The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-20
AS TO THE INDIANA.
CAPTAIN TAYLOR MADE A orr
WHICH is NOW PUBLIsHED.
slight DuckIing of the BnttIcships
nOttOm Is of No Consequence.
-e.ier From "a Captain.

Washington September 10. --Acting Sec
rotary Roosevelt as an answer to recently
published reports that the battleshlp In
diana was injured while In the Halifax dry
dock, has made public the following report
received from Captain Henry Taylor, com
handing the vessel, made shortly after the
docking:
II respectfully report that the Indiana
got under way yoserday morning at els
and proceeded up the harb1r to the Hall
fax craving dock and entered the slip at
o'clock. AT noon the dock being half
pumped out. | ordered an inspection of the
double bottoms In order 40 detect strains
and blocks and took tho weight The dock
was dry at O'Clock and no evidence Of
strains were discovered. At $3.50 II was
discovered that some buckling had oc-
CURED in the double bottoms under the
forward thirteen-inch turret and adjacent
thereto The additional snoring which was
being placed into position was placed for
ward and the double bottoms watched
closely TO discover II this buckling in
creased. Careful measurement was made
for this purpose under the direction OF
Naval Constructor Bowles and continued
during the night No increase being dis
covered | decided after consultation with
Mr.. Bowes that II was not necessary 10
let water in to float the ship.
The principal reason assigned for the
strain is the fact that come Of the keel
blocks are on rock foundations and others
are not. thus causing slight inequality OF
support. MIR. Bowles informs me that he
does not anticipate any present repairs be-
ing necessary on account OF the buckli1g.
The buckling Is confined TO the floor space
adjacent TO the vertical keel. The maxi
mum of ono and one-half inch occurs 10
| frame 90. decreasing forward TO frame %.
where II ceases and aft of frame 80. where
it"ceaece again-three OF the frames abaft.
frame 32 showing very slight DETECTION"
In connection with the report Mr.. Roose-
welt states that the eight buckling OF the
lndianas bottom was OF no consequence
as was indicated by the fact that the ship
took her place in the squadron Immediately
after leaving dock and Unanswered as sat
isfactorily 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 locked at Southampton and the same
hue and cry was raised British naval Of
ficers not only laughed at IL. but thought
her captain badly treated because OF the
inquiry made and called what happened to
the Columbia a common occurrence With
them. And they said 10 me; When you
have had the experience OF docking more
modern vessels you will find the same con-
ditlon OF affairs As for the Indiana no
leak or strain of any kind is observed and
neither the speed nor efficiency OF the ship
has been affected In the slightest degree.
In the same way about the great gun. I
find that what has happened is merely
what the bureau OF ordinance has been
anticipatfnga slight pitting due TO the
character and quality of the explosive used
and the gun has not been injured in the
slightest degree"