Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-27
SOMEBODY'S BAD BLUNDER.

The Battie-s ship Texas Not likely To Flo.,
40 Built
WARRINGTON CITY, Aug @T-The conun-
dram, will the battle-ship Texas fioatF' is
perpleXing navy officers jus now, and navy
officers generally are quite reticent when
asked TO express an opinion about the mat
ter. One official was asked yesterday what
he thought Of it, and the ST bstarce of his
answer is given below.
An Inrxcusable Error.
He said that within his own circle OF friends
II was known fact that the most inexcusa-
BILE error had been made in the calculation
and that the Texas would lie worse than
useless vessel even If considerably modified
to avoid the present defects. This authority
places the blame largely upon the board con-
ssting of officers and civilians by whom the
plan of the Texas was ATOP ed This board
was composed Of Commodore Ramsey Lieut.
Knox, Chief Engineer KieIsted, Assistant
Constructor Bowles, Mr.. Blrgcs, and MIR
wilson. the two latter being civilians. Ac-
cording TO this official, the board was not ex-
pert in the subjects which sh )uld have been
considered. One.was a commodore, another a
lieutenant. another a chief eIginer, and As
sistant Constructor Bowles was the single
naval officer on the board who could be ex-
pected TO be familiar with al the details of
construction. OF the two civilian members
ot he board, Mr.. Burgess was a yacht builder
Whlle Mr. Wilson was an engine builder in
the employ of the Cramps.
Took the Designers w ord for It
The board, he says, was thus practically
compelled to &C ept the calculations of the
designers as being correct, whereas a board
or experts in construction could. by a com
parate method, determine in IA brief time
what the displacement of tie Texas would
be II built and armed according to the speci-
hcations. The department has a great amount
OF information on the subject of displace-
ment, and by comparing a now design with
something OF the same cha -acter already
bufG an approximate result IAN be reached
without the necessity OF an extensive mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation. Had tive or three MEM
Ders OF the board been expert On this subject
they would have discovered defects in the de-
sign OF the Texas at once. As IL was the
board swallowed everything that the design
trs presented, and paid little attention 10
terrifying anything. Their decision was made
when only a weeks study had been given to
the design of the Texas. I'll is of itself he
says, is convincing that they ook the state
ment of the designers for granted
Congress VIII Look Into the Matter.
There Is no question" said he but what
congress will investigate this Texas business
at an early date SO much n oney has been
expended that congress will not let IL be bur-
led out OF sight. Ii the money As been thrown
away somebody will have to b. held response
Die Tor 1t. When that invet tigation takes
place you Will learn more in "a week what is
the matter with the Texas than would be dis
closed by this department in 81 months"
The plans of the Texas were supplied by an
English bodybuilding firm, and were selected
by the board out Of several I'll at were put in
competition. prize of SIS 900 was paid
for the plans, besides a large sum for the
working drawings. The ship vas begun and
many thousands of dollars have already been
expended upon her.