The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-09
BATTLESHIP MISSOURI WON
IN 2 HOUR SPEED TEST or THE
NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON.
DistAnCed the Malne-Alabama. From
which Better Things We're Expected.
Was Last In the Race-Her Omeers
Ascribe LagElnE Pace 70 Foul Bottom.

which Better Things We're Expected,
Was Last In the Race-HeF Omeers
Ascribe LagginE Pace 20 Foul Bottom.
As growing test Of the speed Of the big
battleships Of the North Atlantic squadron
after over four months Of mAneuvers in the
tropics, Rear Admiral Robley d. Evans,
In command Of the squadron, aTran Red for
q race between seven Of the most powerful
battleships in the American navy. The
race was held Saturday, beginning at a
point about 200 miles south Of Cape Henry,
and was won with ease by the Missouri,
next to the largest ship in the squadron
The others finished in this order: Maine,
Kearsarge. Kentucky, Iowa, Massachusetts,
and Alabama.
The squadron had consisted OF eight
battleships, but left the Illinois, the sister
ship Of the Alabama, at Pensacola. Rear
Admiral Evans split il into two divisions,
taking the Maine as his flagship and with
her the Missouri, hearsarge and Kentucky
leaving the Iowa, Massachusetts, and Ala
hama in command Of Rear Admiral Charles
II. Davis, The Iowa and Massa ohusetts
are of less tonnage and less horsepower
than any ship In the first division.
Before 0 o'clock Saturday morning the
big ships began to draw abreast, and at
exactly the signal for the start was given
from the flagship.
The first hour was designed to test the
smoothness Of the machinery rather tina
10 attain high speed. From TO $50 O'Clock
the ships proceeded at twelve knots. then
the rate was increased 10 fourteen knots.
and at 10 O'Clock they were permitted TO
go ahead at full speed, with natural draft.
When the real race began the Missouri
drew ahead rapidly from the Massachu-
sets, Iowa and Alabama, and also, though
less rapidly, from the Kearsarge and Ken
lucky. The race went on in this way until
noon, when the extreme test began with
forced draft.
More clearly than before. in the next
four hours, under forced draft, the Missouri
demonstrated hepNsuperiority. On paper
the Maine was superior. for she has a slightly
greater displacement than the other, and
in her official trial made an average Of
1873 knots 70 1872 for the Missouri. The
Missouri, however, upset the trial figures
when going we'll. under forced draft, and
showed the flagship 80 clean pair Of heels
that there remained no question Of her
superiority.
From II TO o'clock the battle ships be-
came we'll strung out IN the order in which
they finished Much more than abe showed
was expected Of the Alabama. suppose
by every one in the navy TO be feeter than
the Massachusetts, and Iowa, the only
ships IN the squadron completed before
the war with Spain. These veterans
handled the newer ship rather easily. At
no time, 90 IL was said on the Alabama
yesterday, did she develop mors than
IS knots. Her officers said that the horse
power was up 10 the best record and that
the revolutions were smooth. They could
ascribe her falling behind only TO q very
foul bottom. She was painted about
Christmas time, they said, IN a storm Of
sleet and snow and after that lay for sew
eral days in the ice Of the harbor.
The sister ships, Kearsarge and Ken
lucky, which made the same speed. TX
knots on their trials. furnished a fine con-
test throughout. The Rearsarge finally
drew away, but the margin was smaller
than that between any two Others II was
not until the arrival Of the Alabama at the
Brooklyn navy yard yesterday afternoon
that the result Of the race became known.
Officers Of the Alabama said, yesterday.
that although every commander urged
his ship 10 the limit, there was not the
slightest mishap or injury