By 1895, the heavy elements of the U.S. Fleet consisted of 15 steel cruisers, the heavy cruiser USS New York, and three battleships. The first two battleships were the USS Texas, commissioned on August 15, 1895, and the USS Maine, commissioned on September 17, 1895. Both were listed as “second-class” battleships. The third ship, the USS  Indiana  (BB 1), was commissioned in 1895. It was our first “first-class” battleship. In 1906, the United States began a large battleship-building program. Five battleships were of the same class as the USS New Mexico and USS Colorado; however, they weren’t completed until after World War I. Based on lessons learned from wartime experiences, many improvements were incorporated into their design. For example, battleships of the same class as the USS Colorado were the first ones equipped with 16-inch guns. NAVAL AVIATION As the 19th century drew to a close, the Wright brothers were working on their flying craft. The Wright brothers’first flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, began the vision of the future. Most people thought of flying as a stunt or a sport, while others talked about crossing the ocean by airplane. One European wrote in part, …flights over the ocean will be made possible by a new type of ship…[its] deck will be clear of all obstacles, flat and wide as possible … [it will] have the aspect of a landing field…its  speed  shall  equal  that  of  a cruiser…housing of planes will be arranged below deck and planes will have folding wings…and to one side there will be the service personnel workshop. Others saw the potential of aircraft serving as an extension of the might and range of a naval force at sea. They were convinced that airplanes wouldn’t be used just for circus sideshows and crop-dusting. They believed aircraft would transport troops across oceans and be equipped to strike offensively. The Navy was again looking upward. As the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Theodore Roosevelt recommended that the Secretary of the Navy appoint two officers “…of scientific attainments and practical ability…” to examine Professor Samuel P. Langley’s flying machine and report on its potential for military use. One such man was Navy Captain Washington Irving Chambers,  the  U.S.  Navy’s  first  officer  in  charge  of aviation. Captain Chambers’ initial involvement was to answer letters from air-minded citizens and observe and report on aviation developments of particular concern to the Navy. What started as a collateral duty soon was a full-time job, and Chambers became a strong supporter of those who wanted to see the sea service add an air arm. In April 1911, the Office of Aviation in Washington, D.C., consisted of only Captain Chambers. In May, he wrote  requisitions  for  two  machines  made  of  wood, canvas, bamboo, rubber, and metal—two airplanes, the A-1 and the A-2. Earlier in the year, a civilian, Eugene Ely, had successfully taken off from and later landed a biplane on a platform rigged aboard USS Pennsylvania (ACR  4),  demonstrating  the  practical  use  of  naval aircraft. Shortly thereafter, the Navy accepted delivery of its first  airplane,  the  A-1.  The  A-1  was  first  flown  by Lieutenant T. G. Ellyson, the Navy’s first aviator. The A-1 was followed by the A-2; naval aviation had gotten off the ground. By  October  1911,  the  Navy  was  ready  to  try durability flights. Lieutenants Ellyson and J. H. Towers attempted  a  flight  from  Annapolis  to  Fort  Monroe, Virginia. After flying 112 miles in 122 minutes, the pair was  forced  down  somewhat  short  of  their  goal  by mechanical  problems.  Although  a  failure  in  part,  the flight paved the way for successful durability tests in the following months. Based on tremendous headway made in a few short years, in 1914, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels prophesied  “…the  science  of  aerial  navigation  has reached that point where aircraft must form a large part of  our  naval  force  for  offensive  and  defensive operations.” It had become evident that the airplane was no longer merely a plaything of the rich or eccentric—it had become a vital part of our nation’s weaponry. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS FROM 1900 THROUGH WWI Meanwhile, the Navy was switching from coal to oil as fuel for its ships. USS Nevada (BB 36) was the first  of  the  battleships  to  use  oil.  The  day  of  the  coal passer was on the way out. 5-13 Student Notes: