New-York tribune., 1903-07-27
ARRIVAL OF KEARSARGE.
BEATS FORMER RECORD.
The BattIeship Reaches Bar Harbor
after a Ram of Nine Days.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO TUE TRIBUNE. ]

Bar HarboT Me, July 26.-The battleship
Kearsarge dropped anchor in the upper bay
outside Bar Island here this evening just at
o'clock and added another laurel to the crown
which she has been weaving for the American
navy and American prowess in the last few
months Once more she has made a record
for a long run by battleshp. and once more
by good margin.
Captain Joseph N Hemphill brought her
across the Atlantic at a speed of 1912 knots.
While her former record was 1882 knots. The
distance which the ship covered in her remark
able run from England was $500 miles. The
speed which she made on this trip is much more
remarka BILE than her other great run. for in this
she had to come against a head sea and a head
wind.
On July Il. at 1:25 D. M, the Kearsarge sailed
out of Portsmouth. England. and at 12;45 she
passed Mount Desert Rock, which is the
trance to Frenchman's Bay. During: the entire
trip she did not have a single breakdown in
any part Of her machinery. Every wheel and
every cog is in as perfect condition to-day as
when the ship first left the American coast.
Captain HemphiH expressed surprise that the
trip should be of interest TO others outside Of
the Navy Department. He said:
We left The Needles at .25 p. m on Friday,
July Il, and reached Mount Desert Rock at
1870 p m to-day, covering the distance of 29U0
miles in 8 days Az hours average speed Of
Is 16 miles an hour. The highest speed attained
little fifteen knots sn hour, and the
slowest was ten. Three times during the trip
the ship was slowed down: once on account of
being in the neighborhood of an iceberg, and
twice account of a very thick fog. Head
winds and thick weather retarded the speed OF
the ship, and under favorable conditions she
would have covered the distance in less than
nine days.
Captain HemphiH says that he could start
on return trip at once and beat the record
made this voyage.
Since the Kearsarge left NeWYork. fifty
three days ago she has visited Germany. Den
mark and England, has steamed $500 miles
has been at sea twenty-fo days and in port
twenty-njne days, and during all this time
there has not been a single accident to the ma
chinery. not a break or stop Of any kind She
is ready for action
When the Kearsarge let Portsmouth she
ried 1910 tons of coal She now has board
40 tons consuming 1890 tons on the voyage,
an average of 135 tons daily. AS her coal car
rying capacity is but 1,591 tons, some coal was
taken on deck.
The trip of the Kearsarge has demonstrated
that a ship Of her class can maintain an aver
age speed of over thirteen knots long
voyage without injury TO her machinery; that
her coal carrying capacity is adequate for a
trip of four thousand miles under full speed;
that in time of ships of her class can cross
the ocean and engage an enemy at once and
that the Kearsaree is one Of the most perfect
geuCy.
Captain Hemphill and his officers are very en-
thusiastic over the way they have been enter
tained while in foreign waters. Everywhere the
Stars and Stripes were cheered as the Kearsarge
moved in and out Of port. A big crowd watched
her departure from Portsmouth she started
the voyage that has ended so successfully.
Captain Hemphill will not give out the details
of daily runs. etc, until he has made his report
TO the Navy Department.
The Kearsarge will leave this port a. n.
tomorrow and proceed to the coalng station at
hay. hYfr1I 1Iyers Ia fa6T
paratory to participating in the naval manRu-
vres, which begin on August g.
Washington. July 26-It was estimated before
the Kearsarge left England that with good
weather she would make the run across the
ocean within ten days. and this prediction has
been verified Estimating that she travelled
about three thousand miles. the speed of the
Kearsarge would average approximately be
tween 13 40 and 1874 knots an hour While
the run the vessel made is not at all remark
able yet it Is very satisfactory for a heavy
battIeship. and indicates the engines were in
good condition.
Admiral Taylor, chief of the Bureau of Navi-
cation, speaking about the voyage tonight,
said:
This was 10 test of maximum speed possible
but only a test of the usual running under all
boilers. 1t is customary in ordinary cruising to
use only about two-thirds three-fourths of
the full boiler power Of the ship. All the boilers
arc used when it is desired to make a better
speed and sustain it for a long period while for
short periods of excessive speed forced draft on
the boilers is used. This is done however. only
for short periods. because the strain on the
boilers and on the endurance of the firernen is
very great.
The bottom of the Kearsarge. although not
necessarily very foul. is not al IT'S best cond-
ton because the vessel is not at present just
out Of drydoCk.
The Kearsarge, which Won the admiration OF
Emperor William of Germany. and the Prince
Of Wales, and several admirals in Eng
land, was launched from the yards of the New
port News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Com
pany, Newport News. Va. at 1902 a. m. March
-, 1898; and at 1872 her sister ship the Ken
lucky, glided into the James River The di-
rensons Of the two vessels are identical-water
line length 36S feet; beam. - feet 215 inches;
draught. 23 feet = inches: freeboard forward.
II feet ; inches: freeboard. aft, , inches. dis
placement, 11.525 tons.
The speed requirements were Is knots on
her preliminary trial the Kearsarge made 171a
knots: and the Kentucky her trial the same.
Some doubt exists TO which ship is the faster.
The Kearsarge ranks as of the most for
nidahle fighting ships in the world She is
armed with four 13-inch and eight finch
breech loading rifles. and fourteen 5-inch rapid
firing guns There are twenty G-pounde-s, six
1-pounders. four Colt rapid-f1re boat guns ard
four 1S-inch torpedo tubes