Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-11-01
THE kkTAHDIN'S TRIAL.
Continued from page IL

cannot be made for some days, and con
sequently no official time can now BIZ
given, but it is confidently expected by
those best posted that when the proper al
lowances for tide, ETC., are made, The
katahdin will show speed considerabl,
over the contract figure of II knots ar
hour.
The actual time elapsed is so close to tn,
II knots an hour record that even if the
allowances are small, there is little doubt
of the rams having exceeded the con tract
speed, and when 1t is remembered hat
the tide was against her both ways and a
strong headwind against her one way, fol
which allowance has to be made, there is
small doubt as to the result
The Katahdin behaved admirably in
every respect through the trial. There
was almost no motion on the vessel, and
she answered her helm very quickly.
AS 10 the matter of her building, one
prominent naval constructor said that 50
far as the construction and workman shin
went, the katahdin was in the very first
class and was "A credit to the builders. .
The ram was commanded on the trial
by Capt .. c. Oliver of the steamer
Salacia. The helmsman was Walter S.
Lowell Of the Metropolitan line of
steamers. Gen. Hyde, Messrs. Charles
and John Hyde and Supt c. r. Hanscom
represented the Bath Iron Works, the
builders Of the ram Samuel Hinckley
was in charge of the engines
The naval trial board. under charge of
Capt. Henry F, Picking. U. 5. N, was on
the ram, and its members took observa-
tipnS a+ : r.,
the trial. The board consisted of Capt.
Henry T. Picking, presiding officer, Com
mander Robert f. Bradford, Lieut. Cam.
mander Seaton Schroeder, Chief Engineer
Augustus H. Able, Naval Constructor
Vim. H. Varney, Lieut.. Sidney H. Stan
ton, recorder.
The engineer officers included Chief
Engineer r. W. Milligan, Passed Assis
tant Engineer Frank II. Bailey. The
following officers were ordered to New
London TO assist the board: Passed .Assis-
tant Engineers +. c. Bieg, G. r. Sails
bury, Kenneth McAlpine, c. F. Rommen,
Ward z. Winchel, A. McAlister Assis-
tant Engineers ". A. Day, W. c. Her
berry, c H. Hayes, A. S Halsted.
Also Naval Constructor John B. Heever
and Chief Engineer james Entwistle. who
have been at Bath for the past two Or
three years experimenting the construc-
tion Of the ram; Commander Richard
Leary, who in all probability will be ap-
pointed to command the katahdin, when
she is put in commission
The katahdin, which is intended for
harbor defence, is built wholly of steel.
Her keel was laid in Bath in 1891, and
her contract price is 1880, 00o
When ready for sea, with all her stores
and coal aboard, her measurements are.
Length. on losdwater line, $50 feet in
ches; extreme breadth, 43 feet, 5 inches;
mean draft, Is feet; displacement, 2155
tons. She has twin screws, vertical, trirle-
expansion engines, with a maximum in
dicated horse power of 1900, and will carry
a crew of 81 men.
Save for the flag, the big yellow smoke
stack and the boats resting on her light
superstructure, the ram nigh. be mis-
taken by landsmen for an oil tank. so lit
tie OF the boat Is above water.
The deck, on topis protected by two in.
ches OK amor, but the steel plates Increase
to thickness of six inches on either side
where the Geek curves TO the water line
When moving at full speed. 1t would be a
good gunner, indeed. who could plant a
shot on SO small target. In fact, the