The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-19
OUR STURDY WARSHIPS.
Their Condition After Subsection 10
Trying Tests.

Trying Tests
After two months Of almost incessant
cruising by the ships constituting tho
fleets around Cuba. and at times when
many Of the vessels were run az top speed
in overhauiing merchant steamers or on
scout duty, not a single breakdown II
machinery has been reported which could
not be effectively attended TO by thu ma
chinists on board. This record Is reElrl-
ed as unparalleled I'm the history Of great
fleet movements for so extenedd "a period.
and confirms the opinion Of naval
officials that the American ships are bet-
ter than any afl0at of their type and
class from machinery 10 guns and keel
son 10 fighting tops
The strain under which many OF The
vessels have been placed has tested every
part OF the machinery 20 IT'S fullest work.
ing capacity Forced draught has been
used on % number Of occasions bv fh,
smaller cruisers. and the steam logs show
that I'm several instances the little fellows
have made better runs than they w.r,
credited with on their official trials. Er-
gineers OF the navy attribute the absence
OF serious mlshaps 10 the machinerv af
the ships during this period OF unusual
activity 20 the superior workmanship ana
the attention given 10 the vessels before
they We're sent South. Hundreds "
thousands OF dollors. they say. were rr-
pended In repairing every defect and In
strengthening every part where II uas
practicable during the last six months.
so that when the fleets went 10 K.y
West soon after the Maine disaster tf..r
machinery was I'm as fine trim as % VAS
possible 10 be.
Of Al
that the navy has burned more coal n
the Gulf since March last than the whole
service consumed almost In the last Sis
months. Thousands of tons OF coal .r.
being shipped monthly 10 Key Wcst ami
under contracts this viii continue LID
doubt for weeks yet Just how much OBJ,
Government has paid FOR coal so ft- IS
not known 20 the engineers. but thlv Csc
innate that IL IS safe TO assume MOI las
IMAM Sl,W0OW worth has alreadt been rlr.
chased. The constant work require No
the vessels however. cannot contlnga inc
definitely. tho officials know. without OBJ.
attention Of a dockyard being e.ra1
some OF the ships.
As all the vessels Will undoubtef, O.,
retained IN Cuban waters this SUNNI
the oihcer5 OF tho construction. and steam
engineer bureaus are now specuatfrr as
10 Wuen II VIII probably be neccess,-, ID,
"ItndraW some OF them for dry do.tf.-
and repainting their bottoms. n. r.,.
rlne growth Of the tropical waters ms NJ
already had the effect OF reducir.- PHI,
speed OF some ships by at least Il KNOB
ana within two months they viii b., 3D.,
such condition that their snood MI .,
greatly impaired unless tho grown 4. ~.
moved and the bottoms cleancf ana
palnted.Ihe battleships are said =, "a
suHerinS more than the other vess.s -
the Meet, all OF which have been I'm 4ock,
since any Of the big fighters vyars
Inc Iowa has never been doct,o, In,
she was commissioned and the Nt,ssa.
chusetts has been anoat nov, -
year without having her bottom $50,
except by divers which is no. ro,-orlci
as an enurely satisfactory method 20 80
ting me barnacles Off. The INDIAN va.
III uocK a. Halifax last autumn. ard Inc
O1eson Vas IN tho new Puget sound
I-'.iN soiic -noiilhs ago. The big armored
e .,,,i ana many OF the smaller cruisers
Will suffer from foul bottoms mi -,
err and the officials think II viii D.. ,,cs,
sary 10 bring some Of them 10 por, po,,si
~ any rate IN order 10 maintain ~. 80
fcctiyeness OF the fleets. '''
AHe Iort Royal sts<on has non, hoe,
tnorousnly equipped 10 handle Inc i,y1-
oat shlps and 20 make any roaaf~. -
CURED. This station, In the e,,o,,, ~ sar-
lous damage being sustained hv shins
around Cuba, would be the nes-e 80
which they could be sent. ana hein IN,
ouly one where battleships can he a., Yea
becomes now OF great Importance - tho
navy. Repair shops. machine ousrters
and all necessary equipment FOR rerder-
ing prompt assistance to disabled hins
are there, with a naval constructor IN
charge and large forces OF skilled ma
ohinists ana men OF the conStructloa de
Observation-Disclosures American.