New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-05
IMPORTANT AMOR PLATE TESTS.
PRODUCTS OF AMERgAN FoUNDREs TO BE
TRIED Tbs MONTH.

TRIED Tbs MONTH
Washington, oct (spdaD-The most interesting
and important armorpate est so far as this country
is concerned. win take pac this month at the Naval
Proving Ground at Indian IND, on the Potomac. II
exceeds in interest and mpoance the celebrated for
eign armorplaie trials at Ahapos in September.
1890, in that the plates this Var viii be the product
of American foundrics. Last ysr the results in
favor of nckelstee as against t. aIlsec plates, and
this year the attack will be malry on the former al
though allsee plates Will be fire at. that no oppor
tunlty for practical comparison ma, be lost.
There have been predictions thatpo foundry this
side of the Atlantic could supply arnor-pate for the
new United states vessels Of war, ad that the Navy
Department would be forced ITO 70 20 Creuzot,
in France, where the victorious ickel-steel was
manufactured or, all else falling, to ,smmel & Co..
In England. where the destroyed combund plate Of
the Annapolis trials was made Almostwithin year
from the time OF those trials however, tNo companies
have produced eight plates which are to e made the
subject OF this months test at Indian He'd. II will
be interesting to note whether these initial ,roductions
Of domestic foundres equal exceed in all hose quail
ties which go TO make up tho perfect armorpate the
manufactures OF the experienced EnNsh and
French foundries. There is no reason to beve, say
the ordnance experts that this equality, at eat shall
not be attained The foreign processes Of Manufacture
have been purchased by the two domestic conhanies
and with improvements in method and treatnen, sug
ness the expectation that better general results viii
be obtained is not unreasonable Such trials rs hive
been held with small plates Of domestic manufasttro
have been emneny satisfactory, and the tests Of t
tlreeinch nickel plates Of Harvey process at An
napolis long ago last May, suggested the line OF
subsequent operations.
There are, stated, to be eight plates submitted
for trial this month"; and the two companies having
contracts with the Navy Department for the supply
OF armor, Carnegie, Phlpps Co.. and the bethlehem
Iron Works, have notified to the Secretary that the
first Of the plates are ready for shipment The plates
are to be ten and half inches in thickness and
In order that the conditions Of armor may be per-
fectly observed, the plates will represent nickel
steel of the Harvey process all steel Of the Harvey
process and all steel "unharveyed.' The two COM
panies have different processes of production so that
their respective methods will up for comparison
as well as the plates themselves The Carnegie pates
are rolled while the Bethlehem plates are forged
In the next trial two guns are to be used, ono
6-inch A0cabre brcech-loadins rifle, the other an
s-inch 35-calbre gun, and preparations have been
made to strike the plates at velocity OF 2,loo feet
second which will be severe test for gun and
plate than that of any foreign trial. The velocity az
the Annapolis trials was 2,075 feet. Brown prismatc
pOWder from tho Dupont works Will be used as u
6harse for firing the I00pound Hotter armor piercing
proiectilcS, made in Europe. rive shots WIZ PROD
ably be fired at each plate, as at the Annapos ulas,
although that is matter as yet undeclQeo Inc tosss
are planned to take place on october To- ~ ana 20:
DELAYS IN shipments and In setting up ule plates us
the tests, but they confidently looked Tor during
the month,