The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-06
ARMOR, GUNS, AND pRoJECTILKa
Rusy Work In Testins ORsnsivs aaa DE.
fenslve ArHllances for Our War SHIP.

Husy Work In TestiHs ORenstvs asa DE.
fensive Appliances for Our War ships.
WASHINGTON. Aug. SIT Is safe to say that
no naval ordnance proving grounds In the world
hnve been so produc i've OF important results
In the trials OF armor guns. and projectilea
during the last twelve months. az those OF our
own ordnance bur eau at ANNAPOLIS and Indian
Head. This is especially true OF original con-
thbutions to tho problems OF ordnance and
plating for ships. And specially noticeable In
tho experiments With nrmor have been those
demonstrating the. infcrority OF compound
plates Introducing ballsic tests OF nickel
steel. and making known tho merits OF tho
Harvey process in manufacture. The next
great series OF sSperimon Will be with 1Oh-
inch plates. constructed by the Bethlehem
Iron Works and bv Carneg Q. Phipps 4 Co.. OF
Pittsburgh 10 illustrate the two latter sub
jects. But meanwhile from timc to time. for
practical purposes In giving out contracts for
steel protective decks and other parts OF war
vessels. preliminary experiments 20 on.
The recent trials made with all-steel plates
containing only "ne-fouith OF one per cent OF
carbon. treated by tho Harry process. IRE
among those having high degree Of impor.
tnnce. When 1t was found that tho o evious
tests OF all-steel plates containing q large pro-
portion OF carbon showed too grcnt tendency
to crack 1t was determined 10 experiment with
the decreased percentage Just spoken Of The
plates were three inches thick, and the gun
used was Hotchkiss G-pounder having 1911
feet rer second initial velocity. Fourteen shots
wore fired. and in every insan the tough
forged steel projectile was shattered to fraR.
ments. whi'e not crack was made in tho
plates. nor indeed. ANYTHING more than I'M in
sign flcant surface dent
Another test OF Immediately practical i'm
4, l.
to determine the material for the protective
deck OF the nrmored cruiser New York. For
this purpose plates OF steel and nickel steel
were used. inclined at an anglo representing
that OF the protective de"k OF the New York.
Tho tarcet in each case cons stel OF tW plates.
ho!tcd together. giving 4 total OF two and 4
see hs cum wSs shG
rife and four shots were fired at each target
Without Eops n,0 rar.ieu,srs t is psh TO
clear. and the prac zeal result WINS the ordering
plates: unner layer. from carnsei.. PSinSs sS
Go. These plates will be tested and also
sSss e.. ss VIII nnd ~ naS pps
for the New York and for The protective decks
Of cruisers 10. Il md No. 49,
proiectiiss Of dineren, shape from those low now
mos, approved tyres. But tho large propor-
ton OF pro ectiles that are broken IN In trials
against oates ha- suggested the substitution
OF some other form for the head. ard orders
have been given to construct number Of .
different design.
Still another matter to which attention has
lately been given is that OF rapid fi,e guns for
tn secondary batteries OF orr war vessels.
! he Ho,cukiss and tho briggs schroeder
guns both man uf.ctured In this country and
used in our navy. ae exceedingly effective.
and 1t has been int imaed that q competitive
trial may DO made between them such a con-
tesl would DO Of 6; eat interest. as well as Of