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TRIALS OF H.M. CRUISER BLAKE.


Special interest, says _Engineering_, attaches to the trials of the
protected cruiser Blake, in view of the assertion frequently made by
Admiralty authorities, from the first lord downward, to the effect
that with her sister ship Blenheim she would surpass anything hitherto
attempted. The condition of steaming continuously for long periods and
over great distances at 20 knots per hour was made a ruling condition
in the design, and with forced draught she was to be able to attain 22
knots when occasion required. But all idea of getting these high
results has been abandoned. Our readers do not need to be reminded of
the frequent failure of boilers in the navy. Although in the newer
ships, profit has been gained by experience, larger boilers being
provided with separate combustion chambers for each furnace; the
Blake's boilers belong to the type of defective design, with the
result that, were they pressed under forced draught, the tubes would
leak. It was, therefore, decided some time ago to be content with
natural draught results, and on Wednesday, Nov. 18, the vessel was
taken out from Portsmouth, and ran for seven hours with satisfactory
results, considerably exceeding the contract power. But the speed was
but 19.12 knots, and 22 knots can never be attained, except, of
course, new boilers be provided, and when an expenditure of 5 or 6 per
cent. of the first cost of the vessel (433,755_l._) would give her new