The San Francisco call., 1895-11-13
md suction pipes were strained. Com

anu suction pipes were STRAINED. Com-
inodore Sicard's report is as follows:
| "UNITED STATES NAVY YARD, N. Y, Nov.
1O.-The distortion of frames 43 and As
was first reported to me on the Sth inst. at
P. NJ. An immediate examination was
made by the naval constructor, who
recommended the admission of six feet of
water in the morning, which was done.
"The within report was received by me
at 80 P. NJ. yesterday and was the result
of an examination made in the morning.
Further examination made to-day shows
no change.
'More water to eleven feet draught has
been admitted to the dock to-day and the
naval constructor has been directed to
make detailed report. No delay will re-
suit to the work now going on upon the
vessel"
Extreme reticence has been observed at
the Navy Department as well as at the
| Brooklyn Navy-yard regarding the acci-
dent, and also by all Navy Department
officials who have been concerned in the
construction of the Texas, and who should
| therefore be in position to give an accu-
| rate statement of her defects. The vessel
has been singularly unfortunate for sew
eral years in being made the subject for
adverse criticism, and numerous stories
| have been printed about her unseaworthi-
ness, her structural defects and her general
unavailability for naval uses. Her plans,
which were bought in England through
the naval attache of the legation at Lon
| don, gave trouble from the first.
| The original plans were drawn by Will
| liam Johns an English draughtsman, but
they were considered unsatisfactory and
were turned over to another naval con-
structor to work out the details, submit
ting several hundred sheets of drawings to
the Navy Department. Naval boards con-
sidered them and found all sorts of fault
with them. Chief Constructor Wilson de-
cIared that they were worthless; that no
ship built after them could float. Con-
structor Bowles, then at the Norfolk navy
yard, thought otherwise, and declared
! that, with some slight notifications, he
could build a good ship on that design,
and he would be willing to stake his repu-
tation as naval constructor on the result.
Upon these assurances the vessel was
commenced, her keel being laid June l.
1889.
Frequently during her construction
changes were made on account of the con-
troversies continually stirred up about her.
and thus through various delays she was
not commissioned until August Is this
year. The act of Congress, August 8, 1885,
authorizing her construction, placed the
statutory limit of her cost at 50, 500 900;
but the aymaster-General's accounts
show that up to June 80, 1894 (these being
the latest figures at handy, she had cost
$3,046, ,314 35. In the year and half since
that time these figures have been materially
| increased.
Among the other Developments during
construction which increased the impress
sion that her hull was not strong, was the
accident to her boilers when they were first
filled. The weight of the water broke the
saddles which supported the boilers. A
bed-plate of her auxiliary engines broke
during the dock trial at Norfolk, the acci-
dent being caused, it was claimed, by the
excessive fexibility of the hull.
The Texas, when completed, turned out
to be the only vessel of the new navy that
had not exceeded her designed draught.
This, it is contended by naval officers, is
due to the fact that much of her iron
work was Intentionally made lighter in
weight as well as in strength, the sacrifice
having been made in order that she might
float higher and in order to secure her
completion as far as possible within the
price fixed by Congress. A few weeks ago
it was found necessary to dock the ship,
which had been continuously in the water
since her armor, engines and heavy
weights were applied. She was then at
Norfolk. and Naval Constructor A. w.
Stahl declined to assume the RESPONSE
sibility of attempting to dock her there,
stating that with the highest possible tide
at Norfolk there would be a leeway of
only few inches at the most between the
ships hull and the sill of the dock, which
he considered too dangerous margin for
safety. So the docking was ordered to
take place at the Brooklyn nayy-yard,
where Constructor Bowles would be in
charge.
The Navy Department has called on
| Naval Constructor Bowles for detailed
account of the matter which is expected at
the department tomorrow. Until this
| report is received officials of the depart
ment do not care to express themselves.
Acting Secretary McAdoo said this after
noon that the United States was so unused
to docking heavy battle-ships that the real
meaning of the accident to the Texas
could not be definitely stated. European
governments, he said, were probably used
to such matters, and could ascertain i'm
mediately the comparative seriousness or
triviality of happenings of this sort.