The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-28
OF THE SWIFT HEWYORK
Another Ocean Greyhound
Added to the Navy.
The Cruiser New York Returns to Her
Anchorage After Demonstrating That
She outclasses Anything of Her Tom
mage Ahoat-she Makes Over Twenty
Knots an Hour on Her Trial Trip.

AhiA'aDALfhiA, maICn SI.-With the
proud distinction of having broken the
record OF all preliminary trials and the
satisfaction of being the fastest arm ored
vessel in the world, the cruiser New
York returned to Cramps shipyard yes-
terday morning. From the hour she
steamed down the Delaware until her
arrival yesterday naval experts have
awaited with deep interest the result of
the great warship's initial performance.
Despite heavy rain squalls and biting
wind from the southeast, fully 5000
patriotic Philadelphians were present to
backed out into the stream, and stood
down the river on her trial trip.
When the giant screws began to re-
volve and the monster vessel was
actually under was for the frat time
the spectators shouted themselves
hoarse. Capt. Sargent waved his cap
from the forward bridge and acknowi-
edged the salutes with his powerful
siren whistle, that seemed to shake the
mighty ship from stem to stern. The
New York was headed up the stream,
which at this point is only triile wider
than the great warship itself. A strong
ebb tide was running and the wind
blowing half gale. To turn around in
this narrow space was difficult, if not
impossible, undertaking, and So, 600, goo
ship was not toy to be played with. AS
soon as the mooring lines were cast
adrift, however, Capt. Chambers, an old
Delaware river pilot who has handled
all OF the Cramp ships, directed the tug
Newcastle to make fast to steel hawser
which was let out from the starboard
quarter.
Though the powerful little boat
n yya rok f,,11
perceptible effect upon the heavy war
ship, in fact was herself towed bodily
astern. Another tug, the Frederick X.
MUM, was then given line from the
port bow, so with one at each end of
the lever, the New York was turned
around and headed down the Delaware.
Now there arose another wild shout
as the four powerful engines began TO
vibrate, and tho water was churned
into foam astern. The run down the
river was made with fires half banked
and under natural draught. The mini
mum pressure of steam carried was rz0
pounds to the square inch. Starting
with forty five revolutions q speed of
ten knots was attained and held until
Greenwich Point was we'll abaft the
beam.
After this the new vessel seemed to
warm up to her work, the throttle was
thrown open, ninety.fve revolutions
reached, and the speed increased to IT'S
knots. This made It rather uncomfort-
able for the figures of liberty and JUS
tice on each side OF the stem, for they
were deluged with cold spray from head
to foot. The vessel seemed to glide
through the water as nolselessly as d
yacht. however, and there was scarcely
any vibration throughout tho shin.
At tho and nf ~ ~
steward came aft in great state of ex-
citement and reported the compart-
ment in which his provision were
stored ankle deep in sea water. a.
careful examination of the forward part
OF the vessel revealed tho fact that tho
water had baen forced in through the
forward torpedo tube At anchor this
opening is few feet above the water
line, but at high rate of speed it is
almost completely buried in the sea.
Constructors Nixon plased a water
tight buckler over it in place of the
temporary one, and the leak gave no
further trouble. Tho question now
arose as to how the compartment could
be quickly emptied, for sea water and
mess stores are not the moss"agreeab BILE
shipmates. Nixon cut tho gordian knot
by having small hole drilled through
the steel deck. This drained the COM
partment into another on tho deck
below ono that could NOT be injured
by the introduction of small amount
of water.
Without further excitement:the New
York anchored at nightfall about;seven
miles to the; northward OF the break
water. Wednesday was cold and damp
with fresh breeze from the northeast.
The New York lay quietly at anchor in
tho aarlV n nd no of
run outside looked rather discouragiDg.
AT 8 o'clock 1t frightened up a bit and
tho cruiser got under way for the pur.
pose OF correcting her compasses and
adjusting the pensating magnets
This accomplished, the vessel returned
TO her anchorage to wait for good
weather to begin her trial.
By Saturday morning the wind had
hauled to the westward and the weather
was clear. Fires were lighted at day
light, and before o'clock the New
York was under way running for the
Five Fathom Bank lightship. The race
was TO be between this and the North.
east End lightship, distance OF Q SIS
nautical miles, the depth of the water
being IL fathoms. The following table
tells the story OF the two trials;
:, Five Fathom Bank lightsbip 90 Northeaat End
nautical miles. Start S;ai:l5; finish, S:sS:6s; df.
terence, % minutes % seconds. Speed, 1908 nam
:, Second trial: Northeast End lightship to Five
fathom Bank lightship, course south by west.
ai ;5 az ce rs nautical miles Start OILS, anish
la.Sl nautical miles. Average for the two tl!sl.
1875 miles
In the afternoon the cruiser was
headed to the eastward in starch of
deeper water. In u run of four conse GU