The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-25
The Kentucky Shows
Great Speed In
Her Trial.
She is A SEVENTEEN KNOTTER.
Result Shows She is Swifter
Than the Kear-
sarge.


and a heavy head sea for at least half
her course, the new battleship Ken
lucky made a record of 16 ST. knots an
hour today on her official speed trial
over the government course from Cape
Ann to Boone island, and by her work
showed that she is a little faster than
her sister ship, the Kearsarge, which
recently was sent over the same course.
The trial satisfied her builders, the
Newport Ship Building and Dry Dock
company, and she can justly be rated
as a 17-knot vessel, although her con-
tract requires only 16 knots, as they
expect that when the figures of today
trial are revised and tidal allowances
made it will be found that she actually
averaged II knots on her run.
The trial was in charge of the United
States naval board of inspectors, the
members of which include Capt Robley
Evans Commander and Chief Engineer
Rocker, Commander Seaton Schroeder
and Lieut. Commander A. V. Zane.
The testing of the battleship was ac-
comphshed without a mishap of any
sort, and at it's conclusion was declared
to be satisfactory by members of the
naval board, G. B. circuit of the New
port News company, and by Capt.
c. M. Chester, who is to command the
vessel.
The weather today, in spite of the
adverse predictions of weather pro-
phets of greater or less repute and of
those who raised a cry of superstitious
fear when it was announced that the
trial was to be held on Friday, instead
of Thursday, as originally announced,
was of nature rarely experienced in
November.
A fog bank hung over the sea early
in the morning, but when the sun was
up, the mass began to break up and by
the time the battleship was ready to
start, it was floating away in snowy
fragments. The wind was strong from
the northeast and it threw up heavy
sea into which the vessel repeatedly
plunged her bow, dipping up quantities
of water, which rolled along the for
ward deck, until it found outlet
through the scuppers. This head wind
and sea, President Orcutt said, doubt
less had some retarding influence on
the battleship on her outward run and
on the way back, striking her heavily
at the stern and having a tendency to
throw her off the direct course; but,
notwithstanding the start was made.
The sea was as blue as it is in mid
summer, and the line of the horizon
unusually sharp through the clear at
mosphere. The naval board, the guests
and others interested in the trial had
to bestir themselves this morning, as
the tugs which were to take them down
the harbor to where the vessel lay at
anchor, were scheduled to leave the
city at $50 o'clock. There were few
stragglers however and by 635, the
Confidence, bearing a large number of
persons invited to be present at the
trial, and the navy yard tug, with the
naval officials on board, had started.
The Kentucky had drawn up from
her anchorage below the Boston light
and had stopped near President roads,
to await the arrival of the smaller
craft. Within an hour from the time
of leaving the dock, the tugs had land
ed their passengers on the battleship
and the great vessel was swinging
around ready to make her way toward
Cape Ann off which lay the starting
point of her trial course. The Ken
lucky had the general appearance of
vessel in commission. Her sides were
almost a stainless white and the great
guns in her double turreted towers
were sharply outlined against the
snowy background. Along her sides
were ranged the smaller weapons and
her torpedo tubes looked as if they
II.
The absence of sailors dress among
the crew and the unfinished condition of
some parts of the craft showed that she
was still owned by her builders. The
battleShip took an hour and a half TO
run down to the starting point of her
course. During this time she had been
increasing her speed readily. but she
was not ready to cross the line when
she reached the United States tugboat
Plscataqua, which was the first mark
boat. Consequently she made a wide.
sweep seward swerving first to star
board and then to port, giving time for
the steam to reach the desired point
and the revolutions of the propeller to
come up. This occupied more than an
hour, and it was 10.27:27 when the Ken
lucky crossed the line, at first leaning
over the waves which raised themselves
before her, then diving into them at top
speed.
The course was 66 miles, and as usual
1t was divided into five sections of 6.6
knots each, the vessel covering the SO
knots outward and, turning, making the
same distance back. The stakeboats
which marked the divisions of the
course were: Start United States tug
Piscataqua; No. 2, United States battle
ship Texas; No. 3, lighthouse tender
Maytlower; No. 4, lighthouse tender
L1lac; NO. D, United states tug PotO-
mac No. 6, United States tug Layden.
The Kentucky covered the first leg of
the course in 20 minutes As seconds,
showing speed of 1858 knots. On the
second leg she made the slowest time
during the trial, covering the distance
in % minutes, 551a seconds, or at
speed of 1851 knots. On the next three
legs she increased steadily until she
reached 17.018 knots on the fifth leg,
which she made in % minutes, 1872 sec
onds. She took 20 minutes, 1712 seconds
for the turn at the end of the outward
run.
On the return she averaged 16. 932
knots, exceeding II knots on the first
and last legs. The final division of the
course was covered in the fastest time
made during the day. 90 minutes, 81
seconds, or at a speed of 17254 knots.
After passing the Piscataqua on her re-
turn, the Kentucky was thrown around
in a circle She completed the turn in
about three times her length, and her
list in performing the maneuvre was
about 8 degrees. When she had COM
pleted the circle she laid her course for
Boston. She dropped anchor in Presi-
dent roads Just after o'clock, and at
signal the tugs took those who had
CONTINUED on Page Two.)