Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-05-11
Admiral Evans Compliments Ships
Built Here.
RECENT OCEAN RACE DISCUSSED
Four Vessels Turned Out by cramp
Plant Made Very Poor Showing and
the Builders are chaarIned-"Fisht.
Ing Rob's" Report.

The eight hour, open sea race. which
was held near Cape Henry last Satur-
day between the battleships Missouri,
kearsarge, Kentucky, Maine, Iowa.
Massachusetts and Alabama, compris-
ing the first and second division of
inc battlcship squadron Of the North
Atlantic fleet, is scid to have been
the general topic for discussion among
naval officers, here, in Washington
and aboartl the contcsting ships. and
especially among Tie officials of the
Newport News Shipbuilding ana Dry
DOCK Company and those OF the Cran,p
shipyard, i'll Philadelphia, for the past
three days.
ever" officer and man aboard the
Dattlesliip Missouri, now anchored in
Hampton Roads, which wonathc eight
hour contest. Is highly clatetl over the
remarkable speed developed by the
vessel and her triumph over her
Cramp built sister, the Maine. The
Missouri averaged lis knots under
natural draft whilo her Cramp built
sister, the Maine, could do hut 1G.5
knobs per hour. Naturally the officials
Of the shipvard here, where the Mis-
souri, was built. are proud of the
great battleslip and of her victory
over the product Of the Crump yard.
On the other hand word has; been re-
ceivcd from Philadelphia that the
owners OF the Crnmp shipyard are I'M
able to concea their chagrin over the
poor showing in the race made by the
Maine, Iowa, Massachusetts and Ala
baina, all of which were built at their
yard.
As was stated in the Daily Press
last Tuesday morning, the local built
battleship kearsarge, though only
built for 1G knots, developed n speed
of 1925 knots for the entire run I'M
der forced draft, and outspeeded the
Cramp built Maine. whose speed Is
supposed TO be IS knots. or two more
knots than That of the local built
craft. II will be remembered that on
her official trial trip, the Maine failed
10 make is knots actual speed. but
tidal allowances brought her figure
up to the required mark.
The Cramp yard OFFICIALS are wor-
ried over the poor showing of the bat,
tleshlp Alabama, n product of their
yard. The ship was built for 16 knots.
but she was unable 10 keep up with
the Massachusetts, n much older ship
"Hu VI hoI 81 Hl5H SlDSeu.
In his report Of the race, Rear Adj
miral Robert Evans, commander of the
first battleship division of the squad
ron, explains hat the slow speed of
the Alabama was due to leaky boiler
tubes on the ship. Further in his re.
port Admiral Evans said that he was
especially pleased with the fine show
Ing made by the ~battleslips Kearsargc
II Kentucky. He stated that, under
forced draft. both of the vessels de-
yelopetl 4 speed of 1925 knots for the
our hours, which Is 1875 knots more
than their required speed, they being
l6 knot battleships.
If it served no other purpose. naval
me here believe the ocean race PROV
ed leyond the shadow of a doubt
that the Newport News Shipbmilding
and Dry lock Company's plant turn
out n better war ship than the Cramp
%Shipbnilding Company's plant at Phil
adelphia, and that the superiority in
speed of the local built battleships
over the Cramp bailt vessels is un-
m~istnkable.
Il - |M LII HL