Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-04-08

States Navv.
The United States navy now possesses
the fastest torpedo boat In the world.
She has been christened with the name
OF Farragut.
Thirty knots an hour Is the speed
which this wonderful little craft reach
ed ON one trip on the Potomac. That
10 equal to over thirty-four miles an
hour. II she could maintain such
speed across the Atlantic she would
make the trip In less than four days,
thereby leaving the fastest liners days
behind.
The Farragut, otherwise known as
torpedo boat No. s, was built by the
Herreshoffs at Bristol. r. l. On her
trial trip at Bristol she averaged In
five runs over a twelve-mile course
28.74 knots an hour, equal to 1871 miles
an hour. This Is the best record held
by any torpedo boat.
On her subsequent trip from Newport
to Brooklyn she averaged twenty-five
yliles an hour in spite Of heavy seas
and northwest gale. Only two OF her
three boilers were used.
Then she proceeded to Washington
for inspection by the Secretary OF the
Navy. This took place on the Potomac,
and it was on this occasion that she
showed her ability to make over thirty
four miles an hour.
Her engines even then were not
pressed to do their utmost. AS In most
other cases 1t is expected that her
machinery will give better results after
a certain amount of use.
Those on board during the trial trip
included Secretary Herbert, General
Alger, who is now Secretary of War;
Mr.. Wilson, head of the Department
of Agriculture; Chairman Boutelle, OF
the House Naval Committee, and the
Herreshoffs. There was brisk wind
blowing, and when the boat was maxi
ing fast time the landsmen could not
keep their feet in the open. and had to
take refuge behind the smokestacks.
The Farragut's measurements are:l
Length, 175 feet; beam, IL feet; ex-
treme draught, feet. Her guaranteed
speed was 27.5 knots an hour. Her en-
gines are capable of developing 1920
horse power, which is greater than that
of the Boston, Atlanta and Yorktown
class of cruisers.
The Farragut is formidably armed,
although not so large as some other
new American boats, which will come
in what'is known in England as the
torpedo-boat destroyer class.
She carries one torpedo launching
carriage on the port side forward, an
other on the starboard side amidships,
and third in the very stern on the
midship line. These carriages all have
very wide range of fire. The tubes
discharge torpedos loaded with 200
pounds of guncotton, and one of these
missiles effectively placed would send
to the bottom the biggest warship
afioat
The Farragut is especially meant to
deal destruction and not to resist it.
She is long, slight, black, snakelike in
appearance. Her outer steel skin is not
more than an eighth of an inch thick.
Along the boiler space her sides are
lined with several feet of coal, but this
arrangement would not be defence
against the fire even of six-pounders.
Her twin screws make more than 400
turns minute. Her boilers steam with
a pressure of 240 pounds to the square
inch, and large blowers fan the furn-
aces into binding incandescence that
this pressure may be maintained.
Lieutenant John G. Fremont, son of
the famous Pathfinder. commands the
Farragut. She has roomy quarters for
four officers and twenty-five men,
New York Journal.