New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-08
ANOTHER FLYING CRUISER.
MINNEAPOLIS THE SWIFTEST.
MOST SUCCESSFUL PRELIMINARY TRIAL
OF ANY WARSHIP IN THE WORLD.
SHE DEVELOPS SPEED OF 2I75 KNOTS AN
HOUR. BEATING THE COLUMBTAs RECORD
UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS BY MORE
THAN THREEQUARTERs or
KNoT-PERFECT WORKING OF

THAN TTIREE-oUARTERs or
KNoT-PERFEc'T WORKING OF
SHIP AND MACHINERY.
PHILADELPHIA June IA broom at the foretop-
mast and the figures 81 10 painted in big white let
ters on the funnel Of the Minneapolis told every
craft in the Delaware River and the crowds on the
shore this afternoon. the result OF the big
cruisers preliminary trial trip off the Delaware
Capes and proclaimed to the world that the
United States Government has another ship
superior in speed to any vessel possessed by other
nations.
The 2175 knots were made this morning In an
ofs-shore run off the Delaware Capes. The run
was made under forced draught. in comparatively
shallow water. and with anthracite coal burning
In the furnaces. The three engines were run
continuously while the cruiser was steamlng and
not flaw Of any kind showed itself In the ma
chinery Not even journal bearing got
hot and the engines worked as smoothly as II
they had been running for months. The trial
throughout was the most successful preliminary
Of any ship the Cramps have ever built.
The Minneapolis left Cramps shipyard at $40
o'clock on Tuesday morning, with Captain r.
w Sergeant in command. and n crew OF 4o7
men Edwin s. Cramp, the engineer OF the
firm. and superintendent Lewis Nixon, repre-
sented the builders Of the ship. and had general
supervision OF the trial. About a dozen friends
OF Mr.. Cramp were on board guests. The
Navy Department was officially represented by
Naval Constructor John Hanscom, Passed AS
sstant Fheineer \. r. Wlllctts and G.. w. Den
gerfeld Inspector Of Equipment
The start from the yard was made In a driv-
ing rainstorm. and slow PROCESS was made until
Philadelphia had been passed. Lewis Chambers.
the pilot. who took the Columbia down the river
OH her last trip. when she is said to have made
a ninety-fOot dent In her bottom was deter
mined that the Minneapolis should not be in
jured before she was turned over TO the Gov
eminent. and he ran her over the shoal places
at easy seven-knOt gait.
After Chester was passed and the river widened
the speed Of the Minneapolis was increased to
seventeen knots. and in one stretch OF seven
miles she was spurted at nineteen knot pace
The breakwater was reached at o'clock. the
run OF l05 miles having been made in about
seven hours and half
sTEAMING OUT TO SEA.
On Wednesday morning at $50 the anchor was
weighed and the ship steamed out 10 FOR a
days trial of her engines With two engines
and two screws running the twenty-one mile
10 Five Fathom Bank Lightship was made in an
hour and thirty-hve minutes. The conditions
were favorable for tho ship she passed Five
Fathom Bank Lightshlp at S:is FOR her first run
20 tho Northeast IArhtship The Minneapolis was
running under natural draught and passed North
east Lightshp at 919 The was made at
the rate of 1913 knotsOn the run back North
cast Light was passed at 939 and Five Fathom
Bank Light at 1000.
The speed on this run had increased 10 1914
knots and on the next run out TO the Northeast
IIzhtshlp tho speed went up 10 POSI- The run
back to Five Fathom Bank Light was made In
the same time. The next run showed an IN
crcaae II speed 20 2l54. and on the return II
fell to q % The fourth and last run OF the
day showed the best speed. II was made under
HIGHT forced draft and the run out 70 North
east Light Fl 26 logged and on the run In
the cruiser was spurted 70 2l7O knots. Not
crank pin main hearing or Journal was heated
I'm the eight hours ~ continuous steaWinG. and
the machinery ran perfectly steady and smooth
THE srrEp TRIAL BEGUN.
Captain Sergeant got under way at haf-past
o'clock this morning and passed out TO sea at
ten minutes after FOR a speed trial Of the
cruiser The fine showing made by the Mime
apolis on the two preceding days had put aside
any doubt about her proving as speedy as II
not "A spced.er ship than the Columbia. ana
every one on board was confident that the day
run would show something remarkable. Win
anthracite coal II was not expected that steam
could be- made fast with SOFT coal. ana II
was not thought that the best speed II which
the ship was capable could be got out OF her
for this reason g..
ot-,ut forty miles Al 10 o'clock she was turned
and her Prov pointed to the shore The turn
was made two degrees of the hem IN sixteen
tlcuarly smart in answering her rudder ,fradu-
ally the cruiser began 70 increase her speed Her
sharp bow cut the waves as easily as Khiie' ana
she forged through the water with hardly any
perccptible motion on her decks The engines
were working perfectly under the tremendous
strain 70 which they were being subjected The
rsvnl,tions NJ the screw under 100 pounds press
urc of steam ran up as high as l3s. but only for
a few minutes.
THE CoI.UMBIA5 = RECORD BEATEN
Al the end OF an hour the forced draught was
turned of and the speed Of the ship decreased.
The Capes were passed at ll:j0, and 80 perfectly
satisned was Mr. Cramp with the trial that the
ship proceeded directly up the river 10 the yard
AS to-day's course was not marked. perfect de-
nend.nce cannot be placed upon the patent log.
and IL was difficult to arrive at an exact knowl-
edge Of the speed made. calculations approx
mated IL at 81 10 knots for the hours rum but IL
is more than probable that II was greater than
this The Columbia on her preliminary trlal
trip made 209S knots go that the Minneapolis
showed fully threc-quarters Of "A knot greater
speed. Rough calculations from the Indicator
cards showed a development Of 2OS0O horse
power nearly 5000 more than the Columbia
made on her official trial trip.
TIE COLUMBIAs COMMANDER TEsTIFIEs.
BEGINNING THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE
CAUSES or THE ACCIDENT.
philadelphia. June. THE Naval Court OF In
oury. consisting OF Rear Admiral oscar F. stan
ton. captains Allen V. Reed and George c. Remey
and Lieutenant Richard Wainwright, as Judge
Advocate to-day began investigating the cause OF
and tho circumstances surrounding the accideht To
me cruiser Columbia The members of the court
paid "A visit 10 the damaged cruiser, which Hes In
the middle OF the Delaware River. on the Navy
Yard where Admiral Stanton and his colleagues
were received with the customary honors. Ad-
mlral Stanton formally invited members OF the
crew who had any Information to give to step Tor
ward. but not a man stirred. The Admiral and
the other members OF the court. with Captain
Sumner then returned TO the Navy Yard and
Captain Summers examination began.
Captain Sumner testified substantially that so
far as he was able TO Judge the accident to the
yessel occnrrel Nav II. In the afternoon watch