The Fastest Vessel in the World

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 129, 29 November 1895, Page 2

The Fastest Vessel in the World

The distinction of possessing the fastest vessel afloat will henceforth belong to Russia, Messrs Yarrow and Co., of Poplar, having just constructed for the Imperial Russian Government » torpedo boat destroyer named the Sokol (Anglice Hawk) whose speed surpasses anything that has yet been recorded. The Sokol is a long, tow lying, narrow craft with a grey hull and four short funnels painted yellow and tipped with black. The hull is built throughout of nickel steel, and aluminium has been used wherever practicable. The length of the Sokol is 190 ft, and her beam is 18^ft. The vessel is divided into 11 watertight compartments, and in each of the central two are four- of Yarrow's patent water-tube boilers, designed for a working pressure of 2001 b per square inch. The total weight of the eight boilers, including water aud fittings, amounts to 45 tons* and they are capable of developing with ease 4500- horse power. The boilers are completely isolated from the stokehold, in order to prevent the possibility of steam escaping into the stokehold in the event of the boilers being injured by shot. There are two sets of triple expansion engines, and the armament will comprise a 12-pounder gun, mounted on the conning tower forward, and having an all-round fire, three 6-pounder quickfiring guns placed on deck, and two swivel torpedo tubes — one forward and one aft. The total complement of officers and men is 43. At the official trial, on the sth October, between Gravesend and the Maplins, the speed attained during a continuous run of three hours with a load of 30 tons was 22J knots, the main speed on the best pair of runs being 30 7 ' f knots, or about 34| miles, an hour. A half- hour's trial with pure natural draft resulted in a speed of 205 knots being attained. A similar trial with what is termed natural draught in the British Navy, namely, with an assistance to the drought froni the fans riot exceeding balf-an-incb. pressure in the i stokeholds, gave a speed of 267 knots.