The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-17
SAYS THE TEXAS
IS ALL RIGHT
Secretary Herbert Praises
the Big Battle-Ship
Officially.
Issues a Statement Declaring
That It Ranks With the
Finest.
Like ALI New War Vessels 1t Pos.
sessed Minor Defects to Be
Remedied.


Navy Department issued an official state
ment this morning to demonstrate that
the battle-ship Texas, instead OF being in
any degree failure, ranks with the finest
warships in the world and is not surpassed
by any American naval vessel. The occa-
sion for this announcement is Secretary
Herbert's approval of a court of inquiry
record, which found. no one responsible
for the unfortunate laundering of the yes
sci recently at the New York Navy-yard.
Secretary Herbert's statement is as fol-
lows:
In giving out the action of the department
on the findings of the recent court of inquiry
as to the accident which resulted in the sink
ing OF the Texas at the navy-yard, New York,
i have concluded TO depart from my usual
custom and make general statement about
this ship.
OF course the public knows that the accident
about which this court of inquiry was held
could NOT have occurred at sea; that it hap
pened because part OF an injection pipe had
been taken out for repairs. and that the ship
was promptly raised without having suffered
any material damage.
So many criticisms on this vessel have been
made that the public, or part OF it at least,
may be disposed to regard her as valueless.
Considerable objection was made by some of
the officers of the department 10 the building
OF ship on the plans of the Texas, and the
question before more than one board dur
ing the administration of Secretary Whitney,
and afterward, during the administration of
Secretary Tracy, the plans, having been again
brought in question, were submitted to other
boards and were again and again approved,
and SO the construction of the ship proceeded
at the Norfolk Navy-yard until, during this
administration, she was completed and sent
to sea.
The Texas was laid down by Mr.. Whitney.
A board of eminent naval officers awarded to
a prominent English designer, Mr.. John. the
prize that had been offered by the department
for the best plans of a battle-snip of given di-
mansions. AT the time and for months after
ward the Navy Department, through the Bu-
reas OF Construction and Repair and of Steam
Engineering, was expanding considerable
money annually in the procurement of draw
ings, plans, etc. from abroad. We were avail
ing ourselves of the experience of foreign ma
lions.
There have been several accidents to the
ship since she was commissioned Different
parts of her machinery have from zine to time
developed defects and it at one time became
apparent that her bottom needed stiffening.
She was sent to tho navy-yard at Norfolk and
her bottom was stiffened, and her defects have,
it is believed, speaking generally, all been
remedied except those relating to her turret
and the system OF water-tight compartmen MS,
developed by the recent flooding of the vessel,
as shown by the finding of the court of in
quiry.
The department has given orders that these
deficiencies be implicitly remedieo, which can
and will be done in a few weeks at the New
York navy-yard and at comparatively small
cost
1t would, OF course, be very desirable IL all
our ships when first completed could be turned
over to the Government by contractors and by
navy-yards in absolutely perfect condition, but
this has never vet been done either in our own
or any other navy. A modern war vessel is an
aggregation of complicated machinery and no
expert expects ship to be at its best until 1t
h as been shaken down by cruise of mon this
and tried thoroughly in all its parts.
1t is believed that we have made fewer than
any nation and certainly less costly mistakes
than mos: others in the building Of a modern
navy; yet there were two of our ships-the
Texas and the Machias-that had to be cut in
two and heightened. There were three others
the Detroit, the Montgomery and the Mar
blehead-in which it was found essential to
make far more fundamental changes than
have ever been found necessary in the Texas,
and yet the latter ship, probably because the
sci was mooted from the very inception of the
ship, has been subject to an unusual amount of
harsh criticism.
1t is sometimes stated that there are naval
officers who are stealth1ly and surrepdtiously
aiming, through the press, to have the public
condemn vessel of the United States navy.
II this were true there would be no condemna-
ton too strong and no punishment TOO severe
for such conduct
The Texas has been cruising as part of the
North Atlantic squadron for the past four
months, since her bottom was stitfened at the
Norfolk Navy-yard. Captain Glass, one of the
most efficient and reliable officers of the navy,
who has been in command of her, declares
that she is the stlffest, most easily managed
and entirely seaworthy ship In the navy.
Captain Robley d. Evans, commanding the
Indiana, holds the same opinion. He says
that when the fleet on the 18th of october was
on its way to New York, in q hurricane-in
the worst sea he had ever encountered-the
Texas showed that she was the most seaworthy
ship in the fleet.