The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-04
THE PACIFIC COAST DEFENDER.

THE Pacific COAST DEFENDER
How the Recent Trials OF the Double Turre
Monitor Monterey Sum Up.
wAsHrNoTos, Juno 3.-During tho rresen
| week the steel. low freeboard. coast defence
| vessel Monterey has COMPLETED her sea trials
and returne ed to the Mare Island yard for thu
| hydraulic tests OF her boilers. Her run was I
| great shortcoming in point OF sreed. since sn'
| had originally been designed to make ~ KNOTS
| and actually fell short OF 13. even with iorcet
draught. However. she was not driven at ne
| full power, ono account saying that this wal
due to the uncertainty as to tho condition ant
strength OF her boilers. She logged abou
123 knots the hour on q run OF sixty miles
but there are grounds for believing that the
log did not do her full justice. and Chief I'm
pineer joseph Trillcy's despatch to tho NavI
DEPARTMENT says that she made nearly Il
knots.
Whom the Inspection Board. after the trial
examined the machinery it was found thai
there were no overheated bearings. and there
was no water on the journals, nor any leaking
or visible appearance OF weakness either IN
the Ward or the Scotch boilers. although they
had been in continuous operation for over
sIxty-flve hours. The pressure on the boilers
had averaged from 1874 to 143 pounds. The
reason given by Mr.. Trilley for the fact that
her engines did not develop the power expect
ed was that inferior coal was used. With all
drawbacks, the extreme assertions made
against the Montereys engines and boilers
were refuted.
The Monterey's engines are twin screw, YER
teal, triple pansion. contained in water
tight compartments. separated By Longitude
nal bulkhead. They were designed 10 make
$50 revolutions per minute ut full speed. and to
develop an average, under forced draught.
during four hours run. Of 5,40O aggregate
indicated horse power. 1t will be understood
that the trials OF the present week were not
her acceptance trials for horse power. those
having taken place about six months ago;
and it is notable that as the Monterey was the
first steel-armored vessel ever completed In
this country. so she was the last OF our new
vessels in which horse power rather than
speed was the contract guarantee.
But the point OF chief interest in the Mon
terey's machinery was her boilers These
consisted OF two single. ended steel Scotch
boilers. designed for working pressure OF
100 pounds and intended to supply 1900
horse power. together with four Ward coil
boilers. which were expected to develop 1900
horse power each. thus supplying the remain
ing 1920 OF the total 5.4OO horse power as
signed to the vessel. This was the first Of our
new war ships in which the Ward boilers had
been used in battery. and the first vessel in
which they had been employed on SO large q
scale. The French war ships had used coil
boilers of certain types. and had claimed for
space occupied. all OF which are mportant adj
vantages in a war vessel Nearly, five years
ago whitney invited the
het f. TsFns W %as F@
ttnt, 81
boilers made in this country as OF sufficient
merit for testing; Those actually used IN the
th a Ward
ful tost in 1880 Besides the advantages al
ready SPOKEN o. especially Is to weigh. and
ability to raise steam more rapidly than
others. from the small quantity Of water they
W"s
tant to coast defender which often would
not be under steam. but lying, at anchor
se H %sre Cruising at loWs sneed wtS
only her two Scotch boilers in action, she could
as The nSr res ander the @"r 1 boilers Heneo
there WAS some anxiety at the recent reports
Of a failure in the Monterey boiler system:
while the relief is correspond!nRly great at
finding that a fair degree OF success attended
this weeks trials. although. as has been said.
manin e ny dra ulic tests will com piete that part
The trial Of her guns. which also took place
peculiar main battery. consisting OF two -
inch rifles In her forward turret. and two To-
quircd by a change in her armor and arma-
ment. AS at first planned she was to have had
belt armor ~ inches thick at the centre: and
3 inches and q inches forward and aft, but
the armor shelf Hor IN ain armam emit was to
six 4-inch guns. and l5-inch pneumatic tube
at her bows. But more deliberate consider
alton altered so miscellaneous battery. The
n All m Qffn nAri-
mental. and it was felt to be unwise to make
SO important and urgently needed vessel
to provide q It, inch gun. when no steel rifle
q even hall that weight had yet been made in
ss sSaG IL So ha T fS
the bows; IT, was necessary to alter the guns
inch were provided for it. Meanwhile It had
been found necessary to alter the armor. The
maximum. while her forward barbctte re- re-
ceived 14-inch armor and the forward turret
s-inch, the otter barbette having 1l,s.lnch
changes were made. tho original trim was
practically restored.
was successfully made this week The former
tiles OF 800 pounds. Afterward the charge
inch rides were fred ,frst with 200 bounds and
over 3So pounds Whch u " the WIN maaaS iS
charge The greatest reroil was All inches
with the l2-inch rifle and ~ inches with tho
10-inch. Although some OF the armor in these
bsrbettes was wanting. tho trial OF the guns
was wholly successful.
The keel of the Monterey was laid in 1880
by the Union Iron Works OF San Francisco,
which. with bid Of SI.02s.35O. had received
tho contract over the Cramps and the Quntard
Iron Works. She has length on load water
line OF 256 feet. a breadth Of 80 and mean
draught OF IA feet 10 inches. which gives her
q displacement OF Abs tons. She can per-
m 4
her trial the water rushed in waves over her
bow and stern: hut that IL inevitable with
low freeboard ship OF tho Monitor type She
will undoubtedly be Of service as q coast and
harbor defender. which Is her purpose. and
ran already enter upon that task. although to
DO complete her turret armor must he put on.