Evening star., 1901-09-11
TRIAL OF WAR GRAF T
TRIAL OF WAR GRAF T FINANCE AND TRADE
Nest Formidable Russian Battle Ship Stocks We're Irregular and Closed
! Ahoat Sails Down Delaware Bay Rather Weak
LATEST RODUCr OF CRAMPS YARDS ACTIVITY RAILWAY SHARES
Speed and Guns Be Tested Achson on STRENGTH
at Sea- Crop Report
| BUILDERS GENERAL MARKET REPORTS
Nest Formidable Russian Battle Ship
Ahoat Sails Down Delaware Bay.
LATEST PRODUCr OF CRAMPS YARDS
Speed and Guns to Be Tested
at Sea.
BUILDERS TRIAL ONLY

PHILADELPHIA, September 1.-THE
new Russian battle ship Retvizan. one of
the most formidable war craft in the world,
left Cramps ship yard this morning for
her preliminary or builders trial trip. The
test is merely for the purpose of ascer-
teining whether her machinery and hull
are in proper condition and the screws
properly poised.
The ship win proceed down the Delaware
river today to, the. entrance to Delaware
bay, anchoring near the breakwater. After
her compasses are. adjusted the ship will
steam out to sea and the customary tests
will be made to demonstrate her stability
and seaworthiness. The contract calls for
speed Of eighteen knots an hour during
twelve hours continuous steaming. and 1t
Is possible the Retvizan will be extended
somewhat to ascertain whether her en-
gines are capable Of producing the required
speed. The builders have no doubt, how
ever, that the RetyiZan will exceed her
speed limit and prove the fastest battle
ship In the world
Carries Russian Ordnance.
An unusual feature Of the trip will be
the firing Of all Of the Retvizan's guns
while she is at sea. She carries terrific
battery, and the big guns are novel to
Ame-ran eyes, for the Russians manufac-
ture all their own heavy ordnance at the
Obrukoff works
There are four 12-inch. twelve 6-inch and
twenty 3-inch guns In the main battery.
while the secondary group is made up OF
twenty 47-millimeter Hotchkiss rapid-fire
cannon. Every one of these has to be
tested, not because the Russians fear the
efficiency of the guns themselves, but to
enable them to learn just how the car
riages and the fittings stand the strain.
and also what sort of gun platform the
vessel Is.
When the guns are fired the Retvizan
will be as far as possible from the track Of
the regular liners.
Novel In Design.
The design Of the Retvizan Is the most
formidable ever drawn in the United States
for foreign nation. She combines many
features Of armament which are direct
outcome Of the lessons Of the Spanish
American war. Instead Of conf1ning pro-
lection to a complete armor belt. encircling
/ the SHIP at the water line. which in late
years has been so characteristic feature
of battle ships, the hull of the Retvizan Is
covered amidships with armor plate nine
inches in thickness, and the water line is
further reinforced by the protective deck
being brought down to the edge of the belt
plating. Higher up on the hull is 6-inch
armor, tapering off to 5-inch plates in the
vicinity of the central battery guns. Ex-
tcept a very close range the upper hull ar
NOR. it Is argued, will keep out all projec-
tiles.
The Retvizan is manned by a picked crew
from Cramps. but the guns will be operated
and fired by Russian gun crews.
Gen. Brynck of the Russian ordnance de-
partment, with a corps of experts, will
watch the Retvizan's movements SO far as
her armament is concerned. The officers
who will command the ship when she is
put into commission are also on board.