The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-25
KENTUCKY BEAT KEARSARGE.
MAY BE RATED AS A SEVENTEEN
KNOT BATTLESHIP.

Her Record on OmciaI Trial Was
16.S77 KnOts-Run Was Made in
Strong Wind and IA Heavy Sea.
Contract Called for Only sixteen
KnOts-On Two Legs She Exceeded
Seventeen KnOts-Her Work Was
Satisfactory.
Boston. Nov. A.-Against tide, wind and
a heavy head sea for the last half of her
course, the new battleship Kentucky made
a record of 1851 knots an hour to-day on
her official speed trial over the government
course from Cape Ann to Boone Island,
and by her work showed she was a little
faster than her sister ship the Kearsarge,
which recently was sent over the same
course.
The trial satisfied her builders, the New
port News Shipbullding and Dry Dock
Company, that she can justly be rated as
| a seventeen-knot vessel although her con-
tract calls for only sixteen knots. They
expect that when the figures of to-day's
trial are revised and tidal allowances
made, 1t will be found that she actually
averaged seventeen knots on her run.
The trial was in charge of the United
States naval board of inspection and sur
vey, of which Rear Admiral Frederick f.
Rodgers is president, and the members Of
which included Capt. Robley D. Evans
and Chief Engineer Charles R. Rocker.
Commander Seaton Schroeder and Lieu
tenant Commander A. V. Zane.
The testing of the battleship was ac>
complished without mishap of any
sort and at it's conclusion was
declared to be satisfactory by members
of the naval board, Mr.. c. B. circuit of the
Newport News Company and by Capt c.
NJ. Chester, who is to command the yes
sci.
Against Heavy Sea.
The wind was strong from the northeast
and il threw up rather heavy sea, into
which the vessel repeatedly plunged her
bow. dipping up quantities of water, which
rolled along the forward deck until il
found outlet through the scuppers.
This head wind and sea, President Or
cult said doubtless had some retarding
! influence on the battleship on her outward
run and on the way back, striking her
heavily at the stern, had a tendency TO
throw her off the direct course, but due
/ consideration was given all these condi-
tons before start was made.
The battleship took an hour and a half
to run down to the starting point of her
! course. During tIiS tlliG sue ilctA b|Si III
creasing her speed steadily She was not
| ready 10 cross the line when she reached
| the United States tugboat Piscataqua,
| which was the first mark boat.
| Consequently she made a wide sweep
| seward, swervirg first to starboard and
! then to port, 10 give time Tor the steam
/ TO reach the desire point and the revolu-
/ tons of the propellers to increase their
/ force
| By this proceeding more than an hour
was taken up and 1t was 10:27:S7l5 when
| the Kentucky crossed the line at first
/ leaning over the waves VIII ch raised them
selves before her, thsn diving into them at
| top speed
How the Run Was Made.
The course was sixty-six miles. the YES
| sci covering the 80 knots outward and
! turning making the same distance back.
The kentucky covered the first leg of
| the course In % minutes 46 seconds, show
| ing a speed of -16. SIS knots. on the second
| leg she made the slowest time during the
| trial. covering the distance in % minutes
All seconds, or at a speed of 16.551 knots.
| on the next three legs she increased stead
/ ilv until she reached 17.0l8 knots on the
| affh leg. which she made in q minutes
| 1917 seconds.
| She took twenty minutes and 17i5 sec
| onds for the turn at the end of the out
ward run On the return she averaged
| IS 932 knots, exceeding II knots on the
| first and last legs.
| The final division of the course was COW
| cred in the fastest time made during the
| day. % minutes 81 seconds. or at speed
| of 1884 knots.
After passing the Piscataqua on her re.
| turn, the Kentucky was thrown around IN
| a circle She completed the turn 10 about
| three times her length and her list in per-
| forming the maneuver was about three de-
I a1Aaa When she had completed the cir