The times., 1899-09-06
KEARSARGE 4 EAST CRAFT
Builders Trial of the Great New
Fighting Machine.
For Half an Hour She Maintains n
INnOts-A Prediction That She VIII
be Our Swiftest Battleship-Snval
Officers Delighted With Her Work.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va, Sept. 5.-The
battleship Kearsarge passed out through
the Virginia capes this morning on her
builders trial trip. Every feature of the
trip was perfectly satisfactory. 1t was not
intended to test the running capacity of
the big fighter tut when she passed out
into eight fathoms of water with clear
course before her, the temptation could not
be resisted Forced draught was ordered
and for half an hour the Kearsarge main
tanned a speed of seventeen and on -quaHte
knots. Considering the conditions under
which the test was made this record is con-
sidered remarkable, the contract speed 3f
the vessel being only sixteen knots. The
vessel started under her own steam short
ly after this morning.
As she steamed through the harbor she
was greeted with a noisy salute of steam
whistles. At Old Point the vessel was
boarded by Captain Chester, who is to com
mand the sister ship of the Kearsarge, the
Kentucky. Just off Old Point the anchors
We're lowered and tested. On reaching a
point opposite the capes the steam steer
ing gear was tested. The response of the
II, ,000-ton mass of steel to wheel was re-
markable. On a complete turn, the vessel
swung around in two and one quarter min
utes. After these tests were successfully
completed the Kearsarge was steered
directly to sea, and it was on this course
that she made her phenomenal speed rec
ord. The representatives of the shipyard
and the naval officers aboard ali expressed
themselves as being highly gratified at the
excellent behavior of the Kearsarge, and
predictions are made that after she has her
bottom cleaned she will make at least
eighteen knots on her official trial trip.
This would make her the fastest battle
ship in the Navy. Captain Folger was
highly pleased with his new command
The only part of the vessel which did not
seem TO meet the approval of her COM
mander was the whistle which is small for
such a sized ship. AS the salute of pass
ing steamer was returned Captain Folger
remarked: If an enemy hears that whistle
and is then struck by the Kearsarge he
viii be disappointed in the blow
After turning back the hand steering gear
was tested and found satisfactory. The yes
sci then steamed back to the shipyard. Her
secondary battery will be put aboard and
after which her official trial trip win be
had. The officers of the Kearsarge, who
were aboard were Capt W. NJ. Folger,
commander of the cruiser New Orleans
during the Spanish war and formerly chief
Of the Bureau of Ordnance; Lieutenant
Commander G.. A. Merriam, executive
officer; Lieutenant Commander James
H. Sears, navigator, who was, Ad-
miral Schley's flag officer on the
Brooklyn at Santiago; Lieut. John NJ.
Poyer, Lieut.. George r. Salisbury, chief
engineer and Gunners Charles Vanderbeck
and John H Lohman. The Kentucky's Of
ficers aboard were Capt C. NJ Chester, for
merly OF the cruiser Cincinnati; Lieutenant
Commander Charles ]. Badger, executive
officer; Lieutenant Commander Rohrer,
navigator. Lieut.. c. A. Carr, chief engi-
neer, and er Friese.
Naval q uctor j. j. woodward and
Mr.. Chase represented the Bureau OF Con-
struction and Repairs. Capt. P. A. Rearick,
under whose supervision the vessels en-
gines were built, could not go out on the
trial trip, and was represented by Lieu
tenant Price, his assistant of the Bureau
OF Steam Engineering, and lieutenant COM
mander Gault and Lieutenant Kenyon rep
resented the Bureau of Equipment. The
compasses were adjusted by Captain Hand,
of Philadelphia. Captain Fairiovs,- OF New
York, was the navigator on the trial trip.
The trial was under the direct supervision
of General Superintendent Walter A Post,
Of the shipyard, who was assisted by the
foremen of the various departments and
picked crew of 200 men. The Kearsarge
reached her berth at the shipyard at 8
D. m, with brooms at her forepeak and
masthead.