Evening journal., 1899-07-21
RACING OF WARSHIPS
Speed Tests Of Some of Americas
Fighting Vessels.
Sailors stake Their Pay on the A bill
ity of Their ships TO Win-Tilt
Between the New York and
the Brooklyn.

When the American feet left Mar
Unique, its quadron evolations must
have presented a curious sight to those
on shore. For it was here that the
swiftest ships Of the fleet gathered for
their great handicap race TO Dominica,
an event officially designated as a mere
speed trial. The engines of each ship
were subjected TO a four hours trial nj
full speed, the first two hours to be on
natural draft and the last two on forced
draft. The starting-point was on a line
seven miles off the lighthouse of st.
Pierre, and was crossed by each ship
going at full speed ahead. The better
to "curb all attempts at racing" the
slowest vessels crossed the line with 4
good start in their favor, thus evening
up matters, after the manner of a regu-
lar handicap race.
For days and weeks before, the sail
ors and stokers aboard the different
ships had staked the better part Of
their pay on the outcome of this speed
trial. Greatest was the rivalry between
the men of the New York and Brooklyn,
since the relative speed merits of these
two vessels have been an open question
ever since the day when the New York
strove to overhaul the brooklyn in her
chase after the fleeing Crist obal Colon.
For several hours, while the ships
were getting up steam, they circled
about each other like huge white birds
of the sea lowering over the brine To
those aboard the Brooklyn and New
York it almost seemed as il the two
swift cruisers were eyeing each other,
and measuring points in anticipation
of the coming race.
The Indiana got under way first. and
crossed the line at a l2-knot clip. with
= trail of dense black smoke marking
her course northward to Dominica. As
the slowest Of the five entries in the
race, she was allowed to take a long
start, and her smokestacks had nearly
disappeared under the horizon before
the Massachusetts, slipped her leash
Of all the five ships, the Massachusetts
was best prepared for the race, having
been overhauled but lately. so that her
engineers declared her to be all Stacked
and primed for just such race and laid
their wagers accordingly. After the
Massachusetts, was well on her way
after the Indiana, Capt. Sigsbee started
in pursuit of both with a fine burst oil
speed from the Texas. On the strength
Of the little Texas performance or
July 3 of last year, when she managed
to maintain the killing pace set by tn,
Oregon in the great record run afiel
the Cristobal Colon, Capt Sigsbee',
1aen had high hopes of winning bacl
some Of the money they lost on the da,
Of the recent regatta in Havana harhnr
With this pack in full cry ahead. th,
Brooklyn and New York got rsder way
Ahin 20 ninutes of each sthor, III,
'zagship starting at scratch.
The race became most exciting dur
ing the last two hours of the speed trial
when all the ships were going unde
forced draught. Then it was that th,
New York overhauled one ship after
another, finally crossing the finish lint
eff Dominica barely ships lengtl
ahead of Indiana, and nearly even Will
the Massachusetts,. Close behind he
came the painting Brooklyn, and far be
hind, her bulk rising above the horizon
line came the vanquished Texas Capt
Sigsbee's long protracted stay in th
foul waters of Havana had proved he
ndoing.-Edwin Emerson, Jr.. in Cal
lier's Weekly.