Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-12
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THE MINNEAPOLIS

THE MINNEAPOLIS
Ready for a Trial Trip on Saturday to Beat
The World.
BosroN, July 1.-THE cruiser Min
neapolis, which left PHILADELPHIA,
Monday afternoon, for her official
trial trip came to anchor off
Boston light at P. NJ, Wednesday, after
fast and uneventful run from Delaware
capes. The Minneapolis would have reached
Boston five or six hours earlier but for the
fact that she made a preliminary run over
the official course, today, instead of tomor-
row. The Minneapolis left Philadelphia,
Monday at p. M. i.
As the big cruiser swung out toward the
center of the river her bow slid into mud
| bank and the little tug that had her in tow
made vain effort to pull her off. The big
ship came to the tugs assistance by backing
her engines and hauled off, and swinging
around, soon headed down river on her
course toward Delaware capes. At 30
the cruiser came to an another at Ready
| island, about so miles below Philadelphia
and lay there until high tide, at $50, when
she got under way again and started down
| the river.
The Delaware Capes were passed at 7.30,
and about five miles off shore the engines
were slowed down and an hour and half
spent in adjusting the compasses. At .
Captain Sergeant gave The course and the
cruiser headed for Five Fathom Bank light
ship, % miles off shore. When the light
ship was passed the course was laid for
Nantucket shoals, PAS miles away. Through
out Tuesday the Minneapolis logged along
without effort at an 1875 knot gait The
wind was light, and but for strong ground
swell the sea would have been nearly
smooth.
| All the eight boilers were used, and the
machinery worked as smoothly as if it had
been running for months past. Not q jour
nal nor cross bearing heated during the en-
tire run. The averages for the day were ::
Revolutions of screws, l01 per minute !;
steam pressure, 12l pounds; vacuum,
% l-2 first receiver (absolute), 80; sec
ond receiver (absolute), 10. The ship was
not driven at any time and Is Is knots was
logged with but IL 1000 indicated horse
power. Anthracite coal was used in seven
boilers and a poor quality of bituminous in
the eighth. *=~.
| Nantucket light was passed about L =,
Tuesday night, and the entrance to Boston
bay, 4l6 miles from Delaware capes was
made at Z 20 this morning. The actual
running time from Delaware Capes was
about 81 hours, about the same as the Col
umbia in her passage to Boston on the
way to the official trial. .- -.
The morning was so brilliantly clear and
the conditions so perfect for the run that
Edward Cramp and Capt. Sargent decided
to make a preliminary run over the course
this morning. A pilot was taken aboard off
Cape Cod snd the cruiser headed northeast
for Cape Ann. At 7.55 the Minneapolis
passed the can buoy off Cape Ann that
marks the beginning of the course, and
started up the course. The course runs
northeast about an average dis
lance of 10 miles from the
shore ends of Cape Porpoise, Maine,
| - 9G3 miles distant. 1t was staked off by
eight can buoys an equal distance from
each other. 1t was to see if the buoys
were properly anchored on the course that
the run was made, today, and not with any
Intention of try ing the ship for speed. As
each buoy was passed Capt. Sargent accur-
ately noted the position and when the last
fectly satisfied with the way in which the
course was staked off, The last buoy was
passed at 1910, the average speed for the
run being 1872 knots.
The ship turned on an angle of Is de-
grees of the helm, and at 1926 the first
buoy on the way back was passed. The
return run was made under light forced
draught and the ship Immediately responded
by increasing her speed and passed Cape
Ann at IL 80, making an average for the
run of 1887.
| During the run over the course, today,
the average revolutions of the screws was
| los per minute and the maximum revolu-
lion ll3. The steam pressure averaged
from 100 TO 100 pounds and for short
time went up to 1870. -
After passing Cape Ann, the Minneapolis
slowed down a knot or so and at came to
anchor off Boston light. The ships boilers
will be cleaned Thursday, Friday the crew
will be given day of rest, and Saturday,
| if the day is clear, the official run will be
made.
The Minneapolis has a crew of 433 men
on board number of invited guests, sew
ersl members of the trial board, and num-
Der of junior engineer officers, who came on
her from Philadelphia. A representation
from the House naval committee, headed
by Hon. Amos Cummings, chairman of the
committee, and Messrs. George w. Hulic
Ohio; d. II. Money, Mississippi, are the
principal guests, while tie Others include
the following Congressman William Cogs.
we'll. Massachusetts,; Con modore George
w. Melville, chief engineer of the CORPS
| Chief Engineer J. W. Thompson; DIR. E.
II. Goodman, Philadelphia; Captsiu S. c.
Lenby; Lieutenant Commander T. H.
Gheen; Lieut.. Gheen; General ID. W.
Flagler; Chief Ordnance, U. S. A., d. II,
Sewill, Philadelphia.
Of the trial board Lieut.. Commando,
Uriel Sebree and Naval Constructor Joseph
Feaster made the trip here, with the follow.
jrg members Of the engineers board Chief
Engineer A. w. Morley, president; Chief
Engineer r. W. Millgan, Clief Enginee,
Ii. S. Ross. Chief Engineer w. A. Windsor
All the members of the trial board viii
assemble here, THURSDAY and Friday. end