The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-05
THE MINNEAPOLIS
Builders Trial Trip of the
New Triple Screw Cruiser
in Progress.
MAY BEARECoRD BREAKING TRIAL
Her Appearance as She Sailed
Away-Prominent Gentlemen
Aboard.
NAY BEARECORD BREAKING TRIAL

PHILADELPHIA, June 5, 1S94-The new
triple screw cruiser Minneapolis left Cramps
shipyard at twenty-five minutes past nine
O'Clock this morning and starred down the
Delaware River on her unofficial or builders
trial trip. The entire force of the yard
knocked off work as the Minneapolis pulled
out into the stream and gave the keen Prov
ed racer q hearty send of and good
wishes for a record breaking trial.
Since the Minneapolis was taken
out of the dry dock at League Island on
Thursday last workmen have been busy pre-
pairing her for her trial off the Delaware
Capes. and for the past two days a constant
stream of men have been carrying provisions
aboard and making the other necessary pre-
parations for the trip. As the cruiser start
ed down the river she was hardly a thing of
beauty, except to the nautical eye, which
could appreciate the symmetry and fineness
of her lines. "a The cruiser looked more like a
vessel that was returning home from months
of buffeting with the waves than a vessel
whose keel has never yet been plunged into
salt water.
The coat of rough steel-colored paint that
is used by the Cramps on their vessels before
they are completed is stained in places with
IlGdk O1 lCllOh L III 0Ao IL 0SNAo A~|S-
ed a generally disordered appearance. Tn
space on the rear deck that will be taken up
by the big eight-inch rihex was empty, and
only empty port holes looked out where
rows of rided cannon will be when she goes
into commission.
FULL COMPLEMENT OF MEN.
The Minneapolis went away with nearly
as full complement of men as she will have
when she is a commissioned vessel of war.
Captain Robert w. Sargent, who has COM
manded IN all the recent trials OF the
Cramps ships, was in charge, and under
him was a crew of 401 men, made up OF
seamen, engineers, stokers and coal pass
ers. Edward S. Cramp, the engineering
member of the firm, represents
aboard the builders and had general super
vision of the trial. Lewis Nixon, naval con-
structor at Cramps, is also aboard to aid
with his advice and assistance the working
of the engines. In addition to the crew and
the officers of the vessel about a dozen per-
sonal friends of the Messrs. Cramp went on
the trip, and representatives from the
bureaus and departments at Washington are
also aboard representing the Government.
The following named gentlemen com
prised the party aboard:-Dr. VIC. Gooden,
John r. Lacom, Willis Holly OF New YORK;
I. C. Comecho, Lieut.. G. w. Denfeld, Simon
1uhr, Thomas Ryan, Past Assistant En-
gineer A. B. Willett, Chief Engineer N. P.
Towne. John E. Hande, Jr., W. F. Horton,
f. SchelI. George Ledlie, DR.. II. E. Good
man, Fred Picron, Charles Bailey, H.
Massey. James L. Miles, D. II. Mortwago of
the Russian EavyiL r. Way and General
Flagier Il. Clay.
HER COURSE.
The Minneapolis will run down the Della
ware river today, and will probably reach
the breakwater this afternoon. An anchor
age will be made there over night, and on
Wednesday the ship will run outside the,
80 e. - Ill L. .,olo lA-.
over night, and on Wednesday the ship
will run outside the capes. Although
the Minneapolis is expected to make
twenty-tnree knots an hour no effort to get
such speed out of her will be made
at the present trial. A builders trial is in
many WAYS like the last gallop given a
horse before a great race, and is more to
show the owners what they can expect when
the moment of trial does come. than to make
the speed they hope to get then. On We'd
nesday the Minneapolis will be spurted
over a course between northeast HghtShip
and five fathom bank lightship, and her en-
gines will be limbered up, and any stiffness
o defects will be noted. On Wednesday
night a return TO the Breakwater will be
made, and on Thursday a run out to sea will
be taken.
Without doubt on this run the cruisers
builders will push her fast enough to be able
to gather with approximate certainty the
speed she will make upon her official trial
OF course the runs of Wednesday and Thurs
day will depend materially upon the condition
of the weather. Coal and provisions for five
days were taken and if Mr.. Cramp tdoes not
consider the weather favorable on those days
the trial will be postponed till q following
day. If the rum are made on NedneSday
and Thursday, as expected, the cruiser viii
return to the Breakwater on Thursday
night. and she may either anchor there until
morning or com straight back to Phila-
-7al-LsaD