The Washington herald., 1911-04-16
UNCLE SANS SCRAP PILE
COSTTEN MILLION DOLLARS
Photo b. HarTie Ewing.

too near one of the deafening concus-
sions.
While its armor was shedding the enc
my's shots the Texas was driving its r.
inch shells at the Spanish vessels. and
Capt. Philip observed afterward that the
men in the Texas turret have reason 70
congratulate themselves that the two big
shells which found way into the Spanish
vessels, so far discovered nv the Official
board of survey, were Pinch shells
Surely IL worthy service can entitle any
in9nimate creation to honorable retire
ment such retirement might have been
claimed for the Texas. But sentiment
has little place in the nations naval pol
icy, and the department, which has great
trouble in getting Congress to give II
about one-half the new battle ships II
wants, could hardly be expected to de-
vote one of the new Dreadnoughts to
| target duty for the other ships.
So as the Texas has passed the stage
OF Availability in any expected contin-
gency, II was made the mark for the
guns of the New Hampshire.
The name San Marcos was given TO
the doomed ship, and il made its last
voyage to Chesapeake Bay. where Tan
gier Sound offered favorable place for
the test.
Secretary of the Navy Meyer Senator
Clapp. Representatives Roberts. Loud.
and Gregg; Admiral Wainwright, and
Commander Andrews, with the captains
of twenty-five ships of the Atlantic feet,
witnessed the remarkable scene.
Steaming back and forth at a speed of
ten knots an hour, and at a distance OF
six to seven and a half miles from the
San Marcos. the New Hampshire fired its
S-inch and 12-inch guns at the cleaning
side of the distant vessel
Some of the shots were not intended to
hit the San Marcos, navy officials say.
Those that were meant to hit did so, al
most without exception 1t was later de-
clared.
Shells Start Fire.
The two fighting masts of the San Mar
cos were shot away early in the action.
Shells passed completely through her
forward armor. making two jagged
wounds, and two fires which broke out
successfully in the hulk were put out by
tugs, while the attacking vessel ceased
firing long enough to permit this relief.
Nineteen broadsides came, not in the
quick succession of a battle, but other
wise under the conditions of an engage
ment.
At the seventh broadside the San Mar
cos was in distress, and the tugs raced
TO give her assistance, and drew the bat
tered hulk back into place for further
Workmanship. The last broadside, fired
just at sunset, scattered four Finch and
four S-inch shells about the old vessel.
Naval officials are still at work on the
figures showing the mathematical result
of the test. That it will be a report ia
vorable to modern methods and to the
Workmanship OF the New Hampshire's
gunners has been indicated by the state
ments of the Secretary and others.
The Texas and the Maine, which was
sunk in Havana Harbor. were authorized
by an act OF Congress passed in 1886. and
their construction took place in 1Ss9-lSss
They were the first armored cruising
ships constructed by the United States.
Their designs were copied after those Of
English nlen-of-war.
They were the fnrerunners of the four
splendid fighting vessels which did most
effective service against the Spanish
squadron-the Indiana, the Massachu-
Sets, the Iowa. and the Oregon.
Others 10 Go.
And 1t will now be hut few years, ac-
cording to the inexorable rules of the
Navy Department, before the Oregon and
the other three ships named follow the
Texas as targets for the projectiles OF
newer vessels or are relegated to the
ignominy of the junk heap.
Twenty-Five vessels. Of the navy which
would otherwise be consigned to the junk
pile have been turned over to the naval
militia of the several States. Some Of
them are vessels taken from Spain by
Dewey. Sampson. and Schley. This list
does not include the monitors or old pro-
tected cruisers. four of which are doing
this service. The twenty-five are the
Aileen. Alvarado. Don Juan de AUS
tria, Dorothea. Dupont. Elfrida. Essex
Gloucester, Gopher. Granite State. Hawk.
Huntress. Isfa de Cuba. Isla de Luzon.
Nashville. Oneida, Portsmouth. Rodgers.
SaIdovai. Somers, Stranger, Sylvia, yix
en-. Wasp. and Yantic.
The Oregon. most costly OF the old
type Of sea fighters. cost the government
less than 36.00o.000 The New York. big
gest Of the Dreadnoughts now building at
Eastern shipyardA win cost nearly
$1s,ooQ0n