The morning call., 1893-11-16
WEST VS.. EAST.
The Olympia and the
Pirate Compared.
AS REGARDS THEIR SPEED.
Better Work Done by the Pacific
Coast Boat.
AS REGARDS THEIR SPEED.
RESULTS MORE SATISFACTORY
The Union Iron Works Have More
Cause to Rejoice Than William
Cramp & Sons.

The builders trial trip of the commerce
destroyer Columbia, over the Government
course near Boston Tuesday. shows that
the ship-building firm of William CramD &
Sons of Philadelphia is not turning out as
good work as the Union Iron Works of
this city. To be sure, the Columbia, or
the Pirate, which is the name the Eastern
built vessel generally goes by in naval cir
cles, made faster time on this trip than
did the Olympia when her builders had
her out last week. But proportlonately
the Colum bia did not do as well.
The naval specificat Ons under which the
Columbia was built called for a sustained
sea speed of 21 knots and a maximum
speed-for spurt-of % knots. The spe-
cifications for the Olympia require speed
for four con secutive hours OF 20 knots.
When the latter cruiser was tried last
week she developed speed of q. 26 knots.
The dispatches state that the commerce.
destroyer under natural draught steame
20.2 knots and under forced dTaught made
%. 81 knots. Thus under natural draught
ebe did not do as well as the Olympia,
while under forced draught she did only
81 of knot more than the specifications
require. Under the same circumstances
the Olympia, running her 21.26 knots,
did 1.26 knots more than the specfica-
tOns. These figures show that the Union
Iron Works people have constructed a
better ship and a proportionately faster
one.
Again, it was required that the Colum-
bia have the enormous horsepower of
$1,000. while the Olympia need only show
$4,000. little more than half. Now CON-
pare the tonnage. The Columbia has
Thus. in proportion TO her size. the Olym-
pia has far less horsepower than the Co.
lumola, and, con sldering all this, her per-
formance last week was by far better than
that of the CONNER ce-destroyer.
The Colum bia has three propellers the
Olympia two; the Colum bia has three sep
arate sets of engines, the Olympia only
two. The former boat was built especially
for high speed, while in the latter allow
ance had to be made for quite heavy
battery. The plans were drawn so that
the Columbia might be a commercials
stroyer and that alone. Everything was
sacrificed to speed. She is expected to be
able to overhaul everything afioat and will
carry only such guns as might be necessary
to bring an enemy's merchantman TO a
halt. The Olympia, however. is built to
do battle with ships of her own class.
Taking it all in all the work of the Co.
lumbia is not satisfactory. Eastern news
papers for some time have been pointing
with pride toward the Pirate" and hint
ing that she would surprise the world with
speed of % or "a knots. and some ex-
pressed an opinion that she might do bet
ter. In naval circles it was stated that she
would show two TO three knots more than
the specifications required. Instead she
only has .S7 of knot to her advantage,
while the olympia came flying in through
the Golden Gate last Saturday with an ex-
ira speed OF 1.26 Well might her siren
pour forth notes Of jubllationI
Within few days some more startling
hguTes by way OF comparison may be pro-
dnced. Since the Columbia was in dock
last she has been lying at the Cramps
yard in water that is almost fresh, and she
probably has not bit of marine growth
on Der hull. But the Olympia has not
been docked for four months prior to the
time her builders took her out for a trial
trip, and all the while submarine growth
was forming, for she rested in salt. water.
She was therefore foul when the re-
Garkable speed was made last week. But
next week when the Government test is
made she will be clean, and there will be
nothing between her smooth plates and
the sea TO impede her progress. Henry
Scott yesterday showed the writer pieces
OF weed from two to three inches long that
were taken from the cruisers plates, and
he said that the hull was mass of such
growth. All this is being removed now,
for the cruiser is in drydock. and as soon
as the steel plates shine they will be cov-
cred with lead paint and shen she will
slip along like an eel.
The latter part of this week she will be
returned to her native element and then
the fual preparations will be made for the
official test under survey of the Navy De-
partment. The choicest of hand pick ed
coal will be placed in her bunkers and
sufficient ballast will be taken aboard to
bring her to her load water-lne, Just
where she will stand when with guns, am
muuiti0n and stores aboard she is ready
for cruise. Then it can never be hnted,
as in the case of the Eastern-built boat,
the New York, that she went out light.
Probably tie Olympia will steam down
the bay and out 10 sea early Tuesday
morning, carrying the naval board ap-
pointed 70 pass upon the test. The Gov
eminent course is in Santa Barbara Chan
mel and is forty three miles long.
She Will have to steam four hours,
double on her course, and the time
taken in turning will be included
in the official time. Ii with coal
tnat was not carefully selected and with
her plates foul with submarine growth
she made 21.26 knots per hour, what will
she do with these impediments TO speed
tiop i'm naval circles today. Some think
she will make 22 knots and others prophesy
even little more. If she makes % knots
an hour tie Union Iron Works will re-
ceive bonus of 100000, for the Govern
meBt paws premium of $50 coo for each
quarter of knot over the required speed.
At any rate. the Olympia is faster
boat to-day than the cruiser New York.
She is probably the best all-around cruiser
afioat aud is credit TO her builders.
Ii she should do % knots or better next
week-well, there would not be bunting
enough on hand with which to deck her
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