The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-11-15
Sustained While Being DoCksd In the Brook
lyn' haW-Yard Eshaustlyely Explained,
BY NAVAL CONSTRUCTOR F. T. BoWLES
Rhe Says the Ship WINS Carefully
Doclsed and Every Usual Precau-
lion Observed : Fac Structural
Strength ofthc St,ip Not Affected :
Due 10 Bending OF Cap Hooks.


port of the injuries to the battle-ship
Texas in the dry-dock at the Brooklyn
Navy-yard, was received at the Navy
department. 1t is made by Naval Con-
structor II. II. Bowies, under whose su-
perNision the ship was built at the
Norfolk Navy-yard and is addressed to
Commodore Montgomery Sicard, COM
mandant of the BROOKLYN Navy-yard
The text of the report follows:
New York. Nov. H.
Sir:-ln compliance with your verbal
instructions OF November 18th have the
nonor 10 make the following report of
the docking of the Texas.
The dock was prepared for the Texas
November list and 2d and she was docked
November 18th. The keel blocks upon
which she rests had ben renewed with
white oak blocks previous to the dock
ing of the Columbia, August 18th. The
spacing OF the blocks was four feet and
the snip was 50 ccntcred as TO bring the
keel blocks and bilgc blocks on frames
Thirty-eight feet from the ram was
lett overhung. Two sets of Wales shores
and one set of bilgc shores were used
the later being placed under the bilge
keel.
The ship was landed very closely
10 her position ana with IL slight to
port. One bilgc block on the starbourd
side. sixteen inches forward of amid
ships, failed to haul and after pump
nag down ii waS found to have dented
her bottom as reported i'll my letter
OF November 5th. Seven other bilgc
blocks were found to be bearing hard
and were drawn out after the bilge
shores had been driven. They had not
produced any effect upon the bottom.
The ship WAS painted November 5th
Gth ana 18th. the bil.;c blocks and shores
being removed one mt II time TO paint
the wake of the heads.
I'm November 9TH il was noticed
that ttwoot thcleei blocks We're showing
h,. III 4. .f,,., ,,-f
-, the edges OF the cap blocks having
turned UP slightly. and the bof ftom
plate having pcrccptibly buckled. The
edges OF these blocks were cut back 10
prevent any further Duckliug.
Late in the afternoon OF November
Sih. 1t was reported that the floor
plate Of frame - was buckled and
that the ship showed signs OF strain
ing. ] went to the dock Immediately,
but from an examination Of the outside
could detect no signs of straining or
settling, and recommended TO the com
mandant that water be put into the
dock next morning Ut Il height that
would not Interfere with the work
then progressing. On November 9Th
the dock being cleared ready for flood
ing an examination WAS made of the
condition of the bottom from the out
side. which showed that the ship was
bearing heavily on seven of the kee!
blocks. the worst ones being those
from which the edges had been cut the
day before, when the indentation did
not exceed one half inch. The dock
WAS then filled to six feet above the
sill.
"On November 10th, by direction of
the commandant, the dock was filled
TO II feet.
"on November llth a thorough ex
animation was made Of The double
bottom and it was found that since
docking the ship had continued to bear
heavier upon the Keel blocks until the
pressure upon them became so great
that their outer edges turned upwards
and pressed hard against the bottom
plating outside of the flat keel to such
an extent as to crack the cement and
buckle the bracket plates and tloor
plates here and there over II length
of 14i amidships. y detailed report,
showing the position and amount OF
these dcfalcationS and the extent to
which the cement was cracked is here
TO attached In this appendix. the
figures given refer to the maximum
detlacation In each case.
"In general, ii is to he noted, first
tho cracks in the cement almost every
where extended in II fore and aft Iii
rection, parallel 10 the keel. are only
slight. ana are about fifteen to cigh-
teen feet from the middle line: second
where floor plates are bucklcd, dcilec-
tionS occur near the middle of plates
third, 10 buck ling or other effect was
noted outside of the first longitudinal
fourth, the ship has not made any
water whatever so far as can be seen
at present, though the dock has been
flooded six feet above the keel for four
days, showing that the calking and
rivcting are intact. and the keel plate
practically uninjured
The ship is at present lying In six
feet % water ana can safely remain
as long as necessary.
''ln conclusion, ] submit:
THE ship was carefully doclin6 and
every usual precaution observed.
"Bcnding of the brackets and floor
plates was due to the bending up of
the ends OF the cap-blocks.
THE structural strength OF the ship
Is not affected.
The effects produced would have been
entirely avoided if the ship had been
promptly unlocked when painting was
completed, and not delayed TO change
the screws.
I'm order to avoid difficulty in future
docking recommend that blocks
two feet long are used, that in addition
TO the shores used on this occasion an
additional tier of shores be placed on
the second and fourth longitudnais
from the middle line keel"
Constructor Eowlcs concluded his re-
port By recommending that the crack
In the cement be repaired. which he says