Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-24
THE KENTUCKY.
The Coming builders Triai-some of
the Tests TO BE Made.


NEWPORT NEWS. VA, October o.
(Special)-T frst-class battleshlp Ken
lucky which has been advanced about 90
per cent. toward completion by her build
ers, the Newport News ship-Building and
Dry-DOck Company, viii 80 out on her
builders trial next Tuesday October
3lsO. The bis defender, painted white
from stem To stern, with both of her
large supcrimpOsed turret5 in position
ana all Of the guns of her main battery
aboard, will leave the ship-yard about
6 o'clock in the morning, manned by q
picked crew of two hundred ship-yard
employees and will go about twenty
miles outside OF the Virginia Capes for
the purpose Of making o speed trial and
testing the engines and steering gear
The first test will be that Of the an
chOrs. which Will take place between
Old Point Comfort and Thimble Light, in
Hampton Roads After the anchors are
satisfactorily tested, the Kentucky will
get under way again, and on the way
out her steering gear Will be tested.
When the ocean Is reached, a speed
run under forced draft will be made
in order TO find out what the ship can
DO. The battleship Kearsarge, sister
ship of the kentucky, developed speed
of II IA knots, according 10 the log. on
her builders trial, and the Kentucky is
expected 10 do a. well, if not better.
The Kentucky Will be steamed ahead at
full speed for about an hour, and on this
run no other tests will be made. the
builders and naval officers aboard taking
this opportunity TO observe the work
ings of the engines and machinery under
a forced draft squirt. a number Of tests
Of the steering gear must be made. The
Kentucky can be steeTed by any one OF
three methods-tke telemoter, wire rope,
or by hand One interesting test viii
be to time the ship az 1t turns in the
smallest possible semi-Circle. The Kear-
sarge. on her builders trial, made a
complete semi-circls in just two and q
half minutes, which surprised the naval
officers aboard. Many of the smaller and
faster ships in the navy cannot make q
turn In such short time, and no battle
ship in the navy to-day can equal
il. The Kentucky will return TO the ship
yard at night and the work Of preparing
the ship for her official trial over the
government course, of the Massachusetts
coast, will commence at once. The Off
cial trial will take place about two weeks
later.
The ship-yard viii be represented on
the builders trial by General-Superin-
tendent Walter A. Post; NJ Y. j.
Doughty, superintendent Of hull con-
struction; James RowbOttom, superinten-
dent OF machinery department; {. T.
Bailey, designing engineer; Ernest Bach
man, chief engineer, and a number Of
engineers and craftsmen. OF the officers
who will command the Kentucky after
she goes into commission, there Will be
aboard the battleship's commander, Cap
tain c. NJ. Chester. who commanded the
cruiser Cincinnati during the war with
Spain; Lieutenant-COmma Charles }.
Badger. executive officer; Lieutenant
Commander Rohrer. navigating officer.
and Lieutenant c. a. Carr. chief engi-
neer. Captain W. NJ. Folger. who will
command the Kearsarge, VIII also be
aboard. The Bureau Of Construction and
Repair of the navy will be repre-
scented by Nayal-COnstructOr j. j. Wood
ward. There will be very few invited
guests aboard the battleshi2 on the
builders run
The Kentucky is an exact duplicate Of
the Kearsarge, and the same care has
been taken IN her construction. The en-
zines were built under the direction OF
the same men, and are Of the same supe
rior workmanship. The hull-work was
directed by the same superintendent.
Everything the Kearsarge has done the
Kentucky should be able 10 do. lt is eN,
pected. however. that on her official trial
trip she will make a much higher rate Oh