New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-26
ARMOR PLATING FOR THE N1VY,
SECRETARY TRACY IS DETERMINED IL THE
COMPLETION OF THE NEW SHIPS SHALL
EOT NJ mr. AVr-n r u ri AN rIrr ID TT

COMPLETION OF THE NEW SHIPS SHALL
NOT BE DELAYED IF HE CAN HELP IT.
Washington, Feb. 23.-The contract with Carnegie,
| pIlipps d CO., OF Pttsburg. Just made By the Navy
Department to furnish 6,O00 tons or ~, go. 707 worth
OF arm0r for the new battlc-siips and new cruisers now
building. must give as much satisfaction TO the people
at large as it does TO the officers of the Navy and the
builders Of the new vessels. The $4,000 worth Of
nickel plate purchased by the Department will b
turned over to this firm for Use in the manufactus
Of plate, contracted for. Carnegie, Pbipps d Co.
have completed an extensive plant for making mid
steel nickel plate armOr and base reported that they
are ready 10 begin manufacturing at once. Tie
delivery will begin about June, and will be at the rate
Of 500 tons a month. The prices agreed upon are:
1925 to 1900 per ton for side-armor for arnored
vessels; $40 per ton for sidc-armor for the large
monitors; 1878 per ton for the armOr for the turfets
breas tworks, coming towers, ETC.. s49o per ton for the
rolled plates, protective dcckarmOr ana gun shields,
and $500 per ton for the bolts, etc.
In the summer Of 1856 advertisements were pub.
Nshed for lrmOr and gun steel for the ships then a.
th0r!zed. The advertisements stipulated, as Congress
authorized they should ,iipulate, that all arnior and
gun steel should be Of domestic manufacture, and tho
Bethlehem Iron Company antlci pating these needs
took steps to meet the Government requirements as
far - possible and put in the most expensive and
conplete plant IN the world and contracts were made
with That company By Secretary Whitney to furnish TO
the Navy Department the following forgings OF guns:
two for 3-inch: nifty for 6-inch twenty-five for s-incll;
twenty eight for i0-inch: six for 12-inch. and twelve
for l3-inch guns. In september following. the Var
Department added contracts for twenty-three s-inch,
twenty-fOur l0inch, aud fifteen 12inch guns. In
addition TO these les forgings for guns. contracts wcra
given for armor for the barbette battle ship Puritan.
the battle ship Texas. the armOred cruiser Maine, the
coast-deicnce vessel Monterey. the cruisers Cincinnati
and Raleigh. and the double -turrcted monitors Amph.
tFiic, MOHadnOck and Terror. The cOmDany Orom.
ised 10 begin delivery of 200 tons OF armOr a month
AZ soon as February, 1890. at which time the Bethelem
plant wa, to be completed. Unavoidable DELAYS In GET.
ting the machinery followed and the firm was unable 70
meet the original term OF the contract. Then the Beth.
lelem people promised thai the delivery should begin n,
soon as september, 1891. Secretary Tracy foresaw
that even then deliveries Of armOr- plate would be 80
slow as to delay the completion Of the new vessels,
and thus seriously eInbarTass the 'Stvy De.
partment II IL should be left 10 one firm alone
To manufacture the armOr, and lie decided that
II was 10 the interests OF the Government to
make additional contracts with other manufacturers
II possible. In his last report the Secretary Gcplores
the delays Of the Bethlehem company and regrets
that the first GOO tons Of agmor could not be delivered
before october. 1891. and adds:
At thi, rate the armOr .or ships now under con.
struc;ion. but not covered By the Bethlehem contract.
amounting l. 1900 tors. could not be delivered by
this firm alone in les than six years from the present
NAFRf RA W. "a W. NNlI fNtAA w W.
laycd accordingly. II therefore became imperative
for the Government 10 obtain the cooperation u
another manufacturer and secure. As in the ease Of
the gun forglngs. the creation ~ . second plant for
the manufacture OF armOr in the United states.
II both companies deliver nj the maximum rate called
for by the contracts IL will require over two years
from July. 1891. to complete the manufacture OF the
armor required for the ships now authorized. and soms
Of them will be ready for il in advance Of the time.'
This is the reason why the contract with tho
Carnegie Company was closed last week. The eX.
pcrimcntS made last september with the several PLACES
Of improved armog at the Annapolis proving gr0undi
seemed then to have settled the question a. to the
best arm0r plate to be used. .Armor- piercing shells
weighing 100 pounds, with a striking velocity Il
2.O75 feet "A second. wereuScd against plates ten and
one-hali inches thick. The shells passed through tho
compound plate and backing: the allsteel and tho
nickcl>teel kept ont the projcctiies. But while tie
all steel plate showed somewhat moro resistance u
was badly cracked. and the nickel-stcel plate did not
crack At all. Bu: the Government made another eX.
pertinent last week with a Northumberland steel
plate. the invention % II. A. Harvey. Of Eewark"
The plate was pierced almost through by some Of tie
prOjcctiles, but The latter were utterly broken IN
fragments by the conclusion. IL j. understood that
40 far n the plates 60 the Government will give tie
preference 10 the nickl-stcel. because IL does not
crack a. do tn" other plates. But the nature!
question T., VIII armor plate ever be made that VIII
absolutely resist the aggressive steel pointed shot o'
she'll -