The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-29
QUEEN Of THE NAVY
THE BATTLESHIP ALABAMA HAS
WON THE TITLE.
MADE A GREAT TRIAL TRIP.
HER AVERAGE SPEED FOR -FOUR
HOURS WAS II KNOTS.

The Iowa Made Greater Speed on
Her Trial Trip, but the Conditions
Were More FavOrabIe-Cramps
Said the Trial of the Alabama Was
the Most Remarkable the Country
Has Ever Seen-Win BE Ready in
Six Weeks.
Boston. Aug. 2S.-There is a new queen
of the American navy the United States
battlesnip Alabama. which to-day won the
title in one of the most magnificent speed
trials yet held in the history of the navy.
Her average speed for four hours contin-
uous steaming was II knots, a figure not
quite as high as that made by the Iowa,
but notable from the fact that 1t gave
an idea of the yet undeveloped power IN
this latest product of American shipbuild-
ers.
The Alabama was built by the Cramps
al Philadelphia, and while of the first
class. she is unlike any of the earlier
creations both archtecturally and as
fighting machine. Built under con-
tract that Required at least an average
speed OH knots per hour, she has been
conditions that will not be termed extra.
The Iowa, when she left her builders
hands in 1897 was officially recorded at
17.04. Her speed trial was made under
the very best possible conditions. After
lapse of more than two years the Ken
lucky, on Sept. "a and the Kearsarge two
months later, came to the New England
coast and under favorable but not ex-
traordinary conditions, made high figures
of 1881 and $3.50 knots, respectively.
Those figures have now been beaten, by
narrow margin, to be sure. but the Ala
bama, apparently. was not made to do but
little beyond her mean speed.
The day for the trial was an excellent
one. The starting line was five miles
southeast of Thatcher Island light near
the extremity of Cape Ann. The course
then ran about northeast for thirty-three
nautical miles, divided as near as triau-
gulation could make them, into five 4egs
Over this course the battleshp was to
do her four hours of steaming, and. in
addition. was to be tested for control
and steering power. An interesting fes-
ture, and, as it proved, a somewhat pic
turesque one, was the use of sister bat
tleships as stake boats, five of them being
llned up. There was the Texas. Massa-
chusetts, Indiana, Kentucky and Kear-
sarge.
The Ships Quick Run.
The Alabama came down to the start
ing line about 1890 under fair headway
and went by as if on a cruise The first
stake boat was the Texas, and in the
clear light the people on the Cape Ann
shore could have seen the marine specta-
Gle with case and also watched the new
conner until she had passed the United
States steamship Osceola. the second
mark. The third leg was marked by the
Kearsarge, and as the Alabama went by.
now a great speed. Capt. Folger had his
jackies lined up to cheer, This is not Gus
tomary, but the great yell which went
up as the Alabama went by seemed to
gather force as it swept over the waves,
and cheer went back. The
fourth mark was the Kentucky,
the fifth the Indiana, and o. the
out-mark, which was not far out to sea
from Boone Island, was the Massachu-
sets This last ship was passed shortly
before 1890 and then the Alabama was
given a few evolutions to test her helm.
The return of the Alabama over the
course had little more of moment than
the run out. She crossed the finish line
about $3.50 with blast from her own
whistle and like answer from the Texas
and a fleet of tugs gathered there with
excursionists. Afterward the ship was
again crcled at full speed, with the Texas
as the center, until she was cleaving
wake, which, in diameter, was not over
twice her length. Fifteen minutes later
the Alabama was headed for Boston light
The red flag of the trial had been replaced
by the Cramps house flag and a broom
had been sent alOft.
The trial throughout, 10 use Mr. E. S.
Cramps own words, was a success in
every particular. To quote a member of
the enginee ring force, the trial was per-
feet one For nearly three legs of the
outward run the boilers made steam so
fast that the surplus was allowed to blow
Off. At the same time the men in both
engine and stoke rooms suffered no in
convenience from lack of fresh air, and
the temperatures were not high The
maximum revolutions of the engine were
11S This figure was only for a half hour,
the mean being much below this. The
highest steam pressure was $50 pounds,
or nine under the limit. The horse power
developed was supposed to be H.
so although this figure, like those for
the speed, will be officially given at
Washington.
Mr.. Cramp said further that the run, in
his opinion, in which many naval men
aboard agreed, was not a forced trial. but
fair days work, which he claimed can
be eualied at any time under ordinary
conditions. Moreover, he sald that the
trial was the most remarkable the coun-
try had ever seen.
The Alabama will be ready for delivery
TO the government in six weeks when she
will go into commission under Capt. w.
H. Brownson. The trial to-day was under
direction of the board of inspection and
survey, headed by Rear Admiral Freder-
lex Rodgers. Among the guests on board
were Capts Behr and Fernson and Lieut..
Sverbeff and Vasi,lef Of the Imperial
Russian navy .