To accomplish this she needed coaling stations for her ships and the Spanish Empire maintained a foothold in strategic locations throughout Cuba and Puerto Rico - both islands being in close proximity to American shores and within the sphere of influence of the "Monroe Doctrine". The United States wanted to become a world power and to do that needed a wide-ranging navy to expand and project her power. She resumed Atlantic coast duty in March of 1897 until the beginning of 1898. In February of 1897, she was detached and left the Atlantic Squadron to cruise to the Gulf coast ports of Galveston and New Orleans. Texas was assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron and the warship cruised up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Coal bunker fires and explosions were common, with coal dust being almost as flammable as gun power itself. Fire on board ship has always been the most feared calamity to the sailor and the use of coal in the Texas was no different. After loading of coal and supplies, the USS Texas sank so low in the water that the ship's armor belt was submerged below the waterline and greatly reduced her speed and sea keeping. A coal-fired ship, having a bulkhead between the rearmost hold in the stern and the engine room, was bent or curved at its center portion to project and provide a main coal bunker between the hold and the engine room. They extend a hull dimension at or below the waterline and serve to increase flotation or add lift when underway. Sponsons were projections from the sides of a ship useful for protection, stability or for the mounting of equipment. Texas had overhanging sponsons used to assist in coal supplying form collier ships. She was a turret ship categorized as in design as "echeloned", having two 12-inch turrets with one positioned to port and the other slightly off to the starboard side center line surrounded by 12-inch armor. Both of these weight issues did, however, make the Texas faster than Maine. In many ways USS Maine was superior to the Texas - Texas carried lighter armament and her coal bin bunkers had less capacity. After being commissioned, it was discovered her bottom plating was to light and she was returned to the Norfolk Yard for repairs.© The ship was built at the US Navy yards at Norfolk, Virginia, and commissioned on August 15th, 1895 with Captain Henry Glass in command. Texas was built from an English design which came about from a competition with a $15,000 grand prize. USS Texas was a 2nd Class Battleship and also became a pre-dreadnought battleship in 1900. Many see both ships as unique though, a type of class in themselves. However, at this time, the navy department did not issue a class identification. USS Texas was commissioned 32 days before USS Maine, making Texas first in her class. The US Congress authorized the money to build the two ships, Texas and her sister ship the Maine on August 3rd, 1886. The US Navy needed battleships to protect her shores and to be seen as a major player among the world's great navies. The first USS Texas was America's first battleship.
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