New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-17

dnsiry worthy of better cause has been gathered
together for my destruction. | deny them scriatnl
and in toto; they are false and foul to the core
IMPORTANT TESTS OF ARMOR PLATE.
A NEWARK INVENTORS SATISFACTORY PROCESS
OF TREATI &c sTEEIr-VALUE OF THE
CARPENTER PRoJECTILEs
Washington. Feb. 10 Experimentation armor plate
test took place at Annapolis on saturday The results
NJ which are fully important those of the nickel
rlae fest OF last September. To the testing Of the
nIatc was added competitive trial Of the Carpenter
and Hotter prOjectles three of each being used al
this firing. As great advance was Indicated IN
tbe test of saturday the september trial as the
latter showed anything preceding. The Navy
Department has been conducting minor experiments
with steel treated by process OF superficial carbonza
ton an invention OF II. 4. Harvey OF Newark. y. j.
4 plate ten and half inches thick was so treated and
set ND at the Naval Proving Ground last week The
conditions made the same as those at the sep
tcmbcr trial for the purposes of comparison 6inch
gun Of 3J-calbrc used and the three Hotter ana
three Carpenter projectes weighed 100 pounds and
were fired by "A IL pounds Of powder. The striking
energy 2,0sS foot TONS The object OF the test
was tho development OF an armor- plate which should
possess superficial hardness and the toughncSs in
hercnt in all steel. The test therefore was great
After the six shots the plate found to
he simply severely cracked None Of the proJectcs
remained imbeddcd in the target and none perforated
the plate. The one weak place in the plate was dis
covered to be in the centre where it believed to be
softeSt owing to certain conditions in the annealing
process
The showing made better than that OF tho
nickel plate in September. At that time only five
shots fired. ono OF them, however. was an eight
inch prOjCctc. the conditions may be considered
nearly equal if anything in favor of the september
trial The Ordnance authorities have not Yet had tmo
IN alo dcta Of he
and the nickel plate which survived the attack in
september The general account Of the test, how
ever. is emnenty satisfactory and the Department
will carry it, scheme for plant at the Washington
Navy Yard for treatment by the Harvey process. Tho
previous experiments in the line had In part
prepared the Department for good results. but any
such advance the performance Of the nickel plato
wa, hardly expected. Recently two plates. carbon
lied and tie other untrcatcd. were subjected 10 a
baIi,ic test by the attack Of a sXinch iotchkl>s
projectilc The untrcacd plate penetrated three
inches. while the projcctile was completely shattered
In the test Of saturday. two OF the Carpenter pro
jectiles shattered into small fragments cectna
only abou four inchc, Of penetration Of the plate.
Ohe Hotter projcctilc. which directed against the
weakened centre Of the Plate. penetrated perhaps zen
inches but was badly broken up. These three pro
icctcs appear to be the only 10 have effected
penetration. This teSt is believed IN be- the N"vcr'
to which arm0r piercing projcctles have ever been
performance such a. to confirm the results Of tho
foreign plate test in favor Of Hotter and 10 establish
an equal efficiency for the Carpenter prolcctiles
The plate was considered iuvulncrablc for a
single shot than any other plate that has ever been
tested bastlcalv The fact that the two Carpenter
nroicctiles pcne ed the treated portion Of the plato
cou,d be construed as deciding In favor Of that pro
icctilc the first American manufacture 10 make So
good a showing
This demonstration further strengthened by
series OF tests also made saturday, Of six and
eight inch Carpenter projcctiles. This latter was in
tended As the contractors preliminary trial and IN"
results were 80 favorable that the Carpenter steel Com
ranv Of Reading Penn. was u day directed 10 pro
coed with the manufacture Of projectcs OF from six =
twelve inch callbres The contract involves the
amount Of 100000 ana the secretary has decided 10
furnish all The cruisers with the Carpenter pro
jcctcs Immediately. This is gratifying conclu,on
cf the pr,ccte question. An attempt was originally
made by the Department to purchase from the Hotter
people their process, but the price excessive and
contract was made with the Carpenter Company. which
used the Firmny process. u combination Of English and
French methods Of manufacture. II is likely, thee
fore that no farther attempt will be made to
the Hotter process.
The test Of saturday, is far reaching In Il, effect
as that OF september. For the second time within u
half wear IN" United states has TcNOlutiOuiZcd the
status Il armor The Navy Department IA, found
i'm advance of the plate Of nickel alloy. II will b.
interesting to witness the results obtained with
nickel pate trc2tod bv the Harvey process. Tho
combination should produce invuncrability ~ much
ahead Of the nickel plat or the nickel plate ahead II
the compound vafiety.