The sun., 1891-11-15
AMERICA BEATS THE WORLD.
sHr H1xAl fEsr OF AxMoR PLATU
Ar INDIAN HEAD

YHE FZNAG fEST OF AkKOR RLA1EI
Ar fNDLAN HEAD
49, H~s o. ne ghstp wesiA nfavs asn<
Z Thrs~sh the Arsaer % A.y ship sa ~
\ wor,A, bat Ns-s " TAs. rs.ssr.s.s q,
OAK 1ssekms ~ ths Risses-The Maeh
sAsss~ Niskslesss, Hasveyi,sA P,ass
ss-a nethiehe~ shsweA Lsss rsastrA.
vsps and Lees Crsshi.s TAsa shs otAsrs
WASHINGTON. Nov 1A--Ths second Of three
.ompetitive tests OF armor plates msnufac.
mred in the United Btates for modern vessels
q war was made to-day at the naval proving
rrounds at Indian Head. Nd. twenty miles
Scwn tho Potomac River. To-day's tests
demonstrated. In the opinion Of naval ofiicers.
shat this country can produce - good. II not
better, armor for naval ships than 10 produced
abroad The experiments were conducted BY
The Ordnance Board OF the Navy Department.
and were witnessed BY Secretary Tracy.
senators Hawley and Morrill, nearly all the
Military and naval attaches Of the foreign To-
cations. army and navy experts In ordnance
and gunnery. and many others. Tho tests
vere msdo to determine the resistance OF
amor plate OF three different kinds
The plates were the high carbon niokel-steel
plste Of Carnegie 4 Co, tho low-carbon nickel
r,eel "Harveyixed" plate OF tho same nrm.
and a high.carbon nickel-steel plato. "Har-
Ssyised." from the Bethlehem Iron Works
Tho plates werc each 8 feet By and arranged
IN q row. Each plate was solidly bolted to
three feet OF oak and backed mp BY bank Of
earth Side plates and strips supported the
Mates on all sides 10 make them as firm a. pos
sibe and rs nearly IS possible represent the
seattguous plates OF ships sides.
1. six-inch 4O-calibre breech-loading rife
Wa used In firing twelve out Of the fifteen
shots fred, and was placed with the end Of the
muEsle nfty-seven feet TO the rear Of the plstea
Five shots In all were discharged at each plate.
tour BY the aix-inch gun In the four corners
Ind one shot In the centre Of each plate By an
eteht.inch rife. Each plate was ton and half
Inches In thickness, The Bethlehem plate oon-
tsined S6 per cent OF carbon and per cent
oinickel; The Carnegie hiah.carbon plate. -
Dor cont Of carbon and the low-carbon plate
~ per cent, the percentage Of nickel being the
ssrne in all three Tho projectile Of the viz
inch gun weighed 100 pounds. with powder
charge Of forty pounds and an initial velocity
Of 2070 feet per second. All Of the projectiles
ueed save one were Of the Holtser make and
seasured seventeen inches in length.
Ths hrst shot from tho six.inch gun wsa
Bred at the upper left-hand corner Of the high
bower nickel-steel plate Of Carnegie b Co. and
penetrated the armor 12k inches. the she'll re-
bounding thirty-six feet and embedding ITSELF
e 5ins ior ss SS n'f The n pons q tSs s
ehell penetrated the oaken backing two inohes.
having thG base Of The shell well spntersd n
tsS corner. penetrated 70 a depth ef about
inches from the face Of the plate. The
secure, The third shot at the plate
s snashsS s hs IL shs the ss sss sss.se s
aish,Iy Irregular crack. extending to sS The BOT.
sas Sna e os sen neas hs h ss
the outer edge 81 Ire plate; The penetration
the projectile. .rebounding. leaving the point
The first shot at the low carbo steel nickel
tho point Of the PRO pro,ectie peroipe &c The Wood
r.. lacking about % three inches The next shot st
lower left corner. entering the plate OK inches,
sy a. ,s sadiy Sst Up T. ths end se fourth
sS,i slx inches from the face Of the plate;
plate from tSs BsthehSm iroS wores rssceixed
two plates from Carnegie s Co. the frst e bit She
e snd bs ahs the
!nG to the rear 4b feet and a large portion OF II
lying ten feet to one side. In the next shot
little or no fringe or bulge and penetrating
l.;, inches. The base Of the silcfl was badly
'ractured. small pieces falling for quite a dis
Received the next shot ut this Mate the she'll
alllng back near the Inuzzle Of the rife lit
" 1t mp nnf pot The
lroleetiIe wns much pointed. The last shot
WITH tn, S.ine', rife pepstrsted the plate 5H
es wh safs G IN s IL p. S: seo
had practically the same effect on the plate as
the one fired immediately above II. and It was
Cd uch @ nvuInerss,sy ii shan ths ene e
side.
. Upon thu conclusion of the firing with tho
"e sh"t a " tie esntre neS e
each plate. !w" Carpenter projectiles. with
enargss s.. q a pounds Of powder. neing used
'p !%S wssn atsst sts sT%9 y
ps i'll 'hi .ss ss S5ss fss 81
mined to give it u severer test with the larger
@ saa ntIs ts ysSs1 tTs gHsss 1ss rS5
feet '"'"' '"o'' WOO A''''
me ,lrst rlate fred at was a high-car5on
steel plate; the shell st. uck in the centre.
fTe5tpunded; fedt and dropped to the ground ct the
loot loot OF the plate. Cnntinuations Of the
cracks caused hy the siN-tnch shots followed
the ne shot. the cracks extending transversely.
.,,sar men t. the upper right corner. varying In
wwl1th from quarter to tlree-Quarter inches
'yI., o.. inches; bulge. 20 inches
Hhiskel [hs "Harveyized' plato received . shot ln
;ne !, centre. causing 4 deep. crack. from that
uprsr rst i and sit owsl ena corners
m ni the plate, These cracks were not nearly SO
Panatsa. Pharxea 20 those Of the hiah-carbon plate.
ba bmhe last shot Of the days tests was that with
J, ! MS shot caused the shell to fy back to the
nIzS'e 'anG o. the ride. imbsdding ITSELF In the
rom ON the centre to tho right and left upper and
over ..a corners. but not 50 pronounced rs the
RACKS on the other plates. The projectile
,enotratcd l2X inches: bulge II inches with
sIi ,aie % 81 eli split longitudinsly and partially
I'm The trials trials over. Secretary Tracy. Commo-
'0rs folger. and the Ordnance Board ex-
llnneH critically tha afHoofg nj zach ahnt Ov1I