The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-15


THE xISNEAPoLIs
happened to mar the trial trap. At s
O'Clock the new cruiser started for Cape
Ann, where she was to begin heri journey
of nearly eighty-eight nautical miles for
fame and money, and the long whistle, de-
noting that she was ready to go over the
course, was blown soon after the lights on
Thacher's island came into view. The
flag Of the secretary of the navy, which
had up to this time Haunted defiance TO
the breeze from the topmast, was hauled
down, with every piece of bunting, ropes.
fiagstaffs and everything which in any
way could catch breeze.
The boat passed Boston lighthouse at
s:31, and the forced draft was put on and
she speeded on toward the starting point
as though imbued with knowledge that
she was expected to do something never
before accomplished. When she crossed
the line she had not, in the estimation of
the senior member of the firm of Cramp &
Son, reached her full speed. 1t was de-
cided, however, to let her continue her
course, and If she beat the best time on
record let the matter drop there, but had
she not succeeded in keeping pretty close
to the record of her sister ship, which held
the speed record for q warship, another
trial would undoubtedly have been de-
manded. Is she crossed the line
of the first mark the engines were
credited with making i2a revolu-
tions minute and the boilers
with $50 pounds Of steam. Despite the
speed at which she was going it was re-
marked how little vibration was notice
able. Still the great ship sped on. and
when she passed the buoy of the armored
cruiser New York, the time noted was
9:50:30. The next time was taken nearly
two and a half miles farther, and was 8
minutes and % seconds, or at the rate of
q. % nautical miles an hour. The freight
steamer Fern was the next stake boat.
The distance between the New York and
the Fern was 60 miles, and il was 1902 IS
when Lieut.. Drake announced that she
had crossed the line, making the distance
In 1888, or at the rate OF II. 43 miles an
hour. Between the Fern and the United
States ship Fortune was the same distance
as between the New York and the Fern,
and 1t was made in 1851, or at the rate of
%. II nautical miles. This was said 60 be
owing to the water being deeper
than on the previous leg. Her engines
were making 14l revolutions per minute.
From the Fortune TO the cruiser Atlanta
was 6. Al miles, and the run was made in
l7:23, or at the rate of 226 miles. An
equal distance was between the United
States tug Leyden and the Atlanta, and
this run was msde in 1852, or at the rate
of n 20 miles per hour. Between the Ley
den and the dynamite vessel Vesuvius Was
q space of TIA nautical miles, which was
covered In II 30, or at the rate of II. 20
nautical miles per hour. The last leg Of
the run over the first half of the trial trip
OF forty-four mile from Cape Ann to Cape
Porpoise and return was the next TO
be run, ana the distance between the
Vesuvius and the dispatch boat Dolphin,
LA nautical miles, Was made in. 1878, or
at the rate OF 2542 nautical miles, be-
ing the fastest time made on the
outward trip, aud causing the members OF
the board OF officers who were assigned to
attend the trial to open their eyes and the
newspaper men on board 10 feel as though
they were going through the air. The
speed was perfectly conclusive TO those on
board that the Minneapolis in the last few
miles was not only capable of holding her
own with her sister ship, but was able 10
meet her and show her the lines Of her
stern at any time. One half of the trip
was thing of the past. aud the time con-
su1ned in the forty-four knots was hour.
SIS minutes and is seconds, with an aver
age speed of - % miles. as against p %
for the trst half of the trial trip OF the
Columbia, whose efforts she was trying
TO beat. The run hack was started at
Re L.. -.
being Is minutes and "a seconds No stop
was made to cool the bearings. as nothing
was necessary TO be done, 50 perfect was
the working of the machinery Of the boat,
and she Immediately headed for the mark
OF the Dolphin on the return trip. The
same vessels were passed as on the outward
trip, the same buoys we're in position, ana
the only difference was that the average
speed Of the Minneapolis was tribe faster.
Her average on the return trip was 23.2o
miles, as against 2290 the outward run,
making the total average speed per hour
22o5. and proelaimsng 20 the world that
the United States cruiser Minneapolis was
the fastest armored vessel In the world.
The Minneapolis Is the second Of the
commerce destroyers. and sister ship and
practical duplicate of the United States
ship Columbia, sooa 20 be given her pre-
limlnary trial. The principal dimensions
are; Length Oh load ane. All feet: beam,
moulded, IS feet; drausht. mean. normal
displacement, - feet. o.5 inches, dispiace-
menf. $50 tons; speed, Il knots. inGt-
Gated hoTso poNeF. Il CO.. The ship $
built OF steel. and within the outer skin
there Is a double bottom, which serves the
purpose o; guarding against serious injury
in case OF grounding 81 other damage OF q
mid nztuFe. This craft belongs 20 the
protected. unArmOEsd cruiser type that
i, she AL have protective dsck
varying from 4 inches on the slopes OF
81 inches on the nor Eontal portion over
the engines. boiiers. magazines etc. vhiie
patent fuel sill form all 3 feet thick
along the sides st the water line through
out she region u the Fltals OF the vessel.
TIE ArFangenezt 81 the motive poser Val