The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-06
TEST OF THE MONTEREY.
Trial Trips OF the New Warship Sue.
cessful in Every Particular.

cAN kANCisCO, an. o.-1ne ofnclai trial
trip OF the new coast defense vessel Mon.
terey occurred in the bay of San Francisco
today and was entirely successful. OFF,
cial computations upon the data which
were taken will not be complete for a week
or two and the exact amount of horse
power which the Monterey developed will
not be known till then.
Approximate computations were taken
as soon as the run was finished this after
noon ana they show a development of
o,4o2 horse power on the main engines
alene. The horse power Of auxiliary en-
gines is estimated at from 100 to 200. Both
contractors and naval engineers who were
on duty during the trial are confident
that the 5, AGO horse power required by the
contract has been exceeded, and they ex-
press entire satisfaction with the perform
ance OF the engines today. During the
four hours run, under forced draft, there
was not the slightest accident to any part
OF the machinery. The maximum revolu-
tons were l6S per minute, and the average
for the four hours was about l62. AS there
is no speed requirement in the contract no
effort was made to ascertain the exact
speed OF the vessel during her run TODAY.
but the calculations based upon a
patent log and imperfect shore bearings,
showed a maximum speed of over fifteen
knots per hour and an average speed
of about fourteen knots. The MEM
bers OF the naval trial board
consider that this speed was all that could
be expected of a vessel of the Monterey's
type, having such great beam and low,
free board, which permitted a continuous
wave OF water to pour over her bow and
flood her forward decks. The feature of
the trial run which attracted the greatest
attention on the part of the naval engi-
neers was the entirely successful perform
ance of the Ward coil boilers, an Ameri-
can invention, which is used for the first
time on SO large q scale or sin battery"
and which the navy department placed IN
the Monterey as an experiment. The
trial established the success of the expert
ment to the satisfaction Of ali the engi.
reers and officers.
The increase in the number of revolu-
tions over any previous performance Of
the engines was due to a change which
was made within the past week in the
pitch of the propellers. During the last
preliminary run, over week ago, steam
pressure was maintained at the highest
possible point, but it was impossible to
Obtain more than 154 revolutions as the
maximum, and the average was less than
$50. With that number of revolutions,
the indicated horse power was about 5 200,
which was 200 less than the contract re-
1uiremsnts, and which would have SUBJ
jected the Union Iron Works to penalty
of $4,000. Accordingly he contractors
determined TO reduce the pitch of
the screw for the purpose of OBJ
tanning an increase in the number of
revolutions per minute and a consequent
increase of horsepower. The pitch of the
screw was formerly II fee: inches, bat
was reduced about eight inches.
The Monterey left her moorings at the
Union Iron Works early this morning and
steamed slowly around Mission bay until
she was boarded by the trial board, of
which Rear Admiral George Brown is the
senior officer. She continued TO cruise
around for half an hour more, gradually
increasing the steam pressure and the rev.
olutions OF the engines. About $40 she
passed Hunters point, headed for Angel
island, and started on her official trip.
The engines were making I62 revolutions
at the outset, and IN five minutes they had
worked up TO l64.
For the first half hour the tide las run
ming strong against her and there was
stiff wind dead ahead. The water was
piling up on her forward deck in great
wave five feet deep and running off the
sides IN a torrent. Right 1T the point OF
the bow it was banked up by the anchor
and hawse pipes and then swept back al
most to the barbette of the forward turret.
Clouds of spray were caught by the strong
wind and swept over the bridge and super
structure above the deck and the persons
on the bridge were drenched in a moment.
The cinders few out of the smokestack,
and it was necessary To cover the matches
with tarpaulins to prevent them from get
ting into the machinery. Tugs and ferry
boats gave the coast defender free course
as she passed Goat island, and every steam
craft on the bay near her saluted with its
whistle.
4 half hour run was made on a straight
course and the engines maintained an av.
erage of about I6i revolutions. The en-
.sneer took three sets OF indicator cards in
the half hour upon which the computa-
tons for horse power will be made. 4
glance at the first card taken showed that
they indicated all that the contractors
could wish, and there was no doubt that
successful il the pressure could be main
tanned without accident for four consecu-
tive hours. After she had reached the
eastern shore of Angel island long turn
was made. with the engines still working
al full power. The vessel then returned
to Hunters point over the same course.
and this time the wind was with
her and there was no spray flying. The
cards taken on the second half hour were
even better than the trst ones. and on this
run the maximum OF i6S revolutions was
reached. The Monterey occupied the four
hours IN rapid cruising back and forth
over the same course and the engineers
took three sets of cards every half hour.
The machinery Kept cool al the time and
there were no streams Of water pouring on
il rs is frequently necessary. The atmo-
sphere in the engine room and fire room
hecsme heated TO an uncomfortable de-
gree. but the engineers and tiremen held
their posts and the latter worked with all
their power.
During one of the half hour straight runs
the steam went down considerably and
the revolutions fell To an average of 100.
hut that minimum WAS not maintained
long. The trial run was finished about
- u. m, and was announced by a long
and iubiiant blast OF the fog sireue in the
bay, wh;ch carried the news IL the en-
ployes OF the Union Iron WORKS, who con-
structed the vessel, that the Monterey had
won the victory.