The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-25
THE NEW
GUNBOAT
4 Filler
Excellent Time Made by the
Wheeling On a Trial
Trip
OVER THE NEW MEAS.
URED COURSE.
Will Probably Exceed by Sew.
eral Knots the Required
Speed.
MAY BEAT THE NASHVILLE'S
RECORD.
To-Day Her Sister Ship, the Marietta,
Will Be Sent Over the
Official Course.
MAY BEAT THE NASHVILLE'S
RECORD.
To-Day Her Sister Ship, the Marietta,
Will Be Sent Over the
Official Course.

Tbs new gnnboat Wheeling made her
first trial trip yesterday morning over the
new measured course just fixed by the
United States Government for the pur-
pose of trying the speed OF the Wheeling
and its sister-boat, the Marietta. The
course begins at the new beacon on the
north shore of Raccoon Strait and extends
distance of $3.50 feet northward, just be-
yond California City.
On the second attempt the Wheeling
crossed the distance in four minutes one
second, making S94 revolutions. This was
at the rate of Is knots an hour, which
is considered most remarkable perform
ance for ship leaving her dock for the
first time. Her lowest speed was 13 knots.
The maxim um revolutions of the engine
were 246, minimum 220. The Wheeling
gives every promise of exceeding by con-
siderable on her official trial the average
speed of 131l knots required by the Gov
ernment.
The Wheeling and the Marietta are two
of a group of six gunboats ordered by the
Government March 2, 1895. They are of
light draught. composite structure, and
have displacement OF about 1000 TONS
Both vessels are fitted with twin sore ws
and will carry very little canvas.
The two gunboats differ in regard to
their boilers, the one being fitted with
Howden boilers and the other with boil !.
ers of the Babcock & Wilcox type. The
trials of the two vessels now being made
will be of particular interest as showing
the superiority of one or the other of
these two types of boilers.
70 nf otr
the steel framing and plating below the
water-line being covered with 4-inch pine
and teak planking, thus enabling them 10
remain at sea for considera BILE time with
out docking.
Following are the dimensions of the
vessels: Length on load water line, 174
feet; beam on load water line, "a feet;
draught, normal, from under side of keel,
II feet; displacement. normal, 1000 tons;
indicated horsepower, 800. The arma-
ment consists of twelve rapid firing guns,
six 4-pounders, four 6-pounders and two
1-pounders. Ammunition will be carried
as follows: For the 4-pounders 900 rounds,
for the 6-pounders 1000 rounds and for the
1-poundsrs 1900 rounds.
The engines are vertical, triple-expan-
sion and direct acting, consisting of a
high-pressure cylinder II inches, inter-
mediate cylinder 1871 inches and low
pressure % inches. The stroke is Is
inches.
The engines were expected to make
about 200 revolutions per minute with a
steam pressure of 1S0 pounds in the
boilers.
The Wheeling and the Marietta were
launched simultaneously at the Union
Iron Works on the 18th of last March. 1t
was SAID to have been the first recorded
instance of two vessels being launched al
the same time from the same yard by diff
ferent ways.
To-day the Marietta will be sent over the
official course to standardize or fix the
value of the revolutions OF her'screw. That
having been definitely ascertained she will
be run tomorrow for four consecutive
hours. The revolutions will be carefully
counted. and using the value of the revo-
luton thus obtained as standard her speed
will be figured from that.
The two boats will undoubtedly exceed
the designed speed by three knots, and
may establish record ahead OF that made
on Long Island Sound about week ago
by the gunboat Nashville, which made an
average speed OF rs knots.