The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-15

The golden rain has not poured in to the build.
ers alone, much as they deserved it all for send.
ing to sea tho stanchcst and speodiost warships,
for in every case the crew participated in the
winnings, and thus satisfaction existed all
around.
The days of premiums for speed in excess Of
the contract requirements have now gone by,
the Navy Department having decided that such
prizes arc unnecessary, and with their passing
is probably shelved the finest crew of steamship
men that ever faced q stokehold. Other ships
are building and are yet to be built which must
have speed trials as of yore, and perhaps they
w Woyld ss msnn'd @ III 5hs sS%s 're Gol thnt sent N the
York and Brooklyn 30 fast that hundreds Of
thousands Of dollar In prize money fell to the
miums then, and the eyes Of the naval world
will not be looking for record.breaking perform
Some men have been unkind enough to say
that when the Cramps had q speed trial to make,
engaged for the occasion. So far were thes..
rumors carried that they were once made tho
subject ( Of Congressions inquiry; Needless 70
less. for right in the big s%hipyard could DO
who sent tho ships speeding onward to fame.
They are still there, and a most able sci they
are, too; but far from being professional steam.
except on the trial trips of the vessels they
reared. They belong 10, no one department, but
work in the yards. all knowing a ship from truck
to keelson. and when brought together forming
ness Of the magnificent mac ii y they hey m am n
Preparations for speed trials have always been
busy days ut the shipyard. A couple of weeks
before 1t is TO occur the foremen announce that
q crew will be needed to man the vessel, and all
time for them TO make their applications. Need
less to state. there are enough volunteers to
foremen pick out the most likely ones. 1t usually
happens that q great majority are old and tried
hands at the work., but at the same time there 10
always a sprinkling of new men. whose work on
the trip Is carefully watched.
the ei rnnSs OF eafv the boSle 5ne Sfew the Il s riSetsqsi from rom
forge men. and the moulders. each class skilled
get the greatest amount of heat out of tho coal
consumed. The engine room is filled up from
the machine shop with the chief engineers of the
are filled with the finest hand picked Pocahon-
tes coal, and when the day arrives the men GO
aboard TO take things easy most of the time, but
to do yeoman service when the supreme time
comes.
small army of competent cooks being road to
serve out the, most inviting and substantial
the Government test course in the deem water
on the New England coast the men enter upon
the hard work ahead.
At last all is ready. and the great ship 10
headed for the starting line, off Cape Ann. The
into two shifts. to work through alternate
hoiio until II ipuI ICIu1Ttu run IL uu-
ished. Half OF them go to their places, while
the balance stow themselves about ready to
take their turn.
Stripped to the waist. these hardened and
sturdy men gather In front OF the furnaces deep
down in the stokehold, and as the ship gradually
works up speed in approaching the line they
pick hard and cork up the glowing bed of GOALS
until not a flock OF ash or cinder remains to clog
or stop the hoat. Next comes the roar Of the
forced draught, and II the furnace fires were hot
before they are seething white now; yet tho men
never falter. and the rush of the ship only seems
to intensity their power.
Across the line, and they know full well when
that time comes, they bend every energy TO their
work, and with a nicely born of long practice
they heap In the coal with lavish hand, but AL
ways land it in the right place. So great is the
power OF the draught that u SCOOP full of coal
has only to be held before a furnace door and
The Thermometer registers a full 120'; but
what care these men for heat! Like demons
In some Internal region they face the roaring
furnace. and never do they let the steam slack
Their hour up, some retire and their places arc
filled by fresh mon Just as able. Just as willing,
while the retiring shift seek the deck and lay
stretched out on the cold steel. eager and anxious
fuse to leave at all. and several trips have seen
men who faced the blasts Of the fires for the
four hours through.
The trip ut last Is over, and then they rest. but
II called upon are Just AS eager to again put the
cali. Hard as is the work, none have ever been
known to suffer any i'll effects, nor have any
ever been found laggards when the time for the
effort came.
The Cramps are proud of these men, and moro
cent. or them are Americans born aud bred.
The greatest sailors in the world" Charles II.
Cramp Is wont TO say, and right ably have they
proven their right to such praise.