New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-15
TESTING AMERICAN PROJECTTLES
THEIR 1YFERIoRITY TO THE FOREIGN SHELL
DEMONSTRATED.

DEMONSTRATED.
Washington, Nov. ID (SpeciaD.-As supplement OF
the performance OF the Hotter and Frmny prolecte
al the armor plate test at Annapolis, comes the trial
of American projectes at the Naval Proving Ground.
For long time claims Of the superiority OF the DO
nestle she'll have been urged, but In this, unlike the
instances OF American ordnance, the results do not
sustain the representations OF manufacturers. The test
this week at Annapolis of these shells is valuable only
for its development OF the weakness OF American pro-
iectiles and their manifest inferiorty to the foe3
shells least this is the conclusion 1ustied Dy inc
report of the officers who conducted the test at AnnaPo
lis. The armor-plate test where the Hotter and
Firmny shells were used developed indsputably the
superiority Of the former. Some allowance was made
for the condition OF the plates on the second
DAVIS assault when the Firmny projeces were hred,
and the deductions advanced were possible OF contra
dction. The opinion of the experts however seemed
TO be in favor the Hotter This weeks tests accord
Ing TO the official reports alter this condition OF
merit. At the last test there were presented ior '
four shells: the Sterling, the Redemann-Thfon, the
Carpener Firth and the Hotter The target used was
compound plate IL IL inches in thickness, anu cor
responded to the armor Of the Mantonomah Previous
firing had rendered 1t somewhat Enthusiastically as an
affective target but that fact made the performances
of the projectiles the easy The gun used was
six.inch reechlOadng rife, and the muzze Oh the gu"
was Dos feet from the target The powder charge was
forty nine pounds and the proectes weighed each oe
hundred pounds. The velocity at the muzzie was
aO20 and at the striking point 2Ooo. Inc SAME re,"
tive conditions Of firing supposed to govern the
lost and the polnts of impact selected as nearly
&C possbIe with view to equality OF circumstance
This equality the Board say, was obtained In all cases.
save possibly in that of the Recommendation shei,
where the resistance considerably less at the point
of impact than in the other three cases.
Tho first round was with the Sterling pro,ectie'
which penetrated the plate. The she'll broke up anu
marion of the head was greatly distorted Six sur
face cracks were started and one short clrcumfeehta
crack. while the old cracks, results OF former
aesau,t were opened. The second round was
with the Redemann Tilford she'll Like the
sterling 1t was broken up and portion OF inc hean
distorted IL remained In tile plate Tic inueht III
The target was IL inches. The disturbances "e'c
minor but the Board met the problem OF the oher-
ences I'm resistance and concluded that there was NIUE
choice between the Accommodation ana the s'crins
sbelIs The Carpenter-Firth shell was used IN 'he
Third ronnd the projecte penetrating the plate unti
Tho mint struck the wood backing. when 1t rcbounded
entire and was picked up thirty feet from the target
The shell on measurement was found TO be shoreheo
12 100 of an inch. thin scale had Decn peeico U"
the plate in two places, and numerous CRACKS "ero
obseryed Pieces Of the hard steel face OF the pa'e
in the shape Of a trapezum dropped from inc up vi
the plate to the ground, and triangular piece SA
tecn inches across the top, was started.
The Hotter shell fired in the fourth rouhd' aho
was found to have penetrated the plate II remaheo
I'm the backing the base OF the shell being =. tmos
tom The lace Of the plate The base showed no signs
Of injury. There were nineteen short radlal cracks
and new radla crack 70 former ten-inch , hn
m ,n. ",nncd The hard steel started ana buge
10 Inc front in a number of places, but only small
portion fell to the ground a., >,,.., o,,oroa
The experts who represented thc naval Viuh nrs
M this test head the projectes IN the oraeI
NJ merit with the Hotter. according TO the trth te
second place. and declaring equai,y Oh Petio'h"n'e
for The Redemann- TilfDrd and sterling.