The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-07


with such satisfactory results that Com
modore schley decided to abandon a fur
Their test at sea which he had planned TO
make tomorrow
A y. IN. the orders were given to strip
shin for action. Small boats were sent
over the side i'm jify and strung out in
a long line astern. The deck stanchiona
which support the railing were turned
down; deck chests were carried below;
the brass supports for canvas coverings
OF hatchways were ripped apart. and in
thirty-fve minutes the long decks were
cleared of everything which might be
splintered by an enemy shot
Lieutenant Rush who is in command
of the after turret, took charge Of the fir
ing of the gun. Lieutenant Commander
Mason sat on top Of the turret 10 notice
the vibration.
In the first shot the practice charge or
IS rounds OF brown powder was used with
a 2eo-pound shell. The starboard gun
was sighted at an elevation OF degrees
toward a sandbank on the other side Of
The Roads
The projectile left the gun at the rate
Of 2100 feet per second, and when il
struck the sea, two and three-quartcr
miles away, il threw up a mass OF water
thirty feet high.
The vibration on the ship was very
slight. The World correspondent who
was on board expected To be knocked of
his feet, but the shock was bearely pre-
ceDtible Lieutenant Commander Mason.
who WAS sitting on top % the turret. just
where the shock would be the greatest
said that il was very slight.
The gun was Immediately reloaded.
this time with the regular service
charge of 10 pounds of brown powder,
the shell being the same weight as the
FIRST. The elevation Of the muzzle was
not changed. as IL was feared that the
projcC lie would reach the shore. This
time the shell Travelled four miles, and
when il diyed into the water il was
moving al The rate of ], ISu feet per sec
ond. The vibration on board seemed
10 De 80 greater than with the smaller
charge
Commodore Scllcy. capt. Cook and
Lieut. Commander Mason were greatly
pleased with the result This after tur-
ret was the only one about which there
were amy doubts The forward and .wo
side tuiretS are in iirsi-claSs shape
The cost Of putting in the new Gle
waiting machinery in the four tulrets was
$1,000 Ii was q day's-wOrk Job. and
the half-dozen mechanics from the ship
yard engaged upon it worked only a
week Some OF the ships officers said
the price was eXorbitant.
The Hamburg Liners
New York. April7.-Those ocean flyers.
the Normannia and the Columbia. are
the latest candidates for the United
States Navy. They are familiar TO New
Workers as vessels Of the Hamburg 4
American line. and steam between this .
port and Hamburg. The auxiliary cruis- .
ct board has been instructed to examine .
them with the idea Of their purchase for +
use as war vessels. Both are on the
"o;hcr side and are not scheduled to
arrive here until May.
Both are exceedingly fast The Nor
MAMMA broke several records before the .
advent Of the Lucania. the St. Paul and .
the Fuerst Bismarck. She has made the /
run from Southampton to New York at /
an average speed Of more than - knots
an hour. The Columbia is very nearly as
fast. Both vessels have demonstrated I
their SeaWorthineSs under the most adj
verse conditions. The Normannia WAS
once swept by a tidal wave and lived
through il like a cork.
These vessels were both built i'm Scot
land. The NOrmannia is 500 feet long q
IN beam and - deep. The Columbia is
l63 feet long, IS in beam and p deep. They
are considered two of the best vessels of
The Hamburg-AmeTiCan line and the news
that there were negotiations pending for
their purchase by the Government caused
much surprise in shipping circles.
Emil l. BOas, the New York agent of
no Ham i.r A ,.;y.....
day afternoon that he had received no
news of the transaction. He added that
he would hardly be- informed. as both vas
sells were on the other side of the Al
lantic and the home company would moi
n necessary to inform him of The
negotiations.
The SoIacc Sails.
New York, April 7.-One OF the first
vessel to leave the port Yesterday was
The hospital ship. the Solace. formerly
The Creole. Captain eager her com
mander. veteran Of the war. was anx-
Ious that she should be one Of The pew
cruisers. Several members Of the auxfli-
airy cruiser board think the vessel too
good for hospital work. and that she NAV
yet be fitted up for part in active hos.
hltieS. She viii arrive at Newport New
Today, when she will be fitted up FOR her
ney work.
The Morgan Liners
New York. April 7.-Longshoremen are
busy taking out the cargo Of the Morgan
liners, lei Norte and lei Sol. preparatory
o sending them TO the Brooklyn Navy
'ard. The commanders Of both vessels
Captains Messen. of the lei Sol. and Haw-
horn. OF the El Norte-have been asked
% remain with their vessels The crews
have also been asked to enlist Rapresau |
atlVeS OF the Southern Pacific ComnanN |
iaid yesterday that the service Of tbe |
Morgan line between here and New OR. !
cans would be continued, in spite Of re.
'orts TO the contrary.
The asiatfc SQUADRON.
Hong Kong China, April G-The Ameri-
IAN fleet is preparing to go to sea. ana
supplies Of coal are being purchased for
he use OF the warshins.
The United States authorities have mr.
chased the British steamer Nanshap
which viii be used a store ship
Sailing of the Texas.
New York. April THE battleship
Texas left the Brooklyn navy yard for
Hampton Roads yesterday. She was the
first warship i'm the new colors and trim
med for action seen i'm New York har-
Dor. Thousands Of persons were hur-
-ying TO their places Of employment as
the big battleship steamed down the |
East River. and she received a perfect |
ovation. Ferryboats stopped their en-
yines and footed their whistles. and the |
-ush on the bridge paused, and men and