Republic of Texas

[Novice]

Nice little ship there Redhorse May I suggest you give it some fire-control position on the mast, and maybe a second position aft. Also a second mast will be usefull for the radio aerials which were strung between fore and aft masts in that time frame.

[Redhorse]

Her first refit will address the fire control and the use of radio. But that's a good catch. I was saving radio for the last build of this ten-year period (1886-1895) for another cruiser, the Invincible.

Another reason to wait is that in the next ten year period (1896-1905), Galveston Harbor will be dredged, allowing deeper hulls to be constructed. You'll also see the effects of the 1900 hurricane, and the construction of the Houston ship channel.

[dreadnaught111]

Always nice to see some good old fashioned pre-dreadnaughts!

[Redhorse]

Laid down the same time as the Guadalupes, but in the Levingston Yard on the Sabine River, the Brutus Class gunboats were built to replace the old wood gunboat that had served for so long. Not meant for prolonged duty at sea, they patrolled near shore and were a frequent sight just outside Texas harbors. Their conditions were crowded, but served in their capacity well and were often the 'remedial training ships' for marginal officers or those who were deemed as needing more experience before passing on to the larger vessels.



As naval developments continued to press forward at a rapid pace, the limited room for growth in the gunboats made their future uncertain. The naval-minded in Congress were apprehensive at the expense of ships that may not have been suited for changes. Torpedo boats and torpedo armament were gaining traction in these years, and the more progressive naval officers were encouraging the service to keep pace not just with the fleet size of potential adversaries, but their weapons, too.

[ALVAMA]

Love that one!!! so cute!

[Redhorse]

In 1895, the Texas Navy commissioned the ship that truly brought it into the modern age. She was the Cruiser Invincible, a complement to the British-built Independence, but larger, faster, and better armed:



She had a maximum speed of 18 knots under forced draft. Only the larger warships of the larger navies could catch her.

Her main battery of 4 8"/35s were the same as those installed on the American Olympia; some surmised that she was a carbon copy armed to Texan practice. 8 5" guns graced her broadsides, and 4 6 pound QFs sat at the ends of the superstructure to keep a watchful eye for torpedo boats.

She was the first Texas ship fitted with torpedo tubes, but these were mounted poorly just above the waterline. The often volatile waters of the Gulf of Mexico sprung their hatches open and poured water into the compartments. The tubes were largely useless in anything but calm seas, and were subsequently removed in her first major refit.

She was also the first ship with an electrical plant. That innovation vastly improved the quality of life for here sailors. Electricity provided refrigeration for better nutrition and electric lights removed the fire hazard of oil lamps throughout the vessel. Duty on the Invincible was coveted, and sailors would often refuse transfer to other vessels (with the subsequent reduction in rank as a result).

Unfortunately, her dominance was short lived. The dreadnoughts were less than a decade away; their heavy armament and design practices made her a second rate ship almost as quickly as she embodied all the naval innovations of her time. She would serve through World War One and a little beyond, but no farther.

[Redhorse]

To close out the ten years of development, here's the obligatory family photo, complete with dispositions of ships that were struck in that time period:

[Redhorse]

Coming to the end of the deployment. Expect more work soon...

[Scifibug]

Welcome back, looking forward to a surge of RoT designs.
Stay safe.

[emperor_andreas]

Speaking as someone who was born and raised in Texas, I am very impressed!

-Matt