Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-10-19
THE INDIANA
Earns a Bonus of Over $4,000
for Her Owners.
Shows Average of 1861 Knots for
Four Hours on Trial Trip.
Her Machinery Works to Perfection and the
Ship is a Wonder.

Boston, Oct 1S.-In the official trial
trip between Cape Ann and Boone Island,
81 Knots, the battleship Indiana made an
average speed of 1851 knots for four
hours. This is GIL 100 knots above the
speed required by the government, aud as
enere was premium offered of S25, coo
lor every quarter knot made over IS, the
cramps Will receive $50, 600 as bonus in
excess OF the contract price of the ship.
rms may be increased to SIS, 900, when
the TIDAL observations are worked out as
the allowance for tidal distractions will
probably give the ship 1915 knots.
Inc very satisfactory speed developed bv
the Indiana is secondary to the wonder
ful way in which the machinery worked.
With their usual luck, the Cramps had
day that was perfect for the trial trim
The atmosphere was brilliantly clear. and
the breeze blowing only had weight
enough to crest the sea with little white
caps.
When Commodore Sclfridge and the
trial board of officers arrived alongside in
tug from Boston at 8, the ship was al
ready under way.
start was at once made for the course.
The forced draught was turned on an
hour before the starting point was reached.
At 10 Or. 49,, the Indiana was off. The
run to Boone Island was made against
the tide, and consumed hours, 2 minutes
and Z seconds, the ship passing the last
stake boat at II 05. The average speed for
the 81 knots was 1924 knots an hour. and
the average speed between the six buoys
was rs, 1923, 5.54, 1916, 1919.
The snppI rnaHp 70 Pop,,o Jcl.
disappointing but it was expected, and the
expectation was fulfilled, that the ship
would do better on the way back
Returning, the Indiana passed the sixth
bnoy at 24.O1 q. The speed of the ship
was noticeably greater. The first leg was
reeled off at an average speed of IS 90,
second at 1912, third at Is. s.. fourth at
1910, and the last stake boat was left
astern at a speed of 16. 30 knots. 1t was
2.30.21 when the trial was over Just
hour, 80 minutes and 35 seconds from
Boone Island a total of 3 hours, So
minutes and % seconds. The gain of eight
minutes on the westward run made the
average speed Is 80.
This brought the average for four hours
up to 1851. The speed between the last
two stake boats proved that the Indiana
was able to do better, after the machinery
was driven at high pressure for consider
able time, than when the engines We're
first put under a forced draught. The
English have never succeeded in getting
much better than Is knots out of a first.
class battleship, and when they attained
this speed, it has been at the expense of
ruined machinery.
The Indiana's machinery is a triumph
of American construction Not the
slightest difficulty developed. Engineers
were unanimous in the opinion that the
engines were the best they ever handled
During the last Is minutes..of the run II. =
500 horse power was developed The
average horse power developed was 600,
which is 700 more than is required by the
government.
The maximum revolutions OF the screws
were 13l, average revolutions between 1873
and 1870. The average steam pressure at
boilers was 1865. at engines, 16l The
average water pressure in the fire rooms
was one inch, the average temperature, l05
After the run was over helm test was
made. The ship was turned in circle of
400 yards, or 200 less than it took to turn
the cruiser New York, and answered her
helm with great promptness.
The Indiana will leave here, tonight,
for Philadelphia.