The herald., 1898-11-19
TRIED IT THREE TIMES
BUT FAILED TO SHOW SPEED
REQUIRED
Thirty-Knot Torpedo Boats Are Diff
ficult of Construction Even by the
past of Builders
NEW YORK, Nov. ls.-A dispatch to the

NEW YORK, Nov. lS.-A dispatch to the
Tribune from Washington says:
The first of the 30-knot torpedo boats
built in the United States and the only one
of that speed which has as yet undergone
official trial, has finally failed to reach the
requirements after three attempts, the first
two of them resulting in serious damage
to the vessel. A telegram received iron. ON
Lieut.. Commander Franklin j. Drake, by
Secretary Long, shows that the Farragut on
her final trial near San Francisco on Novem-
Der 10 ran 1918 knots an hour. lie says
that this remarkably high speed was achiev-
ell with no excessive vibration OF the Eull
or undue friction of engines. The vessel
ran straight away for half an hour at the
rate OF 1884 knots, followed by turn, ac-
complished within fifteen seconds and an
other dash Of half an hour, this time at the
rate of 81. 10 knots, the average for the whole
course being 1913. The Union Iron Works
OF San Francisco, which built the vessel, has
appealed to Secretary Long to accept her,
declaring that she easily makes the required
speed of 80 knots under ordinary conditions,
but was retarded in the official trial by
shallow water and heavy winds in the first
half, when the speed fell behind the con-
tract rate. The act Of Congress of June
10, 1896, authorizing this vessel and the
Dahlgren and the Tam Craven, now building
at Bath, Me-, is novel in that it stipulates
that the vessels shall make at least 30 knots,
and the contracts call for that speed and
declare that if the vessels fail to make it
they shall be rejected. The department was
therefore compelled to decide that fourth
trial would be necessary, it being powerless
to waive the conditions, although the belief
was general among officers that a difference
of II of knot was impracticable of meas
urement in 35-miles run.
The two similar boats building at Bath,
Me-, are within 20 per cent of completion,
and it is expected that their trials will take
place in about month. All three of the
vessels should have been delivered to the
government under contract in the early
part OF last April, and they have already ac-
cumulated large bills on account of the de-
lay penalties. The failure OF the Union Iron
Works boat readily to accomplish its de-
signed velocity although the SCOTS who
built her are famous for the excellence of
their work, as shown in the Oregon, the
Monterey, the Olympia, the San Francisco
and the Charleston and other vessels-is
culties with the Bath Iron Works boats,
as that company has hitherto had Indifferent
success with the vessels it has furnished to
the navy, with the possible exception of gun
boats Machias and Castine, although their
performances have not been extraordinary
An instance of Pacific Coast energy under
difficulties was shown at the Navy Depart.
ment in the issue of orders for Commander
Drake, Naval Constructor Spear and Engi-
neer Smith to meet at the ship yard OF
Wolff & Zwiclier, Portland, Ore, on Novem-
Der p, to try the torpedo boat Davis. 1t
was aboard this vessel that about three
weeks ago seven were killed by the expos-
ion of one of her boilers on her trial trip A
new boiler and other extensive repairs have
been completed in this remarkably short
time, and another attempt will be made next
Tuesday to maintain speed of 221h knots
for two hours. Another 221a knot boat,
the Fox. is also practically completed at the
same works and will be tried as soon as the
Davis is accepted by the government. The
26-knot boat Rowan, which should have
been finished by Moran Brothers at Seattle
last January, may also be added to the nav,
before the end of the year, completing tn,
first four and only torpedo boats on the
Pacific Coast, the Atlantic fleet having
hitherto monopolized this type of craft