New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-15
HOW THE TEXAS WASINJ CRE u
OFFICIAL. REPORT OF NAVAL CON
STRUCTOR BOWLES.

pREssrRE ON KEEL BLOCKS BUCKLED PLATES
AND CRACKED CEMENT - STRUCTURAL
STRENGTH OF THE SHIP NOT AT
rEcrED 49, RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR REPAIRS.
Washington. Nov 1.-THE official report Of the in
iuries to the batteship Texas, IN dryuoch d. INC
BROOKLYN Navy Yard. received at the Navy De-
nartment to-day Il is made by Naval Constructor
F F Bowles under whose supervision the snip
was built at the Norfolk Navy Yard ana Is al
dressed to Commodore Montgomery sicard com
mandant Of the Brooklyn Navy Yard The text OF
the report follows
Sir; In compliance with your verbal instructions
Of November Il have Tn h OF he 70 rex MAJ
The dock was prepared Tor the 1eaaS Tn keel
blocks upon which she rests had been renewed VIZ
white oak blocks previous 10 the dochiis ~
1s four feet and the ship centred as TO
bring the keel blocks and bilge blocks on frames
thirtv-eight feet from the ram was left 0verhune.
To cots NJ vale shores and one set OF bge shores
were used the latter being PLACED under me DIE
ION and with slight list TO port one DIG Dioc
on the starboard side, sixteen inches 80 :,
onidshins failed TO haul and after pumping cow
was found to have dented her bottom as reported N
my letter of November 8 seven 9'ner pl dTevn out
afer the bilge shores had been driven. ny t
not produced any effect upon the po be b,ge blocks
va bores being removed one time to paint the
wax 81 yn it was noticed that two Of me
keei blocks were showing signs on the polt t,,ng
afing heavily the edges OF the capblocks hay ra
Ened up slightly and the bottom plate beng pee
ceptiblv bucked The edges OF thesv ate in
cut back TO prevent any further Duchis, 80 ths
tbe afternoon Of November IL was Iei,orteq nc ne
be floor plate OF frame % was Ducf''u - n the
doc medate;y but from an examination Gi s Iie
outs de could detect no Signs OF niamiant that
In atr az" he nut into the dock next morning 10 "a
heignl ma On November g. the dock being cleared
re95v for flooding eXaminatl N was ma UUb;~b
sboved that the ship bearing heaNl o.' f,on,
=. The keel blocks the worst ones pelhg .hU rban
the ndentauon ga "oo siv feet above the sill. on
November e by direction cot, OF the coi"'''a'''''''
dock was filed 70 eleven feet. domination was
on November i o, in1rOa a5d it was found that
maue o. 9toe VII he shin had continued TO bear
since GoTKlmS III keel blocks until the pressure
heavier upon acsne 50 great that their outer edges
upon d inward and pressed hard against the boIto
piatihs o Uu the cement and buckle the brackt,
plates and floor plates here ana mort showing
%. nositlon ana amount of tnese deecuolis az =,
me extent to which the cemenI %as egITes given
hereto attached In this appendX 'h IN i7 "a So
refer 10 the maximum defiec.ion IN eaTm Irace in
In general # Is to De Extend in
and aft direction parallel to me hge1' ft rom
silshr fdIie line: second. where floor plates ar
bnckled reflections occur near one ~ Vas noted
plates thiFd; 10 epsf longitudinal; fourth, the ship
bas not made any water WhdIeNS - 80 Aooded
seen a. pio tbe keel for four days, showing ina
! the calkng and riveting are 'N'''' anu
plate PT bg Is at present lying in six feet Of water
and can safely remain as ioTF ne a. bip was carefully
49,, IN snJ every usual precaution observed SEM
GocK of h and hoor plates was ave to W.
| ms d. mn o. the ends % the cap DiockSi ~
Structural strength Of the snip rs hl avoided
err bin had been promptly unlocked when pant
ing was comple> ana I no iiifItv in future dock
inr recommend that cap blocks two ltel lo.s ~
used that in aaa'on ie ' Of sho 9y be- placed
ne second and fourth ongitudinais from th= iuuie
Cons,rnctor Bowles closes his report by recon-
| eai,o that the cracks in the cement be repaired
! bich he says can be- done in twelve days at cost
| - S2os and that 1.-TWO angle clips should be WORKED
NJ, Zach floor to stiffen the floors ana brackets.
| rrbesa are all the recommends tons he makes. with
! reference TO the report Mr.. McAdoo VINO was Act
| ing secretary Of the Navy to-day. said:
| The twelve days required to max the repairs to
the Texas roforti9n 10 The sman amount
- money expended. but this Que 20 ne fact That
me ua9 if is difficult get al and where only a
! SSman force can work. further investigation OF
the Of the commander Of me Texas
certain minor chanees VIII a., De sgpntleI 10 me
aLlsS' coy ~ which she will be unlocked this week
! The recommendations Of Constructor Bowles as
20 renairs have been approved by the Chief of the
| construction Bureau Commodore Hchborn. The
,c,s AZ 10 the extent OF the injuries sustained by
/ 80 Taxas will undoubtedly the steam
/ rial n that should take pace on the day ind-
! Gated.
Nothing was done 10 the outer plates of the bat
,le-sbio Texas yesterday in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
| 4 general idea OF the report OF the Naval Con
structor was in circulation, and the comments on
q while guarded not OF a reassuring nature
The point WAS raised If the weight of the ship
had caused the keel blocks sink in deeply that
! the projecting part caused the plates TO buckle
! more was a weakness in the plates the blocks
! yrcre TOO short. 4 depth OF water which allowed
! ~ a thlrfy-fve-fOot oveInans OF the vessels bow
and ram II was pointed out not suh Gent 10 re
I,"ve me strain her plates. and the snip had
~. ~, heen nghiened II improba bic that the
deilecrun reiier blades Tor tie bate-ship nave ar
sesdy qs possl nd posSy on Sgnday in order to
eel them fixed so that the ship can be noaied early
Nus I'st what the pumping out Of the water now IN
! the dock will show is matter IN when an hahls
a. inc DEPARTMENTS interested are deeply concerned
| III 49, are expressed that the sh Will show a
s ,her bckling and DETECTION Of the plates which
- seriously interfere with the speed tIial "ii.H
W - scheduled TO undergo at an carly date. Mt
1,nwies's report is regarded AZ being as fdVoraDle
az il was possible for nm 10 maze H. ana a,te'r..'
Wa ."'' mai temporary arrangements for repairs
uhicS might be made now would be OF ittle aNan va
when The time T Tf1 pr ro II was said had not
M soIved and the present report was practlca4y
| a lodging OF the issue
.,,orNrMENTs BY THE PRESIDENT.
.,.,,,oto, Nov. 1.-THE President to-day made
| [ma,.,,pc appointments: Charles Richie simp-
ntns Of Massachusetts. to be secretary OF 'ne