Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-07
GREAT BATTLE SHIP
Remarkably Successful Trial of the Battle
Ship Kearsarge.
Speed, II IA Knots an Hour-ResuIt
of Test Regarded as Highly
Satisfactory.

w itlA Oil VI lltI tllIOT anu uedNy guns
aboard and a years marine underground
on her bottom, the battle ship Kearsarge
fit heiress of the noble name borne by Com
modore Winslow's famous old frigate, pass
ed out through the Virginia capes Tuesday
morning on her builders trial trip. Every
feature Of the trip was perfectly satisfac-
tory. 1t was not intended to test the run
ming capacity of the big fighter, but when
she passed out into eight fathoms of water
with clear course before her the tempta-
ton could not be resisted. Forced draught
was ordered, and for half an hour the
Kearsarge maintained speed of Ia knots
Considering the conditions under which the
test was made this record is regarded as
remarkable, the contract speed of the YES
sci being only 16 knots.
At am. the chosen crew, naval officers
and guests of the shipbuilding company
were aboard the battle ship. At $40 under
her own steam, the ponderous fighting ma
chine backed out from the pier and slowly
started out toward the capes. AS she
steamed through the harbor she was greet
ed with a noisy salute of steam whistles
At Old Point the vessel was boarded by
Captain Chester, who is to command the
sister Of the Kearsarge, the Kentucky
Just off Old Point the anchors were lowered
and tested. On reaching a point opposite
the capes the steam steering gear test
ed. The response of the II ,ooo-ton mass of
steel to Its wheel was remarkable. On
complete turn the vessel swung around on
its heel in two and quarter minutes.
After these tests We're successfully COM
pleted, the kearsarge was steered directly
to sea and it was on this course that she
Icade phenomenal speed record. The rep
resentatives of the shipyard and the naval
officers aboard all expressed themselves as
being highly gratiied at the excellent be-
havior Of the Kearsarge and predictions
are made that after she has her bottom
cleaned she will make at least Is knots on
her official trial trip, making her the fast
est battle ship in the navy and the peer Of
any vessel afloat in other respects.
1t was plain to see that Capt. Folger was
pleased with his new command, and he
watched the various tests with an anima-
ton and cloSeness which attested his in
terest Capt. Chester was also an interest
ed spectator. which was quite natural in
view of the fact that he is to command an
exact duplicate of the vessel which was
given her trial today. The only part of the
vessel which did not seem to meet the APP
prevail of her commander was the whistle,
which is rather small in volume for ship
of such size. AS the salute of a passing
steamer was returned Capt. Folger grimly
remarked: "If enemy hears that whistle
and is then struck by the Kearsarge he
will be disappointed in the blow"
After turning back, the Manufacturing
gear was tested and found satisfactory.
The vessel then steamed back to the ship
yard Her secondary battery will be put
aboard and she will go to New York to be
cleaned, after which her official trial trip
will be had.
The officers of the Kearsarge who We're
aboard were: Capt. w. M. Folger, COM
mander of. the cruiser New Orleans during
the Spanish war and formerly chief of the
bureau of ordnance: Lieut.. Commander G.
A. Merriam. executive officer: Lieut.. Com
mander James HI. Sears, navigator, who
was Admiral Schley's flag officer on the
Brooklyn at Santiago; Lieut.. John NJ. Poy-
er, Lieut.. George r. Salisbury, Chief En-
gineer and Gunners Charles Vanderbeck
and John H. Lehman.
The Kentucky's officers aboard were:
Capt. c. NJ. Chester. formerly of the cruiser
Cincinnati; Lieut.. Commander Charles j.
Badger, executive officer; Lieut.. Command
er Rohrer navigator; Lieut. c. A. Carr
chief engineer, and Gunner Fries. Naval
represented the bureau of construction and
repair Capt. P. A. Rearick, under whose
supervision the vessels engines We're built,
could not go out on the trial trip and was
represented by Lieut.. Price his assistant.
of the bureau of steam engineering, and
Lieut.. Commander Gault and Lieut. Ken
yon represented the bureau of equipment.
The compasses were adjusted by Capt.
Hand of Philadelphia. Capt. Fairlove of
New York was the navigator on the trial
trip. The trial was under the direct SUI
A. Post of the shipyard. who was assisted
by the foremen of the various departments
and a picked crew of 200 men.
The kearsarge reached her berth at the
shipyard at pm, with brooms at her
forepeak and masthead, symbolic Of the
fact that she is entitled to the speed record
for battle ships of the new navy.