Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-11
PITTSBURG'S PLATES.
The Nickel Steel Armor Produced by
Carnegie, Phipps & Co.
STANDS THE TEST OF WARFARE.
French and English Articles Bear No Com
parison Now.
DETAILED RESULTS OF THE TRIAL
STANDS THE TEST OF WARFARE.
DETAILED RESULTS OF THE TRIAL

of 80 shots fired during the two days, Octo
Der 81 and November IA. The six 101f-inct
plates tested, with the names of their max.
ers and their weights in pounds, were al
follows:
High-carbon nickel steel, Bethlehem
Iron Company. ......-..................20 20,4sl
Low-carbon nickel steel, Carnegie,
Phipps Co.,. .zU,o4
Low-carbon nickel steel, Harvey, Beth
lehem Iron COMPANY any.................20.5 90. 50t
High-carbon nickel steel, Carnegie,
Phipps & Co........................ 20, ,59t
Low-carbon nickel steel, Harvey, Car
negie, Phipps Co.. D,Zzt
High-carbon nickel steel, Harvey, Beth
lehem Iron Company 2o,6s!
-Four shots from the six-inch gun were
fired at each plate at the left upper, the
right upper, the left lower and the right
lower corners The fifth and final shot was
from the eight-inch gun at the center.
Having described in detail the result of
each shot, the board makes the following
summary of its conclusions of the order of
merit:
The Order OF Merit of the Plates
First, the high-carbon, nickel-steel Harvey
plate furnished by the Bethlehem Iron Com
pany.
Second, the high carbon, nickel steel plate
furnished by the Bethlehem Iron Company.
Third, the high-carbon, nickel steel plate
furnished by Carnegie, Phipps & Co.
Fourth, the high-carbor, nickel steel Har-
vey plate furnished by Ctrnegie, Phipps &
Co.
Fifth. the Iow-carbon, nickel steel plate
furnished by Carnegie, Phipps & Co.
Sixth, the low-carbon. steel Harvey plate
furnished by the Bethlehem Iron Company
The right side of plate No. showed very
remarkable qualities The two projectiles
which struck that side penetrated not more
than seven inches, the head remaining in
the plate, completely filling the hole, and
with the appearance of having been welded
to the surrounding metal, while the body
was shattered into many fragments. No
cracks were made on that side Of the plate.
The back of the plate on that side showed
no disturbance except hardly noticeable
swelling on the surface.
1t is to be noted that the upper part of
plate No. (Harveyed) showed qualities
resembling those of the righ: side of No.
i, while on the other hand, plate No.
Qikevise Harveyed) was totally lacking in
such characteristics
The Good Points of the Other Plates.
Plate No. 2 showed great degree of uni
formitv. as we'll as resistance to penetra-
tion. The small penetration of the eight
inch shot in plate No. was in the opinion
of the board, due to the excessive upsetting
of the proiectile.
All of the armor plates were more or less
cracked through, but only two-Nos 3 and
Gladly, and these two plates alone
showed cracking before the fifth shot.
Plates Nos. l, ., and kept out all the pro-
jectiles; No was was perforated by one
and Nos. and by two projectiles each.
1t will be noticed that the 'fhigh carbon"
plates show better results than those of
slow carbon but it is believed that the
chemical analysis of the plates now in
progress will show that the words ''high''
and "low," employed by the manufacturers,
has been used arbitrarily and have but lit
tie value for purposes of comparison. The
Holtzer and Firminy projectiles were part
OF the lot used at the Annapolis armor trials
of last year.
Superior to the French Product.
Comparing the plates of this trial with the
Creusot steel, and the Creusot nickel steel
plates of the Annapolis trials of September,
1890 the board is of the unanimous opinion
that No. 1, the high carbon nickel Harvey
steel plate furnished by the Bethlehem Iron
Company, and No. 9, the high-carbon nickel
steel plate furnished by the Bethlehem Iron
Company, are superior to the Creusot steel
and nickel steel plates of last year.
In this connection it should be considered
that the firing at this years trial was more
rapid than at last years, and that the inter-
val between the fourth and fifth shots at
each plate was about two hours, instead of
four DAYS, as then. At this trial the plates
were still singing" from the blows of the
six-inch, when they were struck by the
eight-inch proiectiles.
The board will, in obedience to the de-
partment's order, make a supplemental re-
port upon a "high-carbon nickel steel Har-
vey" plate and la slow carbon steel Harvey"
plate, to be furnished by Carnegie, Phipps
& Co, which will be tried as soon as ready
under the same conditions as the six plates
whose trial has been completed.
The Carnegie Contract justified.
It is to be noted, in reference to the fore
going report, that the mode of tempering at
Bethlehem differed from that at Pittsburg.
Although the chief honors of the trial went
to the former establishment, vet the greater
degree of excellence in the best plates of the |
latter vindicated the Navy Department in |
having entered into contract with it about
a year ago for 6, 900 tons OF armor plates and |
appurtenances.
Interesting as are these comparisons be- |
tween the American plates, they become
more so on turning to the trials of Septem-
Der, 1890. 1t will be remembered that then |
emily foreign plates were tested. The nickel |
steel and all-steel plates of Schneider |
gained signal victory over the compound |
plate of Cammell. The nickel steel plate
was properly considered the acme of armor
protection up to that time. Great interest
was, therefore, felt in seeing how American
made armor tnis year would compare with |
the French-made of last wear, for the trials
had been made under substantially the same
conditions as to guns, projectiles, thickness
of plates and backing. and so on, except
that two of the eight-inch shells used this
year were Carpentere, instead of Firming,
proiectiles
The American Product Ahead.
The Chief of Ordnance tells the result, in |
this respect, in declaring that call the |
plates showed greater resistance to perfora- |
tion and less cracking than did the English |
compound plate of last year; two of the |
plates showed greater resistance to perfora- |
tion and less cracking than did the most re-
sisting plate of last year, the all-steel, and |
considering everything, were better plates |
than either the Creusot nickel or the all !
steel plate of the earlier tests
In the Bethlehem nickel steel plate, |
treated by the Harvey process, the results |
were most remarkable and unprecedent- |
ed, not one Of the projectiles |
having reached the rear surface of
the place In fact, except for uneven
ness in tempering, owing to the lack of |
familiarity with this new process, there |
would have been but few inches of pene- |
tration in any of the shots. The cracking on |
the softer side of the plate was unimportant;
the bureau considers that ''two |
important results have been achieved; first, |
q better plate of American manufacture has |
been produced than the department was |
able to purchase abroad year ago; secondly,