The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-27

On Her Preliminary Trial at Sea In
Shallow Water and With Anthra-
cite Coal She Makes the Wonder
full Speed Of 21.75 Knots - The
Contractors Trial Is Satisfactory.
A broom at the foretopmast and the
figures 21.75 painted in big white letters on
the funnel Of the Minneapolis told every
craft In the Delaware River and the crowds
on the shore, as the man-of-war steamed
back to Philadelphia, the result Of the big
cruisers preliminary trial trip off the Della.
ware Capes and proclaimed to the world that
the United States Government has another
ship superior In speed to any vessel pos
sessed by other nations.
The 21.75 knots were made in an of.
shore run off the Delaware Capes. The run
was made under forced draught, in compar-
atlvely shallow water and with anthracite
coal burning in the furnaces.
The Minneapolis left Cramps shipyard,
with Captain B. W. Sergeant in command,
and crew of 407 men. Edwin S. Cramp,
the engineer Of the firm, and Superintendent
Lewis Nixon represented the builders Of the
ship, and had general supervision OF the
trial. About dozen friends Of Mr.. Cramp
were aboard as guests.
The Naval Department was officially repre-
sented by Naval Constructor John Hanscon,
Past Assistant Engineer A 3. Wllletts and
G. ". Dengerfeld, Inspector Of Equipment.
The conditions were favorable for the
ship, as she passed Five Fathom Bank light
ship, for her first run to the Northeast light
ship. The Minneapolis was running under
natural draught, and passed Northeast Light
ship at nineteen minutes past 9. The run
was made at the rate of Is. 73 knots.
On the run back the speed on this run had
increased to 9.14, and on the next run out
to the Northeast lightship the speed went
up to 20.52. The run back to Five Fathom
Bank light was made In the same time. The
next run showed an increase Of
speed to 21.54, and on tho return it
fell to 21.O4. The fourth and last run
of the day showed tho best speed. I. was
made under light forced drauSht, and on the
run out to Northeast light 81. 26 was logged,
and on the run In the cruiser was spurted to
21.70 knots.
Captain Sergeant got under way at half
past six o'clock next morning, and passed
out to sea at ten minutes after eight for q
speed trial Of the cruiser.
The cruiser was loaded with water ballast
to make up for the weight Of her armament
and displaced 1900 tons, the bunkers being
filled with anthracite. At ten o'clock the
cruiser was turned, and her Prov pointed to
the shore.
The engines were working perfectly under
the tremendous strain to which they were
being subjected. The revolutions Of the
screw under 160 pounds pressure Of steam
ran up as high as 1873, but only for few
minutes During the hours run the average
revolutions Of the three screws were 12S O
minute.
At the end Of al hou- the forced draughr
was turned of and the speed Of the ship de-
creased. The Capes were passed at ten
minutes to twelve, and so perfectly satisfied
was Mr.. Cramp with the trial tnat the ship
proceeded directly up the river to the yard.
As the course was not marked, 4 perfect
dependence cannot be placed upon the
patent log, and 1t was difficult to arrive at
an exact knowledge Of the speed made.
Calculations approximated 1t at u. rs knots
for the hours run, but 1t Is more than
probable that It was greater than this. Tho
Columbia on her preliminary trial trip made
but 20. 98 knots.
AS result of the preliminary trial Of the
new cruiser her builders and the officers on
board pronounce her the best Of her class
and the fastest Of her size in the world.