The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-22
Her Average Speed on OhiciaI Test
Was 1916 Knots nm Hour for
Thirty-Three Nautical Miles.
MAY BE ADVANCED TO 1875
WHEN TIDAL CORRECTIONS ARE
MADE BY THE BOARD.
Beat the Maine. a Sister ship, and
Proved to He Faster than Anything
of Her Class AHOat.

BOSTON, Oct. 21-The new battleship
Missouri to-day proved herself the queen OF
the seas i'm her class in a speed trial trip
over the Cape Ann course with weather
conditions of a considerable handicapping
nature. Steaming over a course of thirty
three nautical miles and return the bat
tleship made an average speed of 1916
knots per hour, which with tidal correc
tons greatly in her favor. it is believed,
will advance it TO 1915. new worlds
record for a battleship.
The first part OF the run was made against
a strong northwest breeze. which kept down
the speed to 1894 knots, but coming back
the conditions were more favorable and the
thIrty-three knots were covered in / hour,
AZ minutes and Q seconds a speed of 1916
knots per hour.
The big battleship at one time attained
a speed of 1915 knots per hour. The con-
tract requirements call for eighteen knots
and a margin was very gratifying not only
TO the builders, the Newport News Ship
building and Drydock Company. but 10 the
government officials on board The best
previous record made by a battleship in
the Missouris class is that of the Maine,
a sister ship, which 17.9s knots per
hour.
The Missouri left her anchorage shortly
after o'clock this morning and steamed
down to Cape Ann, where the measured
naval trial board, number OF naval ofncerS
stationed in and near Boston, and guests
of the company. The weather was clear.
but a stiff quartering breeze blew from
the northwest and rOughed up the water
considerably The cruiser Chicago. marking
the southern emo OF the course, was sighted
soon after 10 o'clock. and half hour later
the Missouri was headed for the line. 1t
was found that steam was a trifie low and
so the big warship described couple OF
circles before she again headed northward,
all the while, until at IL o'clock the
steam pressure was satisfactory TO the en-
gineers i'm charge.
When the word was given the Mssouri's
whistle notified the Chicago that she was
ready to start on her trial and then Cap
tain r. Nj. Howse, who steered the craft
with great precision over the course, head
ed for the line. The new warship was
abeam of the first buoy at lib so and with
speed that increased steadily she sped away
to the nOrthward, passing stakeboat after
stakeboat until the cruiser Baltimore was
astern. The latter craft marked the north
ern end of the course, and swinging OF to
port the Missouri turned in a circle and
steamed back again. Going to the north
ward the warship encountered heavy seas
that swept over her bows and a breeze of
half a gales strength. Added TO these
Speeu-rPOuClnE COuulIlonS the tue ran
strong against the new vessel that her
speed was figured averaging 17:6 an
hour.
Steaming back over the course under
more favorable conditions the Missouri in
creased her speed greatly and completed
her trial against time in hours, 80
minutes, 2412 seconds. The vessels mark
ing the course were stationed &c knots
apart and the Missouris lowest elapsed
time between any two of the mark boats
was 81 minutes seconds made on the
homeward leg, which makes her best ac-
tual speed 1915 knots per hour. On the
northern leg the engine attained a speed Of
121 revolutions minute and the average
for the entire trip was III. Commander
Cowles said that the tidal corrections would
doubt add IL of a knot per hour TO the
speed of the ship.
At the conclusion of the speed test the
Missouri was tested to her steering abil-
tiles. She described the figure eight, turn
ing in from ~ to Is seconds. with an angle
of heel of about per cent. The usual
stopping, backing and anchoring tests were
then given. at the conclusion of which the
vessel returned TO Boston light and after
landing her passengers started for Newport
News.