Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-21
Conclusion of the Great Ocean
Race Of the North Atlantic
Squadron
ALABAMA PROVES VERY SPEEDY
Defeats Her Rival the kearsase, While
the Massachusetts, One of the Older
Ships Was Strong Composition
Cruiser Cincinnati Won Race With
Big Handicap.

San Juan, Porto Rico, Nov. 21.-Car-
and with the phosp sphorescent spray
dashing high UP on her sharp bows, the
cruiser Cincinnati forged abreast Of
Cu!ebra light at midnight last night.
winner in the greatest ocean race OF
warships ever run on the North Allan
tic seaboard.
Barely two miles astern of the cruiser
was the great battleship Alabama She
had distanced all her rivals, of the
heavyweight class, and had shown her
quality in putting up hammer and
tongs struggle all the way from Hamp-
ton Roads, Va, with the fleet cruiser.
One by one she had left behind the lit
tie gunboat .Machias, battleships Indi-
ana, Kearsarge and Massachusetts,.
That the comparatively old Massachus-
etts was a stronger competitor than the
new Kearsarge is one of the surprises
of the race. That is the first time in its
history that the ships of the North At
lantic squadron have engaged in such
a long distance speed contest in open
sea.
tAS d COIHpOueuI part u Tile great uG6Ls
of warships now assembling for the
winter naval maneuvers under com
mand Of Admiral Dewey, the North At
lantic squadron was ordered. after as
sembling at Hampton Roads, to proceed
to the naval rendezvous off Culebra
light.
There was superb opportunity to
test the actual relative speed Of the
- u
under thoroughly practical conditions.
The five ships lined up for start al
noon on Observation-Disclosures, Kear-
sarge, Massachusetts, Indiana and Ma
chias. Thirty-five miles behind the
line Of battleships, as they passed vir-2
ginia capes, came the Cincinnati BY
reason Of her speedier and lighter type.
this was regarded as a fair handicap
for the greyhound of the fleet. At the
flash of the gun the 1eviathans were OF
to sea under full head of steam and
I in ten minutes all were ploughing thru
lthe ocean. Almost from the start the
Alabama began to forge ahead Of her
rivals. She gained visibiy on the Irdi-
ana and the little Machias. rhts Kear-
sarge was regarded as her most dam
gerous adversary Of the battleship
CLASS. lHlcuSC IlNdiiy nAW% ~ . lSAASsSSA
between the 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. The smoke poured
from their huge stacks and their decks
quivered above the throbbing engines.
Four hours from the start the Alabama
left the Kearsarge hull down astern,
with only her fighting tops in sight.
With the old Massachusetts it was
harder struggle, but the newer lines and
greater power were bound to tell. Be.
fore night the older ship, despite hei
most gallant efforts, was left astern
At sundown Monday the lookout at the
stern of the leader sighted the -incin-
natl coming up like race horse She
had made up her handicap and had
passed all the others and was now
speeding in the wake of her sole COM
petitor. 1t seemed a hopeless task foI (
the battleship to try to hold the cruis-
er, but she made brave fight of 1t all
day Monday. and on Tuesday and
Wednesday. She cheered her rival as
the latter slowly forged abeam, and
then ahead of her, almost within sight
of the goal. When the Culebra light
was picked up the Alabama was under
forced draught and going at terrific
clip, but she could not close the gap.
Barely two miles astern of the cruiser
at midnight she hove to. The Kear-
sarge, Massachusetts,, Indiana and Ma
chias were not in sight at the finish.