the water.
The sprny rose high ont Of the water. splash
Ing against the stern OF the ship
The water secthod and boiled and rushed
against the tig log moored ut the dock oppo;
site. AS Y to smasht to snlinte rs Faster and
shore. The log danced ABOUT like chip 1t
like threads. Tho props groaned and quivered:
10 landluhber I: look ed az II the big red
ship was about to tear Itself loose and spring
For four hours the engines worked. Then
a. 5:45 O'clock, the mas;n 4 began to move
SER. slackenet and the ship settled down The
preliminaryiest OF the starboarh. engine with
only onc-half the toiIer power. was over. The
enHinears disappeared without word as to
the result.
o! the port engine was made. first with ono
hnl tho boiler n11wcr AMI then with all the
eight toltrs on the Maine. There are two
vertical TRIPLE expansion ,, engines: each with
engine Yesterday four boilers were used first.
and then tho eight boilers were brought into
The test ended at 3 O'clock. AS was tho cnse
o. Friday. the big ship shook and trembled;
the ho wre ocoeH
ISLANDERS feared tina. the cruiser would break
her mornings and do some fearful damage
sineer Thomson. Mr. Thomson N" wa M' in the the
engine room, smenred with oil and grease, and
G aSFn Yone ms as.ns to
break loose, The hawsers are going to snap"
Let em snapl" was tho reply. THAT'S not
my ny funeral; I'm here to test the engines. Hit
h Ss dSnH s"a s?ss Mse
went up to the messroom fer few minutes.
This is merely the formal preliminary test OF
the engines and machinery, OF course this is
NJ !ria! for speed :, 1t is mighty good trial of
:, IT.; -,hns9!ly speaking. what have you done
On Friday we tested the starboard engine
with "ne-hnlt boiler power That test lasted
the. prescribed four hours; To-day we are
All Soiisr power The bower Is developed and
Willie Mr. Thomson was taking one Of the
engineers brought him two slips OF paper
go sse Maa need esd
ell figure that resemJled miniature outline
o. nmans foot as drawn by shoemaker
Mr.. Thomson scanned them carefully, and
then nut them in ~ big envelope with a Let OF
in on s@ S.'S tie saTos the
horse. power in use. Tho strnight line was the
ssys hS Inc S s S thc . 81 sa Ss
portion below showed the vacuum. The cards
came came IN a. Every few minutes They were ind,
NAG been attached to the pistons Of the engines;
sail W MAKE ny report LARGELY on these cards"
them next Monday"
"a, What is the official result Of the test thus
ton: VIII slys th"t, said s Mr. ' Thomson Wo
G n not permitted to give any results here.
than fulfilled. She l1ust show 1000 horse o
from these hawssrs and Other ties test that bind.
we would be skimming along at about seven.
esp ss hSS, test. hAs pretty good speed
the tisha first ,ss's; Gysrytfine be fenE ali
vs. al 5aSS tws
I'D srs al rn ,has ::
wanted and that have been called for"
pnder an act passed Aug. 3. 1856 The cost OF
her huil and ma.hlneery Is to BIO S2.sl4. sos.
mean draught is2lH feet. her displacement
o.Et8 tons her horse power 1000
her speed ls To- be seventeen knots. Her
main battery will consist Of four iO.inch
breeGh- lon,iing rifles and six G-inch breoch-
The. main boilers carried from 1877 to l43
pounds o. steam during tho test. The aver
age revolutions, estimated from tho tcst of the
turns minute ' Nv
The armor TOR the Maine has not bee, ltted
entirely yet, owing to contractors delays. and
IT was thought proper TO test the engines
without suhiecting tho contractors for them To
settlement for them.
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