Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-26
TRIAL OF THEIOW A
Report ofthe Naval Inspection Board Highly
Favorable.
ImpcrfectiOns That Were Developed
by Firing the Guns-Large and
Unprotected Ports.

The report Of the naval inspection board.
of which Commodore Dewey is president,
On the final trial trip of the battle ship
Iowa was received at the Navy Depart
ment today, and is highly favorable to that
vessel. The trial lasted forty-eight hours
at sea outside Of Sandy Hook, during which
the ship was put through the usual courses
to test her sea-going qualities.
The vessel under all circumstances"
says the report, behaved well, being very
STEADY, and rolling and pitching but a few
degrees. Her high free board forward adds
greatly not only to the comfort Of her men,
out to her sea-going efficiency and the
power OF fighting her guns under all cir
cumstances. Altogether, her sea-going
qualities appeared to be excellent. The
nrst day was passed by the board In max
inspection OF the vessel, all the compart-
ments, subdivisions, magazines, shell and
store rooms being visited, and all being
found In excellent order and exceptionally
neat and clean The board was particu-
larry impressed by the appearance of the
Iowa in all departments, her fine condition
and the efficiency of her crew rejecting
great credit upon her commanding, execu-
tive and other officers, and affording a con-
spicuouS proof of the care bestowed upon
the vessel. The Ardois signal system and
the search lights were tried and were found
to work well. The Ardois keyboard is,
however. badly placed. being installed in
the military top, where, being beyond the
direct observation of the officer of the
deck, it is liable to injury from lack of at
teption or careless neglect, while, ac-
count of its inconvenient position, there
must necessarily be an annoying delay in
answering signals
The Speed Trial.
The full speed trial under natural draught
was begun the next day. The coal used
was of fair quality, but contained much dirt
and formed strongly adhering clinkers.
The speed made by patent log. checked by
the engine revolutions, was for the two
hours. 13.45 knots. The machinery, both
main and auxiliary, worked very satsfac-
torily. without heating in any part. The
boilers steamed freely, considering the quail
ity of coal used. The engines were con-
tinued at full speed for 35 minutes over the
required two hours. The average revo,u-
uons were: Starboard engine, ga, and
port, SOL The average steam was 145
pounds; the coal, per hour, 1920 pounds:
Indicated horse power, 1875, and pounds of
coal per horse power, 2.37.
During the afternoon" continues the re-
port, all the guns of main and secondary
batteries We're fired to the satisfaction Of
the board. This was done without injury
to the gun mounts or to the structure of
the vessel, except in the case of one of the
forward 12-inch guns, where the dash pot
OF the right-hand gun carried away from
the shock of firing at extreme eleva lion.
There were several cases of the electric
firing falling to work in the large guns and
in two instances 1t was considered neces-
sary to change to percussion firing. in
order to discharge the gun. The 6-pounder
guns were fired with smokeless powder
charges. and in all cases there was de-
cided hang-fire, caused. doubtless. by the
weakness of the primers. In both of the
Nil hn of fri no an
ed the training valve and started the tur-
ret. which revolved some distance before
being checked. This. of course, throws the
second gun off the target and neceSSitates
a delay in firing
Needs of the Vessel.
Among the chief imperfections or de-
ficiencies noted by the board or reported by
the officers of the ship the following:
The ship Is decidedly unofficered, officers
being badly needed to superintend the fight
ing of the battery as well as to carry on
the ordinary duty of the vessel. The COM
plement, which is very small for vessel
of the Iowa's class, is now much below the
maximum, and the want of men is badly
felt The efficiency of the small compile
ment has been still further impaired by the
frequent changes which have taken place
since the vessel was commissioned The
board again calls the attention of the de-
partment to the fact that, although the
ports for the main deck guns are armored
yet-as in the Brooklyn and on the New
York gunboats of our service-a large open
ing is entirely free for the admission of
hostile projectiles. These openings are
eight feet three inches in length by two
feet two inches in height. thus leaving an
aperture of some eighteen square feet,
through which small-arm, machine-gun and
other projectiles-some of them possibly
charged with high explosives-can enter
without obstruction and with disastrous
effect to the gun crews and to the ammuni-
ion of the board. it would seem to be a
work of supererogation to provide four-inch
armor for gun positions and then to cut in
1t and leave open an aperture of eight feet
by two inches. The steam exhaust pipes
from the ice machine pass through the for
ward brig, making it a veritable sweat
box, the temperature being JOG degrees
near the door of the prison and lis degrees
next to the pipes.
In conclusion, the board reports as fol-
lows: THAT during the trial no weakness
or defect in the hull, fittings equipment
of the vessel, due to defective workma nship
or defective materials, in the fittings
fixing, placing and securing of the armor
due to defective workmanship, did appear.
That the machinery and all parts thereof
were found to be in good condition with re-
Spect to workmanship or materials, and
that there was no failure, breaking down
nor deterioration other than that due to
fair wear or tear of any part or parts of
the machinery, engines, boilers or appur-
tenanceS.''