Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-14
THE TEXAS ALL RIGHT.
The Itinerary of Admiral Bunce's Squadron Doesn't Include Venezuea-The Min
 neapoIis' Voyage Was Slow.

Washington, Dec. 13-The trial yes terday of the built battle ship Texas, whose several misfortunes have given rise to many conflicting opin- ions as to her capabilities, resulted in an entirely satisfactory performance, ac- cordng to Capt. Henry Glass, her com mander. Captain Glass says:
 With moderate wSpd and sea on bow or quarter she is very steady, and speed of 16 to TIA knots was made with engine revolutions from 115 to 124. At these speeds the absence of excessive vi- brations in any portion of the hull is very marked. The ship handles at per feet ease at any speed and possesses, l think, great maneuvering power"
 The engines of the Texas were run at full speed for four hours, excepting sev- eral times when 1t was necessary to slow down or stop them for a few minutes because the journals became oYerheated. The trial was finally discontinued on ac- -eount of this, and Captain Glass says that certain journals of the main en- zines will have to be overhauled and put in thorough order. He recommends that as the Texas has had two days of sea trials no further preliminary trial be directed until the board of engineers has been appointed to conduct the offi- cial trial, as in his opinion when the work on the journals has been completed nothing further can be done to put the engines as now arranged in condition for service.
 Orders were issued by the navy depart ment this afternoon directing that the of ficial trial of the Texas shall take place on the 18th instant The arRored cruiser Maine is practically ready for service. A telegram to the navy department 11A1 <.lf lN4.- tain Dewey, president of the naval board of inspection, says the Maine is entirely ready for sea and it will not be necessary to send her to any navy yard for repairs or anything of that nature. Bad weather has prevented her from leaving New port. Captain Dewey says that the board has completed the inspection of the ves- sel, including a successful full speed trial, except obtaining her tactical diam eter, figure the turret guns and testing her hydraulic machinery. The telegram leaves a doubt as to whether the torpe- does were tested, and Acting Secretary McAdoo has wired Captain Dewey on the subject. If the torpedo test has been made the Maine will be ordered to coal and join Admiral Bunces squadron of evolution at Hampton Roads without de- lay. The squadron is scheduled to sail December 21.
 The itinerary of the fleet, subject to such changes as Admiral Bunce may de- sire to make, is as follows: Hampton Roads, St. Thomas Santa Cruz, St. Kitts. Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, Bar badoes, Porto Rico. San Domingo, Port au-Prince, Kingston, Jamaica, Colon, Chiriqui. Port Limon, Greytown, Dry Tortugas. Florida Bay, Key West, Hampton Roads, arriving at the latter port on May 12.
 Chiriqui and Port Limon and Grey town. Admiral Bunce states, may be omitted. Coal will be taken on at St. Thomas, St Lucia and Key West. Dur ing the stay at Trinidad the squadron will have drill and target practice in the bay of Paria.
 Much attention has been drawn to this squadron by rumors that its voyage to the tropics hinged on the Venezuelan controversy, and the warnings of the British newspapers that a visit by the squadron to any Venezuelan port would be looked on with disfavor by Great Britain.
 The itinerary shows that Kingston will be the nearest approach to the territory in controversy. Admiral Bunce's squad ron will consist of the New York the Columbia the Raleigh and the Cincin- natl, all cruisers, and the Maine, some times described as an armored cruiser, but more frequently as a second-class battleship
 The cruiser Minneapolis, under orders to proceed to Smyrna, Syria, in connec-. tion with the protection of American in terests arrived at Gibraltar today.
 The Minneapolis passed through the Virginia capes, outward bound, on No vember 27, and was, therefore sixteen days in making the voyage. As she is considered the fastest ship of the new navy, her low average rate of about nine knots an hour causes some surprise, al- though the vessel was not ordered to pro- ceed with dispatch.