Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-30

and the time was noted approving
~. Now the clouds OF smoke fairly
poured UP from the three stacks. and /,
was very evident that the men below
were doing their full work as the hat :
tleship FASTENED along.
One after another the six markers
We're passed and at each the time was
noted and amateur computers covered
page after page with their figurinps n
discover the velocity of the Journey
and for a time it seemed as if the great
fighter would not prove up to the re-
quirements, but would fall below the
rate set by the Government. One little
encounter helped to add to this def
cheney, for a hardy captain sailed his
fishing craft directly across the path of
the battleship; he may have had the
right of way, but he took bad time 10
exercise it, and for a moment it looked
as if there might be a collision. Just
in time, however, he made a turn and
was out of the way before the Maine
arrived.
1t was a gloomy forecast that greeted
the Maine as she reached the coast of the
State for which she was named. The
clouds grew blacker and blacker, and
every moment it looked as if the rain
must fall but here was the sixth stake
boat off Boone Island, and the chance to
turn towards skies that We're more pleas
ant. Twenty minutes We're allowed to
make the turning, and nineteen proved
ample. 1t was a picturesque sight at the
stern, where the great screw turned up IL
whirlpool of water in its furious revolu-
lions. The whole ocean was churned in
to a white foam and the spectacle amply
repaid every man on board who ran to see
it, as all seemed to do.
And now the run back was started and
it was very evident that the rather Door
showing of the outward trip was to be
wind was no longer an adversary and
quoted down SO that the three columns
of smoke went straight up into the air
Their volume increased and the naval
men strolling around the deck explained
that a comparatively poor quality of coal
had been burned at the start, but that
now only the very best was being poured
into the glowing furnaces down below.
1t was well that the change was made
for the Improvement was marked ana
every stakeboat showed a gain until ct
the finish the great battleship was DASH
ing through the waters at the rate of
1873 knots an hour, almost a whole knot
above the rate required by the contract
She had redeemed herself, and turned
what had seemed failure into a splendid
victory.
When the last mark-boat was passed
and the Maine was back off Rockport
where she had started, came the time for
the final serious test and the sober and
ponderous battleship tried to disport her.
self in dizzy evolutions somewhat after
the fashion of a circus elephant. Think
OF a great floating fort, having to stop in
mid-ocean and waltz about in the move
ment of a figure eight! Then she started
ahead at full speed and, at a signal came
to dead stop, after which she start al
backward again at the same velocity.
The ocean was fairly beaten to a froth as
the screw dashed around, but the Maine
had to obey and it was no wonder that
every man, land-lubDer or navies, was Ell
thusiastic over the accuracy which was
maintained throughout these evolutions.
Then the sailors ranged along the side
and threw the lead down to get the depth
of water preparatory to dropping the
great anchors which was the final test of
the day. Down went the heavy weight
and when the report was satisfactory the
signal was given to release the anchors
With a mighty din the ponderous chain
ratified it's course across the deck until
finally it stopped with the hooks caught
in the mud many fathoms below.
1t was a perfect success, but alas, too
perfect for when it came time to raise
the anchor one started but the other
would not bulge an inch. The chain had
become caught and the engine could not
raise it, try as it might. Consequently