The Texas Navy also developed destroyers to protect its capital ships against the threat of coastal and seagoing torpedo boats. The first class developed was the Abilenes, authorized in 1901 and commissioned starting in 1904. Four ships composed the first class: Abilene, Amarillo, Alvarado, and Atlanta:
![[ img ]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/zp9rciduddlwki3/RTX%20Abilene%20Class%20TBD.png?dl=0)
They weighed in at 393 tons, and were 180' long on the waterline. Their anti-torpedo boat battery consisted of two M1900 3"/50 guns and five M1884 6lb QF guns (though only three were mounted). They also carried a pair of 18" torpedo tubes firing the larger Mk2 Whitehead torpedos.
They were not as fast as desired, their maximum speed was only 24 knots, but they had the same range as the capital ships and did not need refueling except when the larger ships did. Their crews numbered 43 and were crammed into very cramped accommodations.
The Abilenes left much to be desired in a torpedo boat destroyer, but they were a good start.
![[ img ]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ao0vm87hhix47w0/RTX%20%237%20Class%20Torpedo%20Boat.png?dl=0)
![[ img ]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/svtlrlobzxwqp7z/RTX%20STB%20%231%20Class.png?dl=0)
![[ img ]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/dyhs9szwe1qtmfe/Ships%20of%20the%20Texas%20Navy%201900-09.png?dl=0)
