The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-20
THE INDIANA NOT DAMAGED.
NO PERMANENT INJURY SUSTAINED
IN HALIFAX DOCK.

English officers Say That the "BuclS-
ling" which Alarmed the AmcrI-
cans Was a Common Occurrence
with English VesseIs-Thc RIg
WarShip Is Again In Commission
and Seems to Move With Ease--rhe
Big Gun Is Not Hurt.
Washington, Sept. 19-ActIng Secretary
Roosevelt, as an answer to recently pub
lished reports that the battleship Indiana
was injured while in the Halifax dry
dock has made public the following report
received from Capt. Henry Taylor, COM
mandng the vessel, made shortly after
the docking:
Il respectfully report that the Indiana
got under way yesterday morning at 6;15
and proceeded up the harbor to the Hall
fax dock and entered the slip at I o'clock.
AT noon the dock being half pumped out,
l ordered an inspection of the double bot
toms in order to detect strains, as the
blocks took the weight The dock was
dry at o'clock, and no evidence of strain
was discovered. At $50 it was observed
that some buckling had occurred in the
double bottoms under the forward 13-inch
turret and adjacent thereto. The addi-
tional snoring which was being placed in
position was placed forward and the dou-
bic bottoms watched closely to discover
if buckling increased. Careful measure
ment was made for this purpose under
the direction of Naval Constructor Bowles
and continued during the night No in
crease being discovered, l decided, after
consultation with Mr. Bowles, that 1t 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 a slight inequality
of support. Mr. Bowles informs me that
he does not anticipate any p&esent repairs
being necessary on account of the buck
ling. The bucl1ling is confined to the floor
space adjacent to the vertical keel. The
maximum of ~ inches occurs at frame %,
decreasing forward to frame % where it
ceases, and aft of frame 80, where 1t ceases
again-three or four frames abaft frame
30, showing very slight detection"
In connection with the report, Mr.. Roose-
welt states that the slight buckling Of the
lndlana's bottom was of no consequence,
as was indicated by the fact that the ship
took her place in the squadron Immediate
ly after leaving dock and manoeuvered as
satisfactorily as could be desired. Mr..
Roosevelt has just received this letter from
one of the captains of the squadron
II have just been on board the Indiana
and asked about the reports that she was
damaged at Halifax. When the Columbia
was docl1ed at Southampton and the same
hue and cry was raised, British naval
officers not only laughed at 1t, but thought
her captain hardly treated because Of the
inquiry made, and called what happened
to the Columbia a common occurrence
with them And they said to me. When
you have had the experience of docking
more modern vessels you will find the
same condition of affairs existing as for
the Indiana. No leak or strain of any
kind is observed and reither the speed nor
efficiency of the ship has been affected in
the slightest degree.
In the same way about the great gun.
1 find that what has happened is merely
what the bureau of ordnance has been
anticipating, d slight pltting, due to the
character and quantity of explosives used,
and the gun has not been injured in the
slightest degree"