The Washington times., 1902-07-16
BATTLESHIP MAINE OFF
FOR BUILDERS TRIAL
Vessel Greeted as She
Leaves Cramps Yard.
Will Go to Open Sea to warm Up"
Engines-Real Test on
Thursday.

PHILADELPHIA. July Is. - The new
battleship Maine left Cramps shipyard
this afternoon for her speed trial trip.
but will not steam farther than the
Breakwater until tomorrow. when she
will put out to open sea. The Maine,
under the contract with the Govern
ment. must do at least eighteen knots
an hour. The Maine is intended not
only as a great fighting craft. but also
as monument and namesake of the
vessel whose destruction in Havana
harbor was the immediate provocation
of the declaration of war by the Unit
ed States against Spain
Salutes to Warship.
As the boat moved away from the
shipyard under her own steam there
was great blowing of whistles in the
neighborhood. All sorts of steam craft
on the river blew salutes in conjunc-
tion with the factories on shore, and
this was continued during the trip down
to the bay.
This is a builders test and not the of.
fetal Government trial, and 1t is conf
IDENTIFY believed that she will do con-
siderably better than eighteen knots an
hour. The course will be between tie
two lights on Five Fathom Bank. where
there is stretch of deep water for
about fifteen miles. The Maine will sail
over the course and repeat until ner
speed is fully demonstrated. The real
trial will probably not take place until
Thursday. That will depend upon the
warming up Of the machinery.
Builders in Charge.
Edwin S. Cramp and j. Harry Null
will have practical charge of the trial
so far as the ships engines are con-
cerned. while Capt r. s Buckman, who
has succeeded the late Captain Sargent.
will attend TO the navigation. 1t is Cap
tain Buckman's first trip in charge Of a
ship of war on trial. but he comes from
the Pacific with such a reputation for
skill and experience as to guarantee
that the magnificent new Maine will be
safe in his hands.
The new Maine was authorized by spe-
cial act OF Congress in 1898. The con-
tract went to the Cramps for 81. .SS5, 900.
exclusive of armor and srmament Work
was started on February 10, 1925. the
first anniversary of the destruction OF
the original Maine in the harbor OF Ha-
vana.
Every piece of iron. except the rudder,
which was made at Lorain. Ohio, and
every plank and beam in the vessel is a
product of Pennsylvania. and none but
Philadelphia mechanics have been en-
ployed.
Not Like Old Vessel.
The new Maine bears no resemblance
to the Maine of tragic history. She is
1913 feet long. i2 feet wide. and has a
draft of 20 feet. Her engines are of
5000 horsepower. and she will be able
to steam eighteen knots an hour at dis
placement at full load draft of 1850
tons. Her sides are protected by twelve
inches of new Krupp armor. She will
mount four Pinch and fourteen 6-inch
guns in her main battery, and twenty
rapid-fre guns OF various sizes I'm her sec
ondary outfit. The big guns Will be forty
calibers long, which means forty times
the diameter of the bore, or forty feet
for the Pinch guns.
The Navy Department has paid over
s.. 100000 on the battleship. The pay
ment on the final fortieth of the contract
price will not be made until the Maine
shall have been in commission for about
six months and all latent defects shall
have been made good by the builders.