New-York tribune., 1911-03-23
FIRE At HULK OF TEXAS
Wrecked Batt|eshipAgain Target
of New Hampshire'S Guns.
CAT WALKS OUT OF TURRET 7
Naval Men Astonished at the Re.
markable Accuracy-Will
Not Be Raised.

on board torpedo boat Strngnam. Lower
Chesapeake Bav, March 22.-Again to-day.
bright and early, the battleship New Hamp-
shire ralned shells on the old battleship
San Marcos. once the Texas. while twelve
ether warships Of the Atlantic feet stood
by and their officers watched the lombard
mcnt There was the same remsrKabie
precision that marked the shooting yester-
day by the New Hampshbe's sunners. re-
sUlting in the sinking Of the famous ship.
all that was left Of her being a mass OF
twisted metal and Jagged armor
During the night tugs worked on the
ruins Of the vessel. Collision mats covered
many OF her gaping holes, and after much
hauling and pulling the tugs succeeded in
sending her around into the mud on which
the keel was rested. 80 as 20 present u
lroaJsidc IS n target The range to-day.
ike that during the exhibition Yesterday,
averaged about six miles.
Ordnance officers avoided advancing any
opinions. but there was apparently gen
nine surprise al Doth the remarkable gun
rcry Of the New Hampshire's men and the
extraordinary havoc wrought by the ne"
shells The New Hampshire had been 60
lected for the test because her guns. which
were not considered up TO the standard,
were 10 he replaced which makes the rec
ord all the more noteworthy.
The tests were concluded late this after
noon Only small number OF shots were
fred to-day.
After the firing was concluded the officers
Of the fleet went aboard the San Marcos
10 inspect the damage. She vas deep I'm
the mud and the water rose TO q point
midway between the gun deck and the
berth deck. one shell went clear through
the old battleship. tearing an open path
about two feet wide One Of the military
masts was cut away ard the other was
riddled. The coming tower or battle COM
maud station was badly damaged.
The san Marcos IS a total loss and her
naval career is ended. Officers Of the de-
partmcnt who witnessed the test are en-
thusigstc over the destructive results OBJ
tanned from the armor piercing projectiles.
The Atlantic feet will return TO Hampton
Roads tomorrow to prepare for battle
target practice. which will begin on April
ncxt on the Southern dril grounds off
Cape Henry. Va.
Washington. March 22.-These arc some
of tho things that Secretary Meyer saw
when no boarded the san Marcos between
voleys yesterday:
Tho dummies representing sailors IN the
fighting top of the ship unscathed in spite
or the great number Of volleys fired al the
ship. This was a tribute to the excellence
of tho gun pointers work, o. they were
ordered 10 condne their fire 10 the hull and
turrets.
\ raging fire inside the ship caused by
tie explosive shells which penetrated her
sides and made it impossible for the OBJ
servers t. 20 below the main deck to
ascertain the damage.
\ shell somewhat broken inside OF the
coming tower, whose nine-inch steel wall
it had pierced on one side This was not
an explosive shell.
\ number OF holes clear through the hull
from one side to the other. the greatest
damage being done on the furthes, side OF
the ship. None of these holes however
we're through the eleven inch armor belt
Some dead cats and chickens. killed by
the interior explosions. Some of the ami
mails, however. were unframed. \ cat
walked quietly ont OF one Of the turrets
whose base had been smashed by twelve
inch shell.
30 effort will be made TO raise the San
Marcos II would cost several hundred
thousand dollars 10 float the ship and re-
store her to her original condition, and she
is not worth H.
Naval officers generally We're enthusiastic
to-day over the showing in marksmanship
made by the gunners Of the New IIamp-
shire. The sporting practice. an essen-
iiai part of the test. demonstrated naval
officers say, the remarkable accuracy OF
the gunucrs of the navy.