The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-10
The Old Battle Ship Surrenders
TO the Angry Waves.
HAS HAD MANY ACCIDENTS
Had Recently Cost a Hundred
Thousand Dollars to Repair.
BUT she WENT TO WRECK
Hss,cse the . ,ck in the Brooklyn Navy
Yard--Report of the Commandont
Commodore Sfcard.

New York. Nov. 9.-The United States
h1ttleship Texas, to which number OF
accidents have occurred since she was
laurehed, lies alongside the Cob dock IN
the Brooklyn navy yard, submerged
abeut five feet above her water line.
Early to-day the main injection yalye
on the starboad side near the midshIp
line. and about fourteen feet peloW the
water line, was showed IN from the Iorce
of the water, and the engine rooms were
flooded with dirty, black, muddy water.
The ship soon began to settle, ana Capt.
Glass. who is in command of the Texas,
called tRe officers and crew TO quarters
and did everything possible to mlnlInlze
the ships injuries. At the time the &C
cident occurred there was only about two
feet of water under the ship, and she soon
rested on the muddy bottom. This was
at low water, but at high water lhere
was five or six feet Of water above the
line at the stern and about eighteen inch
es less at her bow.
Wrecking tugs were Immediately SUM
moned. and three of them were soon
alongside pumping the water out OIL ner
engine and boiler rooms, While DIVER
was sent down to ascertain the extent OF
the damage. Captain Glass, Lieutenant
Kelly and Engineer Moore, as well as all
the other officers of the ship could not
be induced to talk about the accident 10
the ship, and all inquirers were referred
to Commodore Sycard, Commandant OF
the yard.
The Texas has been followed by Sc
,;es Of accidents since her launching.
-. +. a ~s,esar tSGff n r.
hoard. the keel ON which she was laid be-
ing uneven On her speed trial trip,
breakage in the machinery necessitated
postponement, and while entering New
port. r.. T., harbor recently, she was
aground for a few hours While in dry
dock at the Brooklyn navy yard, she
sustained severe strain, several plates
being bent Nearly 100000 was spent
in repairs at the Norfolk navy yard
few months ago. The Texas was built
at Norfolk by the Government.
Washington, Nov. 9.-The first official
news of the late accident to the battleship
Texas was received at the Navy Depart
ment over the telephone to-day from New
York. Commodore Sycard, the command
ant Of the New York Navy Yard, was
called to the instrument and made n
Texas was now lying in twenty feet of
water. Both of her engine rooms are
filled with water. The accident was
caused by the bursting of the starboard
main injection valve as near as can be
discovered. The Chapman Wrecking
Company are now lying alongside. No.
2 dry-dock is being prepared to receive
the Texas as soon as she can be hoated.
sm a1oI Iv 1.4n 10 H..
breaking of the yoke which holds dowa
the starboard main injection valve,
whereby the valve admitted water to the
ship. The commandant promised to
make a more complete report during the
day, and in the absence of the details the
officials of the Navy Department cannot
estimate the full damage. 1t will how
ever they say, be extensive as even If the
water is speedily removed, the machinery
will have been more or less injured.
Later in the day, Commodore Sycard
supplemented his first report by a tele- /
gram, giving further details Of the acci- I
dent He said that the Texas's main in /
lection pipe was removed for repairs and
the pipe to seaward closed with a blank
hange. This morning about o'clock the
yoke through which the valve stem
screws broke under the water pressure
from the outside and the sea rushed in,
films the starboard engine room and
thence leaked through the closed water
tight doors, and gradually filed the port
engine room. No other parts Of the ship
were flooded besides the two engine
rooms The ship settled down upon the
soft bottom.
Secretary Herbert this afternoon ap-
pointed a court of inquiry to investigate
the affair. The detail is: Commodore |
j. ~ Miller, of the Boston Navy Yard;
Chief Engineer w. w. DUNCAN, Inspec-
tor OF machinery at Cramps, and Naval |
Constructor Hanseon, of New York Yard,
with Lieutenant b. IT. Walling, of the
New York yard as judge adyocte. The
court will meet at the New York yard at
p. m Wednesday next.
THE TEXAS AFLOAT AGAIN
New York, Nov. 9.-Commander West
telegraphed the Associated Press at
1890 o'clock tonight that the battleship
Texas was afioat at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard, and would be pumped out and
locked on Tuesday