Morning journal and courier., 1890-09-19
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
From All Quarters.
ARMOR PLATES Tested.
Two Men Burned to Death
in New York.
MASSACRE OF SPANISH SOLDIERS.
Confession Of the Central
Train Wreckers.
THE RACES At PHILADELPHIA.
Tariff COnferees Accept
Reciprocity.
THE RACES At PHILADELPHIA.
rEsT,Nc aRmoR PLATES.

Heavy PrOiect1Ies Fired From a Six
Inch Gun-A CresOt Steel Target
Pierced Eight and One-Half Inches
Secretary Tracy-Prescnt.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Sept. 18.-The naval
board, of which Admiral Kimberly is pres
ident, was at the proving grounds oppo-
site Annapolis to-day to witness the test
of the foreign armor plates. Among those
present was Secretary of the Navy Tracy.
The first shot was against the Cresot steel
target, plate 104 inches thick. It was
fred from six-inch gun thirty feet from
the target. It struck the lower right
hand corner and penetrated about
g. inches. The second shot from
the same gun and distance at COM
position plate of steel and wrought
iron of the same thickness as the first
plate, went through the plate and lodged
in the oak backing. The third shot, I'M
der the same conditions, at nickel and
steel combination plate penetrated the
plate several inches, then broke into two
parts, the butt end flying back several
yards. At the second shot fragments of
the plate were thrown back several hun
dred yards. The fourth shot was against
the Cresot steel plate and the projectile
rebounded uninjured after penetrating the
plate about eleven inches. The fifth shot
was fired at the lower left hand corner of
the Sheffield plate, which was badly
cracked. The projectile penetrated SO far.
that it's base was fifteen inches from the
was against the nickel steel plate and was
aimed at the lower left hand cor
ner, penetrating about fifteen
inches. There were no cracks and only a
slight protrusion around the entrance. The
seventh shot was fired at the right upper
corner of the Cresot steel plate. The pro-
jectile rebounded, after penetrating four
teen inches. There were no cracks and
only very slight bulge. The eighth shot
was fired at the Cammel plate. The pro-
jectile entered the right hand upper cor
ner, penetrating a2a inches from the face
of the plate. This shot broke the corner
very badly, the cracks radiating from the
entrance of the projectile. The steel face
of the plate seemed to have been partly
separated from it's wrought iron back. The
ninth was at the nickel steel plate, strik-
ing the left upper corner and penetrat-
ing about fifteen inches, the projec
tile sticking in the plate. The tenth shot
was fired at the all-steel target and entered
eleven inches, but was thrown back and
broken outside of the plate and only ONT
small fragment of it was found. The elev
| enth shot was fired at the upper left han6
corner of the Cammen plate. The projectil'
almost disintegrated the upper half of the
target Almost two square yards o
the steel facing gave way ant
the projectile penetrated not onl.
| the plate, but the backing ant
buried itself in the back behind. Tn
twelfth and last shot was fired at tn
nickel steel target, and the action of tn
projectile was identical with that of tn
projectile fired in the ninth shot at tn
same target The natural velocity of tn
gun was z, 075 feet per second. This wa
almost 100 feet more than the velocity @
the gun used in the test in England agains
plates made by the same firm as thos
tested to-day.
The Importance of the test is in this
That all of the English vessels are armore
in barbette turrets and their vital part
with Cammell plate, and our highest guns
the six-inch Hotchkiss, in four shots a
the surface of the plate experimental will
tits held by experts that the test made show
the wise caution of the government
carefully selecting beforehand the met
to be used in armoring our own vessel
These tests were identical with those mac
in England. Representatives of the firm
interested were present, and every ca
was taken to arrive at fair, impartial al
accurate result 1t is believed by arm
and navy officers present that the resul
obtained from these public tests Will be
source of surprise to the army and ma
service of England.