The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-09-04
CRUISERS AND DESTROYERS ARRIVED AT MIDDAY
AND SOME OF THEM CAME INTO THE 1ARBOR
No ManeuveTs Are to
Be Carried Out on
Cruise.
tFrom thursdays Advertlsor.o

in command and source of gratifica-
tion to the officers and men comprising
the personnel of the fifteen ships of
war which arrived in Honolulu harbor
yesterday from San Francisco, one
fourth of the towing cruise test was
completed yesterday forenoon just as
the fleet rounded Diamond Head. Just
before the noon hour the graceful flag
ship West Virginia steamed slowly
down the channel into the harbor,
saluted by the Naval Station battery
and followed by the other warships.
As the vessel swung past the Naval
docks the guns of the starboard and
port batteries belched forth an answer
ing salute, and presently she was moor
ed alongside the Alakea wharf. By
five O'Clock all the warships were
berthed in the positions assigned them
by Captain Rees, U. $. N, command
ant Of the Honolulu station.
The torpedo destroyers were cast off
before the feet passed Diamond Head
so that each cruiser was free from
drag, the big ships being followed by
the little ones in flotilla
Towing was Successful.
The cruise was test of the towable
qualities of the destroyers on one hand,
and a test of the efficiency of the sys-
tenn of towing by larger vessels of the
Navy on the other hand. From both
viewpoints the test, so far, is consid-
cred satisfactory. The destroyers are
vet to be towed to Samoa, then back
to Honolulu again, and still there re-
mains the last leg of the journey from
Honolulu to San Diego. When the
cruise is completed the final judgment
on the system of towing will be passed.
Three or four of the tow lines parted
during the voyage but this was due en-
tireIy to friction of the hawser over
the bows of the destroyers. The
weakest part of the link in the long
towline was designedly nearest the de-
stroyer In case of line parting it
was best that it should be nearest the
boat in tow, so that the larger vessel
could manage the longest portion of the
broken line. If the line parted nearest
the towing vessel the vessel in tow
might get entangled.
On board each towing vessel was
dynamometer which registered the
strain on the hawser. The latter had
to stand 10000 pound working strain,
although for a test the strain could be
made greater.
A Fine Spectacle.
There was not so large a crowd along
the docks to see the ships as in the
case of the Atlantic fleet, but those
who stayed away missed treat. The
cruisers are more graceful in outline
than the battleships. Each vessel IS
four -funnelled, and yet there are ap'
parently almost as many guns project
ing spikelike from the sides as on the
nbulldogs of the Navy" After the
eve took in the cruiser fleet yesterday
interest centered in the long, black,
arrowy.looking craft following in the
rear-the destroyers. Although this
type of vessel is not new to Honolulu,
never have so many appeared in port
at one time, or under like circum'
stances. From Diamond Head to the
entrance of the harbor the cruisers led,
and the destroyers trailed along be-
hind.
The cruisers ranged in front of the
entrance to the harbor, and at 1880
a. M, the flagship West Virginia de.
taehed herself from the Others and
came into the harbor anchoring on the
Eva side of the Alakea wharf from
which every one save guard OF
marines and naval officers, was exclud'
ed. Then came the Maryland, mooring
on the Waikiki side of the same wharf;
then the Pennsylvania, berthing on the
Waikiki side of Naval wharf No. 2,
and finally the Tennessee, flagship of
the second squadron on board of which
Rear Admiral Uriel Sebree has raised
his flag. The supply ship Solace occu.
pied the Waikiki side of Naval wharf
No. l.
Then the crowds ashore surged to
the waters edge, for the destroyers be.
gan coming in. These craft entered
swiftly. but so perfectly controlled,
that they were brought almost to n
standstill in few feet when neces-
sary They filed the free way of the
harbor, until the Solace was berthed,
when they began moving up to the
Naval wharves. Long, rakish, narrow
and low in The water, they caused the
crowd to cape, and to some they seem
ed more terrible engines of war than
the great cruisers towering above them
One went alongside the Eva side OF
wharf No. l. and then another snuggled
in alongside the first. Out in the har'
bor two destroyers swung together
br0adside on and then were lashed to-
gether, looking not unlike an ancient
double Hawaiian war canoe, as Super
visor Andrew Cox said. These two
swung in together and occupied the
berth usually taken by the Iroquois, and
then couple more squeezed into th'
space between them and the Solace.
Method of Towing.
Wonder was expressed that mel
could more than exist on such vessels
There seemed hardly any room on dec
TO enjoy promenade. Everything
seemed to be armored-bow, bridge
smokestaeks, skylights, running geal
wireless masts, hawsers, chains, anchor
and rails The crowd was also inter
ested in the towing devices. The on
fit is composed of bride of galvanii
ed steel, secured to the towing bits o
each side of the cruiser well aft. WheI
these lines come together, about eigl
feet from the stern, a dynamomete
extra heavy and of special design,
placed Twelve feet of l& inch chai
passes from the dynamometer throug
the chock on the stern of the cruise
this chain bearing the ehafe of ii
tow. This is secured TO a 100 feet i
inch Manila cable. An extra heav