The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-13
Of the Vessels Bottom
the Cement Lining Cracked.
BUILT ON ENGLISH PLANS
TOO MUCH STRENGTH SACRIFICED IN
ORDER TO SAVE WEIGHT.
Hull Too Light to Hold Up the Top
Part OF the Ship when Resting OF
Keel Blocks-A Costly Blunder.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-The battle ship
Texas has come to grief in the dry dock at
New York and has sustained injuries the
exact extent of which is not known here at
present. The ship went into the dock week
ago to be cleaned and painted and to re-
move an accumulation of sea weeds which
had grown in the pipe gratings leading to
the circulating pumps. On the Sth inst.
Captain Glass reported to the commandant
of the yard that on the regular weekly ex-
animation of the vessel made that day
frames 4S and IS, in compartment b, were
found to be distorted, apparently from
straining of the ship on the keepblocks. No
other evidence of straining appeared and
an outside examination failed to show any
evidence of damage. BY direction of Com
mandant Sicard, constructor Rowles made
an examination himself. and on the 9Th he
reported that the Texas was resting easily
and supported thoroughly in all respects.
Still. as a measure of precaution, six feet
of water was let into the dock to tighten
the load on the keel blocks. On the 18th
inst further straining of the ship was re-
ported, and then the dock was flooded to a
depth of eleven feet as far as the water
could be admitted without danger of disturb
ing the position of the Texas on the blocks.
Commandant Sicard called for detailed ac-
count Of the injuries sustained by the ship,
and in return received from the constructor
a report, stating exactly and by number the
injured frames and where they were To-
Gated. This report was transmitted to the
Navy Department, with the statement by
the commandant that no delay in the work
then in progress on the ship would ensue,
and that the straining appeared to be due to
the weight of the ship on the keel blocks.
The department was not altogether satisfied,
and has now called for still further particu-
lars, regarding the report so far made as
preliminary.
1t appears from these reports that about
twenty-one of the bottom frames and brack-
cts of the Texas are buckled from a quar-
ter Of an inch to an inch and a half, while
the cement lining Of the double bottom is
cracked in many places. Whether 1t will be
necessary to undertake to repair these
frames and remove the dents In the bottom
cannot be told until a further examination
Is made, and TO do this 1t may be necessary
to remove all of the weights Of the ship in
order to draw off the eleven feet Of water
safely, otherwise the strains might again
become excessive, and irreparaDle injury
follow. In the absence of full details. which
must in the end be gathered by a special
board, the department is not disposed to
place the blame for the accident on con-
structor Bowles. as he has. the reputation
of being one of the best dockmen in the
navy. Instead, there is a belief that the
Texas was too lightly built to stand her
own weight while in dock, and If this should
be the case 1t would cost a large sum of
money and much time to straighten the hull.
The vessel was built on plans purchased
from England, and it is said that the de-
partment ofticials were CT the opinion from
the first that they were defective, in that
too much In strength has been sacrificed in
order to save weight and make the vessel
float at the calculated displacement.