Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-18
IMPORTANT ARMoR TESTS.
Experiments Made at the Naval Ord
nance Proving Ground.


The ordnance bureau OF the Navy De-
partment began to-day series of Inter
esting armor tests at the proving ground
opposite the Naval Academy, that will at
tract more attention among the naval au :
thofities OF the world than any previous
armor test made. 1t was the first trial
OF Importance ever held that was not con-
Quoted secretly and of which fair and
impartial accounts will be published Ia
European tests representatives OF the
press and foreign naval officers have al
ways been excluded, and the only ac-
counts published have been those given
out by the makers of the plates. who
have been of course interested Ia making
the best possible showing for their wares.
Inls was not the case with the tests made
to-day, IS II was witnessed by representa-
tives OF the New York, Washington. Bal
timore, Philadelphia, and Annapolis
press.
The following composed the ordnance
board, who were present at the trial test
this morning: Hon. B. +. Tracy, Sec.
rotary OF the Navy; Rear Admiral L. A.
Kimberly, Captain K. o. Mathews, Com
mander w. X. Brldgman, Lieut. Com
mander w. Maynard; Lieuts J. f. Msigs.
q. A. Stone, w. III. III. Switzerland, r. r.
Fletcher, K. Miles: Ensigns p. r. Alger.
A. A. Alderman. II. B. Dashiell. Besides a
large number OF distinguished guests. To-
Guiding Coy. Jackson. Hon. Chas. Fl.
Gibson, member OF Congress. Petronius
Hodges, OF Sheffield, England, Lieut.. f.
nj. lamar, U. s. A., Commander Jas. A.
Gseer chief the Bureau Of Ordnance, and
many others.
Secretary Tracy arrived last evening at
9 O'Clock from Washington. and was met
at the depot by Captain Pythian. The
Secretary was accompanied by Commo-
dore w. M Folger, chief of the bureau
OF ordnance, and, on arriving at the Acad-
envy, received salute Of nineteen guns.
The officers. In full dress uniform, and
the marine guard In charge of Captain
Young, ssluted the distinguished visitor
as he entered the Superintendent resi-
dence In the Academy, the band mean
while playing Hail to the Chief" Rear
Admiral Kimberly arrived In the after
noon and was received with q salute of
thirteen guns.
At the test made to-day the three
leading types of European armor plating
were represented-all steel and nickel
steel, from Schneider q Co of Crusot,
France. and compound steel on wrought
iron, from Commel 81 Co.. of Sheffield,
England. Each plate was eight feet high
six feet wide and ten and a.half inches
thick. The makers done their best on
these plates, for this trial will not only
determine which type Of plate the Navy
Department will encourage the manufac-
ture of In this country, but there is do
cided opinion among naval officers that
IL will 90 far toward determining the type
10 be used In Europe.
The most recent trial abroad was In
May of the present year. when plate Sc
lected from the barbette and turret armor
for the Hood and the Royal Sovereign
was tried by the English authorities at
Portsmouth. This was = Cammell COM
pound plate, one-third steel and two
thirds wrought-iron, of the same dimen-
sions as the plates tried at the proving
grounds to-day. No complete account
of this trial has yet been printed either in
Europe or America, and. as its conditions
were almost identical with those tried to-
day some details will be interesting as
showing just what the plates will be call
ed upon to stand in the tests made.
A six-inch breech loading rifle was used
firing Holtzer forged steel armor-pieIcing
projectiles, weighing one hundred pounds
The former were used to test the resis-
powder charge was 46 pounds OF the best
Brown powder, giving an initial velocity
2. O06 feet per second and q striking eDer-
Qy of 2, 9SS feet tons at the muzz'e. The
range was 30 feet.
The first shot was q Holtzer armor-
piercing projectile fired at the lower left
hand corner Of the plate. 1t failed to go
through and remained sticking in the
plate with its base nearly flush with the
surface of the plate. No cracks radiated
from the shot as is generally the case.
Next. another Hotter was fired at the
lower left hand quarter OF the sheffield,
England, plate. made Of compound steele
and iron. This went entirely through
the Mate and lodged in the oak backing.
The third shot was fired at the French
nickel Mate and pierced II at depth OF
ahout / foot. the base of the projectile
broke off and was thrown back about 20
feet. Another Holtzer was then fred at
the lower right-hand corner OF the French
steel plate, which had been fired at nrst.
The proiectile at this shot had the same
effect on the plate as did the first. stick
ing In about one foot. the conclusion OF
which dislodged the first PROTECTIVE.
The six inch rifle gun from which the
shots were fred was about thirty feet as
tant from the armor plates, which were
EMBEDDED in barricade of massive oak
timbers, covered over by heavy sheet iron,
the front and sides being protected Dy
barbados Of sand bags. The estimate
cost of the test TO the government was
over sc, 600.
Up TO q late hour this afternoon the
tests were still going on.
Brought Here for Interment.
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