The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-10-01
K|NCEDWARO' S
BEDFORD IS
HERE
tFrom Thursdays Advertiser)


Flying His Britannia Majesty's en-.
sign, the crack first.class British
cruiser Bedford arrived off port yes
terday afternoon at quarter to three
O'Clock, about eleven days out from
Yokohama. The big cruiser is on her
way to San Francisco to participate
in the Portola Festival, and will re-
main here until about October or 10.
The cruiser came up quietly from the
west and was almost of port before
her presence was noticed. So similar
in appearance was she to the three
cruisers lying outside, she might have
been easily taken for one of the Pa
cific feet were It not for her three
tunnels and the English flag flying at
the stern. She anchored off Kakaako
and shortly afterward launch was
sent in with lieutenant aboard to
give notice to Admiral Sebree Of the
arrival of the Bedford and to thank
him for his courtesy in sending an
American boarding officer to the cruiser
as she arrived. Captain Benson, chief
of staff, arranged with the British
lieutenant for the British captain to
call upon Admiral Sebree at 10 o'clock
| this morning.
The Bedford is cruiser Of $500
tons with complement of 675 men,
She is in the same class with the Mon
mouth which comprises ten wa-ships
known as the "County Class" Other
vessels of this class are the Kent
Essex, Monmouth, Lancaster, Berwick
Donegal, Cornwall, Cumberland and
Suffolk. The Bedford was built in
1901. She carries fourteen guns of G.
inch caliber, and smaller batteries
She has a length Of 440 feet at the
water'ine and a beam of sc feet. She
was designed for speed Of 90 knots
which is knot better than any yes
sci of the Pacific feet is capable of
Her normal coal supply is 800 toni
with maximum of 1900 tons and also
400 tons of oil. 1t IS said that the
twin turrets on these vessels have moi
proven satisfactory and project fol
replacing them was made about tive
years ago. In 1907 fire control sta
tions were fitted.
i In a cross-Atlantie race in 1905 o.
the Second Cruiser squadron, the Der
wick and Cumberland averaged wei
over 10 knots for the whole trip, beat
ing the Essex and easily distancing thu
Cornwall. The Bedford got hot bear
ings and had to ease down, after be
ing second ship for four days. In 190
the Cornwall made the best speed il
the cruiser race beating the Cumber
lend and Berwick. In the 100
maneuvars the Cumberland proved tn
best steamer. The cost of each vesse
vas about f775,0OO.
The officers of the Bedford are: Cap
tain f. s. Fitzherbert, Commander G
Trewby, Lieutenant Dixie, Lieutenan
, Wharton, Lieutenant King, Lieutenan
Lucas, Lieutenant c. Douglas, Lieuten
J ant d. Douglas, Lieutenant tombstone
Engineer Commander Crowle, Flee
} Surgeon Bell, Fleet Paymaster Wilson
Chaplain Rev. L. Jones, and Captain
Mayhem royal marines.
The Bedford has a cricket team
, aboard already to commence playing
local team. When an officer, who cam
ashore in the first launch, was aske,
whether the vessel had cricket team
he smiled and answered that it wa
quite ready to get down to business.
The Bedford will remain outsid
until this afternoon when she will en-
} ter the harbor and replace the cruise
, Washington now coaling at the ocean,
wharf The Washington came into thi
wharf after the Alameda left and wi
take in all her coal supply by tn
middle of this afternoon. The BED
ford will probably take in about ITO
tons.