The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-03
COLUMBIA'S FAST TIME.
IN AVER4GE HOURLY SPEED or
1858 KNOTS Az HOUR.
From England to America for Several
Unfortunate Circumstances She Would
Have Done Better.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2.-The United
States commerce destroyer Columbia.
next to the Minneapolis the fastest war
ship OF her class afoat, arrived here to-
day from her race against time across
the Atlantic. No warship ever built
crossed the ocean in the same time.
These are the principal figures.
Time from the Needles, Isle OF Nlght, 10
Sandy Hook light-ship, days, = hours,
ana ~ minutes; course, 3,llZ knots; aver
age hourly speed. 1888; best hourly rum
0.Go best four-hOur run, $3.50.
The daily runs were from F. VI. OF
July 25th at the Needles, TO noon OF the
following day $50 knots, and TO noon OF
each succeeding day. l6l, 40. 45l, 4J1, 80,
and iO5 TO Sandy Hook light-ship al e'iJ
A. ~ to-day.
on July svth at ? 4. NJ, a squally storm
was threatened The wind was southwest
by west; heavy seas came over the BOWS
and for four hours the speed was r.
duced 10 eight knots per hour. In the
evening Of the same day. In latitude foV0,
longitude 4S.2O, the Columbia ran near an
iceberg which was about 100 YARDS i0hs'
100 yards wide, and 45 feet high. Inc
Columbia took i'm pilot 400 miles east
Of sandy Hook. only slowing up suiii-
ciently for the purpose. She pdsseu
quarantine shortly before noon. reporting
all well on board, and dropped anchor
in the North river less than hour ia'oi'
HrR APPEARANCE.
Her four great tunnels were covered
with salt CRYSTALS where thcy were Hot
black with smoke. SCOT covered the UP,
per structure, and her sides Weic i',aleu -.
and etreaked with rust; her decks were
covered with coal dust and cinders, Ina
altogether she looked as though an carry
securing at the naVy-yard would De IN"
best thing for her. captain DtoIbe W.
Sumner said to a reporter:
cessfui We came under natural dialt
Ii was a smooth run, tnousn We hau ~ d
little rough weather. we sloNeu ooMI
only once before headers. We met some
fog. but went through ii at full speed
with our eight boilers and three screws.
The winds were varying, put Westerly
generally. We had on what we cali
fattles matches throughout, making
ne Generally water-tlght forward.
The vessel was somewhat down
at the head when we started de-
spite the fact that We had our trimming
tanks eft filled. This is because OF the
natural trim when her bunkers are fun:
She is a good boat. though. The ron
was only 10 degrees 20 starboard ana IL
$S sS to- to 81 s7."
The coal consumption. the Captain
said varied from 300 TO go tons day.
about one-half of that used by the
Cunardcr Lucania in her trips from
Liverpool over course OF about "'"2
knots. which IS ilt lfSl dNtidbt SI'NN
on a record trip of 2l.HO
The Columbia had the best coal obtain
able at southampton. II Is tnat use1
by the American line, and comes from the
DOwlais Merkhirr mines. ME her
bunker capacity is only l.jOO tons, Cap
tain Sumner took in 1910 tons, Milling
the bunkers and utilizing the wing pas
sages, free-rooms. and even the decks,
where forty tons were stored under me
,superstructure Thus frelghted with
fuel she drew twenty-six feet four inches
forward and twenty-five feet seven inches
aft, an unfortunate trim, but unaVold-
able.
THE FIRE-BOOM FORCE.
Her fre-room force was twelve short,
and that rumber were taken from volrn-
teers of the deck crew, making up the
full complement of 1856. In addition. Tor
ty-iive men from the deck force and
three petty officers were transferred 20
the engineers department 10 assist In
carrying coal. They worked night ana
dav and though fatiCucd, none gave out.
The plan TO speed the vessel under forced
draught during the last tWenly-lour
hours was abandoned as .mpracucable
While there were 800 tons OF coal leit
when the vessel dropped anchor in the
North river, which was left at the ends
and could not be moved fast enough 10
sufficiently feed the fires for such run
III il could have been done. captain
Sumner said 1t would have shortened me
time OF the voyage three nuns 49,
brought the COlumbias average up 70
about nineteen knots.
The experience shows" said Captain
Sumner. "tne ability Of the Columbia 10
make such an extraordinary run, ana
demonstrated what Il was
intended il should"
Chief Engineer W. II. Harris SAID:
There was not hitch IN the engines
at any time Of any character. They were
NOT siopped from the time of leaving the
Needles till we reached Quarantine
The Hamburg Line steamer Augusta
Victoria, from Hamburg ana Souinamp-
ton via CherbOurg. followed the Column
bia in arrived off the Hook at 1850 a. NJ.
The distance covered By the Augusta
Victoria from CherbOurg was 1904 knots,
and her time of passage six da-s, twenty
hours. and twenty minutes. The average
speed OF the Hamburg steamer on this
trip was 1854 knots per hour.
The St Louis. of the American Line,
left Southampton the day after the Co
lumbia. passing the Needles at i 40 l.. NJ,
or twenty-three hours and forty minutes
later. she is expected TO arrive early in
the morning.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.-The Baltimore
sailed from Yokohama for Nagassa yes
terday.
Acting Secretary McAdoo to-day sent
the following telegram 10 Captain sum
ner Of the cruiser Columbia: 'lhe Navy
DEPARTMENT extends to YOU. the Officers,
and men Of the Columbia its congratula-
tions and thanks upon the result OF the
run from the Needles 10 the Sandy HOOK
Lightship. thus making an unexpected re-
cord for a new ship.
4 STRIhE -IJLRTED.