Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1902-11-28

abreast of Culebra light, winner in
ever run on the Atlantic seaboard.
Barely two miles astern of the
cruiser flashed the white searchlight
of the great battleship Alabama. She
had distanced all her rivals of the
heavyweight class and had shown her
quality by putting up hammer and
tongs struggle all the way from Hamp-
ton Roads, Va, with the fleet footed
cruiser.
One by one she had left behind the
little gunboat Machias, the Indiana.
the new battleship Kearsarge, her own
particular rival, and last of all the
plucky Massachusetts, sister ship of
the Oregon.
That the comparatively old Massa-
chusetts was stronger competitor
than the Kearsarge is one of the sur
prises of the race.
That the Alabama came in so close
a second to the fast commerce de-
stroyer Cincinnati, even though the
cruiser had been handicapped 35 miles
for first class battleship heavily
| armored.
This is the first time in it's history
that the ships of the North Atlantic
squadron have engaged in such long
distance speed contest in the open
sea.
AS a component part of the great
| ofx Co.
the winter naval maneuvers under
command of Admiral Dewey, the
North Atlantic squadron was ordered,
after assembling at Hampton Roads,
to proceed to the naval rendezvous off
Culebra light, the beacon that CLEANS
from the pinnacle of rocky little ISL
and off San Juan point, Porto Rico.
Here was supberb opportunity to
test the actual relative speed of the
ships of the fleet in competition and
under thoroughly practical condi-
lions.
Five Ships Lined Up.
Five of the ships lined up for the
start at noon on Saturday-the Ala
bama, the Kearsarge, the Massachu-
sets, the Indiana and the Mac1ias,
baby of the fleet. The last named Is
a gunboat only 100 feet long and of
1000 tons displacement. The other
four are battleships.
The Massachusetts and Indiana are
sister vessels, launched in 1898, and
with the Oregon, not entered in this
contest, they mark. the earlier type
of first class battleships of the new
navy
The Kearsarge and the Alabama
represent later types of sea fighters.
Thirty-five miles behind the line of
battleships, as they passed the Vir-
GINA capes, came the protected cruis-
er Cincinnati. By reason of her speed
Ter and lighter type, this was regard
ed as fair handicap for the grey
hound of the fleet, which to do her
destined work should outclass them
all in cruising qualities.
At the flash of the gun, the leviat-
hans were off to sea with full head of
steam and in 10 minutes all were
ploughing through the ocean headed
for Culebra, with widening mael-
stroms of white spume boiling from
under their pounding screws.
Almost from the start the Alabama
began to forge ahead of her rivals.
She gained visibly on the Indiana and
the little Machias. The Kearsarge
was regarded as her most dangerous
, adversary of the battleship classes.
, Intense rivalry has always existed
between officers and crews of these
two ships.
! No device was neglected on either
of the giants of the fleet to speed them
to their limit. Smoke poured from
, their huge stacks and their decks
: quivered above the throbbing engines.
: Four hours from the start, just before
; twilight, the Alabama left the Kear.
: sarge hull down astern with only her
fighting tops in sight.
With the older Massachusetts, il
was harder struggle. But newer lines
and greater power were bound to tell
Before night the older ship, despite
her most gallant efforts, was left
astern and gradually even her CLEAN
, ing lights faded out of sight.
> Barring accidents, it was the Ala
bama's race, so far as the battleships
! were concerned, but at shutdown Mon
day the lookout at the stern of the
leader sighted the Cincinnati coming
l up like a race horse held in check
' for the finish. She had made up her
handicap, had passed all the others
I and was now speeding in the wake oil
= her sole competitor.
: 1t seemed a hopeless task for the
/. battleship to try to hold the cruiser
e but she made a brave fight of it all
|. day Monday and on Tuesday and Wed
g nesday. She cheered her rival as the
q latter slowly forged abeam and then
v ahead of her, almost within sight OF
n the goal.
When Culebra light was picked up
Z the Alabama was under forced
r draught and going at a terrific clip
s but she could not close up the gap
n Barely two miles astern of the cruiser
at midnight she hove to. The kear
Massachusetts, Indiana and