The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-09-23
THE BATILESH|P INDIANA
LAND LUBBERS CAN CUDGEL
THEIR BRAINS OVER CAPT.
TAYLOR'S REPORT.
BUCKL|NG Of The DOUBLE BOTTOMS
Detected the Frames and What
Happened Was Expected.
The Indiana All Right.

Washington, Sept. 19.-Acting Secre-
tary Roosevelt, as an answer to recently
published reports that the battleship In
diana was injured while in the Halifax
dry dock, has made public the following
report, received from Capt Henry Tay-
lor, commanding the vessel, made shortly
after the docking:
II respectfully report that the Indiana
get under way yesterday morning at 6:15
a. m. and proceeded up the harbor to
the Halifax craving dock and then en-
tered the slip at O'Clock. AT noon, the
dock being half pumped out, l ordered
an inspection of the double bottoms in
order to detect strains and blocks. and
took the weight. The dock was dry at
I o'clock and no evidence of strains was
discovered. At $50 it was discovered
that some buckling had occurred in the
doubk. bottoms under the forward
l3~inch turrent and adjacent thereto.
The additional snoring which was being
laced into position was placed forward
and the double bottoms watched closely
to discover if this buckling increased
Careful measurement was made for this
purpose under the direction of Naval
Constructor Bowles, and continued dur
ing the night. No increase heing dis
covered, decided after consultation with
Mr.. Bowles that it was not necessary to
let water in to float the ship.
"The principal reason assigned for the
strain is the fact that some of the keel
blocks are on rock foundations and
others are not. thus causing u slight in
equality of support. Mr.. Bowles in
forms me that he does not anticipate any
present repairs being necessary on ac-
count Of the buckling. The buckling is
conined tc the floor space adjacent to
the vertical keel. The maximum of
l - inches occurs to frame ~, decreas-
ing forward to frame %, where it ceases,
and aft of frame 81, where it ceases
again-three of the frames abaft of frame
SIS showing very slight detection"
In connection with the report, Mr..
Roosevelt states that the slight bucklng
of the Indiana's bottom was of no con-
sequence, as was indicated by the fact
that the ship took her place in the squad
ron Immediately after leaving dock and
Unanswered as satisfactorily as could be
desired Mr.. Roosevelt has just re-
Ceived this letter from one OF the cap
tains of the squadron:
II have Just been on board the Indiana
and asked about the reports that she was
damaged at Halifax: When the Column
bia was locked at Southampton and tho
same hue and cry was raised, British
naval officers not only laughed at it, but
thought her captain hardly treated be.
cause Of the inquiry made. and called
what happened to the Columbia a com
mon occurrence with them, and they
said to me: When you have had the
experience of docking more modern yes.
sells YOU will find the same condition of
affairs AS for the Indiana, no leak or
strain Of any kind is observed, and
neither the speed nor efficiency of the
shin has been affected in the. slightest
degree. In the same way about the
great gun. I find that what has hap
prned is merely what the bureau of ord
nance has been ANTICIPATING slight pit.
ting. due to the character and quality of
the explosive used, and the gun has not
heen injured in THE slightest degree"