New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-05
THE ALABAMA'S SPEED.
RECORD OF THE BATTLEsHIP 17Ols KNOTS
AN HOUR

Washington Sept (speclaD.-The performance
of the battleship Alabama on her remarkable trial
trip last week is particularly gratifying to the
Navy Department for Its demonstration of the
practical value of speed records made under the
specifications laid down for acceptance tests, and
as showing conclusively that the new vessel Is
indeed the queen of the Navy.
The corrected speed for the four hours run
gives the vessel a record of 1908 knots an hour
This was accomplished under favorable conditions,
with 800 tons short Of the weights the Alabama
must carry in starting a long cruise after she
is put into commission on October 10, AS she
draws about one inch to every nifty tons, she will
have thirty inches greater draught with the 1900
tons added. 1t includes 1000 tons of coal full
magazines and stores for three months. and with
this increased draught the ship. with the develop
ments Of the trial trip horse power will easily
maintain speed OF sixteen and a half knots
which is precisely the rate adopted by her de-
signers when her plans were drawn four years ago,
Admiral Melville having projected his engines TO
make precisely that speed as a maximum under
service conditions. The seventeen knot record,
which was made with the ship slightly lightened
by the removal Of one-third her movable weights
IL is now certain will be readily BILE under
regular service conditions. when the ship will
hardly be loaded to the maximum. 1t has always
been the case with American naval vessels that
they constantly exceeded trial records Of speed
after short time Of actual service, while foreign
ships have never been able to maintain for any
to them from dashes a measured mile.
Just how good goer the Alabama turns out TO
be Is conclusivey shown by the following letter
received by the Secretary OF the Navy from Cap
tain Willard H. Brownson. who has superintendent
the construction of the ship and who has been
ordered to command her when the Cramps deliver
her TO the Government on October 10:
Philadelphia. August So 1900.
have to report the arrival of the Alabama at
this yard to-day at D. m, thirty-seven hours from
! Boston Light. The run from the latter point TO
| Cape Henlopen was made at average speed OF
| 1886 knots which included a lower rate of speed
| for the first few hours and slow down for one
| and one-half hours in fog From South Shoal
| Lightshp to Northeast End LightShip "a distance
| of PASS miles, with smooth sea- clear weather and
| ordinary coal the ruin made at average
| speed of 1926 knots While this high speed was
| made on a draught less than the normal one,
| cannot but think that the result was even more
| creditable to the builders than the splendid show
ing made on the official trial, indicating 1t does
that the ship easily sustain for long perloC
| the maximum speed for which she was designed
| The results can he but most gratifying TO the
bureaus of the department charged with the design
of hull and engines we'll as TO the builders
! Very respectfully, W. y. BROW NSoN,
| Captain u. S. N, General Inspector,
| The Wisconsin. the sister ship OF the ALBANIA
| built by the builders of the peerless oregon, will
have her trial trip off the California coast withir
| two weeks when effort will be made to eclipse
the Alabama's record