So, being a mostly third rate navy (as far as I can deduce!) in terms of numbers and strength, but not necessarily as a reflection of its professionalism, Redhorse's Texas navy is on the right track in its building process.
That is correct. The Republic is not a first-rate naval power. It is doing the best it can with a limited number of men, money, and ports with a very shallow draft (less than 25 feet until 1900).
To that end, the Cruiser Invincible emerged from a major refit by Gray's Ironworks on Pelican Island in late 1905. Not everyone is happy with her, either:
What was once an elegant ship is now a Frankenstein's monster. The refit was extremely ambitious and costly - over a third of her original construction cost. Her 8" guns, once some of the most powerful, were obselete when she went into the dry-dock. The 6"/50s arming the light cruisers had much the same range and penetration as the bigger gun. The big turrets were taken down, the barbette plated over as a deck, and the 6" guns mounted in pairs under an armored shield. The hoists were retained but modified for the smaller ordnance, and the shield was open at the back. The 5" guns were replaced by 3"/50s to protect against torpedo boats, and the broadside torpedo tubes were increased in diameter from 14 to 18 inches.
He powerplant was replaced entirely by newer multiple expansion engines and oil-fired boilers. The first such in the Navy, they were imposed by the Secretary of the Navy, who wanted to capitalize on the booming oil industry in Texas. But altering her structure from coal to oil bunkers was difficult, as the Gray's had no experience with the behavior of liquid fuel tankage. But for all its problems, the new plant could push her through the water at 20 knots, which met Congress' new mandate for the minimum speed of future ships.
But all that new work changed her to the point that no one really knows what to do with her. The phrase used to describe her was "undergunned, overarmored, and unnecessary". Her classification was officially changed to light cruiser, and she served ten more years just so the country could get its money's worth out of her.