New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
TRYING HER NEW PAINT.
THE TORPEDO-BOAT PORTER GIVES AN
EXHIBITION OF SPEED.
UNDER NATURAL DRAFT AND MUCH LESS THAN
HER FULL STEAM POWER SHE SHOWS
TwENTY-ErGHT KNOTS OR MORE
THAN THIRTY-Two MILES AN
HoUR-HER FINAL TRIAL
TO-MORROw

The United States torpedo-boat Porter. origin.
ally known as No. g. came out Of drydock In the
Navy Yard on Saturday afternoon with new
paint on her steel bottom. which had been swept
bare within three weeks by friction Of water
occasioned by her remarkable speed Her final
trial Is understood to have been fixed for to-mor.
row. and yesterday the Porter dropped around
70 Communipaw to take in coal preparatory to
the tests. Incidentally to make sure that every.
thing else Is In proper form. Lieuten. mt J. Fre-
mont In command, took her down around Scot.
land Lightship and back again.
Ihe stretch from the Battery TO Scotland
Lieh'ship is twenty-one miles; the round trip Is
forty-two miles, and the time in which the Porter
travelled this distance one hour and fifty
minutes And she did 1t easily, for at no time
was more than 200 pounds OF steam pressure de-
veloped. and that for only shor, time
me httle black flyer stole out from the Navy
fard and past the Indiana, the Maine and the
Terror at $40 o'clock yesterday morning. She
touched the river at half speed, was abreast
Wall-st. five minutes later black smoke trailing
from her three pipes. and her speed increasing
At S:4S O'Clock she rounded Castle William and
headed down the harbor. with 130 pounds OF her
20 pounds Of steam power. on slack water and
under natural draft at about seventeen knots.
RAPID TRANSIT TO STATEN ISLAND.
Seventeen minutes after rounding Castle VIII.
lam the Porter was abreast ST. George Staten
Island. The ferryboats. aided by tide, require
twenty-five minutes to cover the same distance
AS the little destroyer passed ST. George the
steamboat Schuyler dead ahead and below
Fort Wadsworth. The little patrol boat Argus
put out ahead from Quarantine. but she seemed
anchored as the Porter swept by her, overhaul
ipg ah of mo rsla af
300 o'clock, twenty-nine minutes from the start
impudently trailing heavy scarfs of black smoke
in the face Of the bigger craft as she dropped
astern. Below Swinburne Island and through the
Horse Shoe the little craft slid along at about
thirty miles Gn hour. and at this speed she was
a beautiful spectacle viewed from astern.
Standing directly over her screws, whirling
four hundred times minute. there was not vi
bration enough 10 interfere with letter-wrting,
had that been possible in the rush of air oc.
casoned by her speed.
Her keel at the bow three feet out Of
water and, TO the observer looking forward from
her stern over her $50 feet of sloping deck. the
little boat seemed like bird taking fight. with
the white foam along her lean sides as wings
Forty four minutes from the start at the Navy
Yard, the Porter was abreast Sandy Hook light
Three minutes later she had passed the bar. and
was driving out to sea- straight into brisk
southeast breeze. a young tide against her nose
and 160 pounds Of steam pressure in her boilers.
IN HLRRY TO GET HOME.
At 9:43 o'clock an hour and three minutes
after the start, she was rounding Scotland Light
ship twenty-one miles from the Navy Yard.
Then she squared away for the return. and over
the five miles Of deep sea water TO the bar she
moved at the rate OF twenty-eight knots, or over
thirty-two miles an hour Sandy Hook was
again abreast at 9:49 o'clock. Suddenly she
veered sharply. and moment later shot past
floating log Lieutenant Fremont, at the wheel,
smiled grimly he brought her up again into
the course, remarking that with plates less than
an eighth of an inch thick he had no wish Tor
close acquaintance with floating logs.
FUN WITH THE SANDY HOOK.
At 1O:OS o'clock the nineteen-knot screw
steamboat Sandy Hook was sighted coming
down on her regular trip. The Porter slowed.
the steamgauge cut to 200 pounds and round
ing astern the Sandy Hook she came abreast
and left her behind as II she were at anchor.
The flying streak Of midnight crossed the bows
of the big boat, bore about and again headed
home Less than five minutes had been con-
sumed by the Porter in drawing foamy circle
about the big steamboat, which had meantime
maintained full speed -
At O:30 o'clock she passed Castle William.
one hour and fifty minutes having been CON-
sumed in the outward run and return. forty-two
miles all told. Then she leisurely went over to
Communipaw, and was made fast to receive her
coal for the final trial.