New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-03
TRIAL OF THE ELLIDE.
CERTAINLY \ WONDERFUL CHAf l. ID

CERTAINLY \ WONDERFt l. oisHr l. p''
HER UTILITY DOUBTED.
To the ordinary person. who knows nothing
about feed pipes for boilers and cannot iue"Ii"e
revolutions screws and forced draught, yesterday
certainly seemed perfect day for the official tr'al
OF a high-speed steamer. But those who are i'nai-
cially interested in an exhibition Of this krd ana
who are able 10 talk voubiy regarding the SCIENCE
Of cogwheels may hold virws OF totally dincre"t
kind II IL difficult for the highly ignorant ou'-
slider 10 define the exact conditions whi'h .'A"-
speed steamer requires for her official ifia'' ana
ne never seems TO understand why people sh'"d
be brought TO the scene of action over ana "'cr
again v hiic the final results continue 10 remain
entirely IN the region OF Suesswork severn e''S
ago the rapid steamer Norwood Kept rersrh con-
t!nuously before the public for months Tor h''''E
n whole yonr. by announcing races which never
cane Of and speed trials the correctness OF
which was greatly doubted by the iuDn,.
The number OF official trials that the iaSt SIN
water machine called tho Ei!;de mas "HhoN'''"
cannot al the present moment b" given, ana 'F
the time the final figures 10 her best speed are
obtained the number OF her ANNOUNCEMENTS VIII
pyoba bly, be still difficult 10 keep tiHch o. NJ
Irtinetou-on- i he Hudson yesterday there was
moderate breeze or the west shore. anu "''H TIE
exception Of occasional swell from rasaiNs
steamer the water on :hs wirdward shore s'ch''
200 calm 10 bother even a racing shch. me p's
white steam yacht Marietta. owned by Harrison
Il Moore who il Of the judges IN THIS tiIai,
came sieamng swiftly up the Hudson AT o'clock.
and when Off Iryington began signalling TO the
Ellidc which was far away on the east size iH'"
from the waters OF beautiful Nyack. which lay
In the rolling blues Of the distant hills, boat
came ont into view that going like rocket
not very fast for her. but probably at a quicker
pace than the spectators had seen in any other
boat.
The Marletta's launch WAS lowered. and an ex-
change OF passengers took place. H. b. Moore and
Commander Converse. OF the United States warship
Montgomery. were the Judges. and TWO other naval
officers aboard the Elllde. The United states
has had these officers in the neghborhood for seven
weeks Surveying and laying out an exact mile on
the water FOR the purpose OF testing TINS ana otheF
fast steamers. The Elllic then left the Marietta
and took the officers FOR quiet preliminary spin
over the course
few minutes afierward the Eide seen
coming From d long way OF could know that
she going IN earnest In the distance she
only miniature white fountain. Bur IN a
few seconds more she wa- almost abreast OF the
spectators moving with the speed OF locomotive.
going over thrty-Nye miles hour. and with every
appearance OF being able to DO better for she was
not sunk down aft from her proper horzontals and
there seemed 10 be no drag or funess anywhere.
The water she split a. her bows was directed out
ward by her eancst OF forward lines. and IL flew
nigh above her stationary awnings 10 ,he level Of
the top OF her smokcsiack; 90 that the craft was
continually inclosel between two nat. thin. perpcn-
dicuar walls OF water. which rose AT graceful
near the bows and descended with equal grace
near the stern The water that thus split on
ana up at the bows never touched the boat again
She had passed away from underneath II be'~'e =
fen al least. 81 seemed Ike this. viewing :nc
rocket AT close range.
She was certainly a wonder. though perhaps a
useless one. And Just after she had passed some
ihlng board made a sudden click and then the
boat slowed down. The wall sde-wavo- disap-
peared. and she aid not nnsh her measured mile
Something had gone wrong Later on men were
taken back IN The launch 20 the Marietta, and the
Ellide came IN 10 the wharf :Or while one Of
the crew said the boat stopped because IL was too
said there was n difficulty about Keeping the boiler
supplied with water. An engineer who returned in
the train said the feed-ppes were not working we'll
But the real cause OF the breakdown matters !itte
II disappointment only.
&. II. Green, OF the marine department OF the
Home Insurance Company, said that the Elllde was
built at the expense OF r. b Warren, a wealthy
capitalist OF Philadelphia. and that the contract
the gross price for every mile over thirty per hour
which the Ellide proves able TO reel on. lie said
that Mr.. Warrens wish was to have the fastest
boat IN the world. and that II this satisfac-
what became OF the Ellide subsequently. Mr..
Green thought that II the wheel were put over I'll
the rudder two points of the line OF the keel.
the boat, In attempting TO make short curve.
would undoubtedly capsiZe. A. the Ellide has al
ready accomplished speed mile equal TO
about thirty-seven, miles an hour II viii be seen
that her bonuses are already mp TO n satisfactory
figure. N must not be understood. however, that
the E.lide thrty-seven miles In one hour. She
only doe mile at that rate and IL seems that
extreme difficulty II met with In making her 20
any distance at top speed In the conversation
that took place the wharf yesterday the question
was raised as 10 what possible use craft OF this
would be, In either peace war. and the curt
reply was that the Ede was merely an idea.