New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-09

PRELIMINARY TRIAL or THE Blu
BATTLESHIP.
SHE MAKES sIX-TENTIIs OF \ KNOT ABOVE TIE
SPEED CALLED FOR WITH MODERATE

SPEED CALLED FOR WIFI Mpti-l'*f' ~
FORCED DRACGHT
PHILADELPHIA. March S-The preliminary trial
trip Of the new battleship Indiana was c'inp'e'e
success Her engines worked well, and though h''
pushed to the utmost the ship made lj6 knots
with moderate forced draught. There was no
lnishap Of any kind. and the trial was the most
successful of any Of the first trials OF the tramp
boats Under natural drauSht the snip '""ue
fourteen knots easily, and it Is expected that 81"
will make at least sixteen knots when her official
trial takes place.
The Indiana left the Cramps yard at O'Clock
Tuesday morning. She was in charge OF captain
r. W. Sargent and an experienced crew. " men
in the decper waters Of Delaware Lay the speed
was increased to about thirteen knots. Her en-
gines worked with marvellous smoothheas ana
there was no perceptib,e vibration from 'Ne'h.
During the afternoon compasses were adJ"s'e"
and everything was put IN readiness Tor the run
Of the next day The ship anchored OH the Dela-
ware Breakwater for the night.
At ESQ a. m on Wednesday the anchor was
taken aboard aid the ship headed cut TO sea
After passing outside the capes her course was
changed and she to the northWafu. Inc
d,r.was y perfect one for a sea trial. The air
WIS bamy and springiike and the ocean was
like a milpond The big ship pushed ahe''
she encountered and seemed to be as easily
handled as a steam yacht, though she is lV'-1o
tonner The course over which her trial runs
were made was off Cape May. and was between
the southwest Mghtshp al the Five Fa'hom hahR
to the northeast lightship, 9G5 nautical miles up
the coast.
The ship was put over this course SIX 'in'c9
three times in each direction. The turns were
made at full speed and the ship was pracAcaHy
under five hours continuous steamins al hEh
speed During all this time there was no ac''-
dent Of any kind to the machinery or tne s'Iip'
not bearing became unduy heated, anu tNSi!
thing worked so smoothly that even her puliueiS
were surprised. The first runs were mac % VIZ VIZ
natural draught. The averages were i4V .,, aj
Iil2 knots respectively. The engines aNeIaeeu
100 revolutions and as practically the same ei'e
was made going and returning the uua eieo'
was practically eliminated NE -, ,ob air
pressure was used for the next runs, ana an dNeI
age of Is knots was maintained over tilS cou i ~
the Government The last two ruHS were r1ade
under forced draught of one men an s7u.'
This Increased the average revolutions 10 ID an"
:, ,raviron,n of lbs was reached II one tm".
The great mass of steel and iron plouSned
through the water but only a sASht Np' d,io.i
from, engines or screws could be ie'' \ p,n
wave was pushed up until it covered the lorWard
torpedo tube with spray, but lhs'eIu ~ % tho
wide angle a o "3s i'e w as specdcd. it
curved nboard and followed the mes Oh inc
ship. 49,. -. .,,.,
The ship made 15.6 knots on these last XIV. iw2
runs This was considered 50 satisfactory tnal
the trial was declared al an end ana me lilu'ta
returned 10 the I}reakWate", where HH''''' w.
iet On for the night. At o'clock this morning
she started on her return trip to THIS cry D"l:,,
ing I'D the bay and riV-r an average o.. IU"it ,.
knots was made with favorable ude i'' eiS"''
miles ,. 80 ,hie ,,~o
lminarv run was most satisfactorily. Wheh 'ar
condition of the ship is considered. Her po',li
has not been painted since shc was lau'...tvu ,
it,tla o,,er a wear ago. Her side armor. tUilc'7,
coming tower and guns have not neen pa .h w
on her yet and she consequently dt nt,, ,riai
feet less water than she Will on her ollVi"i "a
This will sink her screws deeper ana ~ eN
nccted to Increase her speed. Ordinary sol, co"i
WAS used on this trip, while caIeiui'! ~. -
coal viii he employed when the Official tilai 'nh1s
piacc. The ease with which 127 20 Us reNol.",nS
were obtained also makes 1t proDaDr 'na' III.
mitch of the screws, which is now Htcv" ~
three inches will be increased before inc H'I"i
trial greater depth of wafer VIII also d. d" d
advantage to the snip. ,,oo,i,- II
Tak.ng all these things into consideration II
&c nredcted that the ship Will make AT leaSs
sixteen knots. and possibly quarter or a n .i
knot more A premium of $4,000 per Quai,tr
rnot viii be earned by the builders for anythlhE
above fifteen knots, and from 100000 10 Si'o'V9V
will probably be paid by the Government III '"'
dtion TO the 100000 named IN the contract,
The Government was represented on lne PR
liminary trip by Naval Constructor j. II. In
nard. Of the Bureau OF CONSTRUCTION; IaS,
Assistant Engineer Warburton, OF the iIur' t,t
Of Steam Engineering, and Lieutenant o. W.
ENFIELD of the Bureau of Equipment EDWIN
s Cramp Walter J. Cramp and BehJailh
H. Cramp were board. as were aIsp
Chief Engineer ~ e Towne ana LEVI, LEWIS
Nixon the designer OF the ship. Among
the guests were General Louis Merrill Dr.
u. b. Hopkins. owner OF the Goriana IT
Frazer / r paul and Councllmen McMun,
Brown Hentzel ard Anderson.
The Indiana will be an Important addition 10
tho neU Navy Her combination Of armament
AVID battery makes ner a vessel capable of deal
ing terrible destruction and at the same tine
withstandng almost any fire Her speed VIII
be of value to her, ana the ease with whlch she
MAJ, he manoeuyred as shown by her turning
through $50 degrees in five minutes during her
trial will be decided advantage.