The evening times., 1899-11-25
THE KENTucKY's TRIAL TRIP.
New Battleship Develops . Sustained
Speed of 18.S7S knots.


New Battleship Develops . Sustained
Speed of 18.s7s knots.
BOSTON. Nov. 25.-The hrst-class bat
tleship Kentucky, sister ship OF the Kear-
sarge. made on her trial trip over the Cape
Ann course yesterday, an average Of 16.S7S
knots an hour, on the entire run Of Sc
knots. The record made by the Kentucky
slightly exceeds that Of the Kearsarge. and
when tidal allowances are computed, it is
expected that 17-knot performance will
be recorded. Her builders, the Newport
News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Com
pany. are confident that the final figures
Will be as noted.
The conditions Tor the run, although
somewhat doubtful lat first. owing to a
heavy sea and thick weather. became be-
fore the start almost ideal, cross swell
being the only drawback. The tugs with
the members Of the trial board, Rear Ad-
miral Rodgers, Capt R. d. Evans, and
Lieutenant Commander Schroeder, with
the invited guests, met the ship short
distance outside OF Boston Light. and the
big vessel soon got under way and headed
for the line. After number Of prelimi-
nary dashes and turns, she headed for the
line, marked by the tug Piscataque, pass
ing 1t at 10:27:37. A heavy cross swell and
head wind were encountered and the Ken
lucky failed to equal the excellent start
made by her sister ship. She reached the
battleship Texas. marking the end Of the
first leg, at 10:51:23, with the elapsed time
for the distance, % minutes and IS seconds,
1858 knot gait. The next leg, ending
with the lighthouse tender Mayfower was
done In % minutes and 55 seconds. at a
slightly slower gait. or 1851 knots. The
third leg was done in better time. % min
utes and 26 seconds, 1851 clip. The
fourth leg was still faster, the distance
being done in % minutes and 20 seconds,
very close to II knots. 1S.979. On the last
leg, that figure was exceeded. the distance
being done in 23 minutes and 13 seconds, or
a 1901 rate. The total time for the out
ward trip was l hour, 81 minutes and Al
seconds, with an average speed Of 1884
knots.
After wide turn the return trip was
commenced. The Kentucky shot across the
line at 12:4456 The elapsed times for
the different legs, with the speed in knots.
were 90 minutes IA seconds, 17.03S
knots; 90 minutes ss seconds, 1859 knots;
% minutes 90 seconds, l6-942 knots; %
minutes 49 seconds, 1858 knots; % min
utes 81 seconds, 1725i knots.
1t will be seen that her highest and low
est rates were reached in the fourth and
fifth legs on the inward trip. The entire
inward trip was done in hour, Sc minutes.
and Sc seconds, with the average speed of
1892 knots. The time for the entire trip
was 8 hours, SO minutes, and 80 seconds,
with the total average speed 16S7s knots.
President Orcutt. for the Newport News
Company, said that the company was very
well satisfied with the record, made, as
it was. under somewhat adverse circum-
stances, head wind and fairly heavy sea.
The engines worked beautifully. averaging
in revolutions about lis. with a steam
pressure ranging from 160 TO $50 pounds.
The absolute absence of oscillation or vi
bration was as apparent as on the Kear-
sarge.
Among the guests Of the Newport News
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company on
the trial were Rear Admiral W. T. Samp-
son. Foster VI. Voorhees,, Governor of New
Jersey; W. II. Corbin. Frank Bergen,
Charles A. Moore, Representative George
W. Weymouth, Representative John p.
Fitzgerald, Lieut.. c. A. Foster, U. s. N;
Lieutenant Commander C. A. Merriam. o.
b. Roberts, Fred T. A. Macleod. George 5.
Citizens, William p. Chadwick. Alfred 4.
Pratt. and William Wood.