Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-07
CONDITION OF THE NAVY,
Interesting Extrncta From the Report Of tn,
Secretary Of the Navy.

| WHAT THE ARMoR TESTS HAVE DEvELoPED-Ex
PERIMxNTs WITH sxoKELIss PowpKn- AD
| VANCE IN THE oUN BAcroRIEs-rHE WASHING
TON GUN FouNDRY-THE CHILEAN INCIDENT.
| The annual report Of Secretary Tracy upor
the condition Of the navy 10 an interesting doc
| ument One Of the first topics discussed Il
that Of armor, and the recent tests at the
| Indian Head proving grounds are thus men.
| toned:
The results Of the trial were In the highest
degree satisfactory. Each Of the six plates
manufactured in this country was superior to
the English compound plate, while the nickel
Harveyed plate and the high-carbon nickel plate
were superior to all the foreign plates Of the
Annapolis trial They may therefore be pro-
nounced in advance Of the best armor hitherto
manufactured in Europe.
WHAT THE ARNoR TESTS SHOWED.
The trial thus definitely establishes the fact
that armor Of excellent quality may be pro.
duced by the rolling process, and that forging
by means Of the hammer the greatest source
hitherto Of expense in manufacture. is no longer
TO be regarded as 81 absolute necessity. The
impoI lance Of this fact can hardly be overesti-
mated, for it raises probability that within a
year or two the armor-prOducing capacity OF
the United States may be quadrupled in case of
necessity, and that il we had 10, 900 tons to let
| and coulG give eightean months from date Of
contract to commence delivery the cost of
manufacture wonld DO reduced from 25 TO IS
per cent. while TIE work hitherto confined to
two firms. would be thrown open to u large
number Of competitors.
Finally the trial shows that the high-carbon
| nickel harveyed plate is undoubtedly the best
armor plate ever subjected to ballistic test.
1t may he assumed that the principle Of
uper-carburizing steel to a considerable depth
has passed beyond the experimental stage. The
question OF tempering or chilling the carbur-
lied arnor plate needs, however. further ex-
perimental development, and the lack of uni
formity in results, indicated in the Indian Head
armoI trials may probably be ascribed to this
want OF experience. The assurance of success,
ment In making further experiment in this di-
rection with every reason for anticipating Q
completely satisfactory result.
PROGRESS IN THE GUN SHOPS.
The progress made in the gun shops at the
Washington yard is clearly summarized thus:
The number Of heavy guns has largely in
creased during the past year, and they show
marked Improvements. These are mainly in
the direction Of increased length, thereby &C.
curing great range ind fatness of trajectory,
and consequent ability to be made effective
aslonger distances. The six-inch Of thirty five
caiibers will be supplied to the Detroit and her
sister ships. One new six-inch gun of for ty
callbers has been completed and tested with
highly satisfactory results. This improved gun
will be supplied to the Cincinnati and Raleigh
and cruisers Nos. IL and IT,
The manufacture Of eight-inch guns Is in ad-
vance OF the ships upon which they are to be
placed The forgings for two new eight-inch
guns OF forty calibers length. and therefore Of
exceptionally high range, have been contracted
Nos. IL and 10.
Vi the ten-inch guns the third and fourth of
the Miantonomoh's battery have been COM
pleted. tested and placed on board the vessel
Four others are ready for the Terror. and the
two for the Monterey will shortly be finished.
AT THE PROVING GROUND.
The first twelve-inch gun Of thirty-fve
caiibers has been completed and is now. with
its mount, at the proving ground for trial
Three more guns Of this caliber are in course
OF construction.
Forgings for the tube and the jacket of the
fret of the thirteen-inch guns intended for the
armament Of the ships of the Indiana class
have been completed and will shortly be de-
livered-
the ornaments Of new ships II such guns
should be found desirable tie gun factory is
ready to manufacture them, and design for
this caliber has been completed, which, il is
believed is free from the serious defects that
have caused the failure Of many foreign guns
Of the largest caliber.
The progress Of machine guns is being care
fully watched, and q trial will shortly be given
to the recently improved Calling gun.
In small arms the Navy Department 10 only
waiting for the decision Of the War Depart
ment upon the dimensions of cartridge to be
adopted tor use by the army. 1t is highly i'm
portant that small arm ammunition for the
two services should be interchangeable, and
the acquisition OF suitable small arms will be
begun as soon as this question is settled
sNoKELEss POWDER.
As to powder the Secretary SAYS: The most
important advance made during the past year
in respect to powder consists in the develop
ment of q smokeless powder invented BY Prof.
Z. E. Monroe of the naval torpedo station. The
results have exceeded the antcipations formed
in reference to this powder Its successful use
has advanced by progressive experiments from
the one. three and six-pOunder guns up to the
four-inch rapid-fre gun. In reference to the
results accomplished ii is only necessary TO say
that with charges one-half the weight of those
used with ordinary powders the velocities have
been increased nearly 200 foot seconds with 10
increase of chamber pressure. In other re-
spects the powder gives singular satisfaction.
1t contains no volatile constituents is not at
| fected by repeated heating for long periods. is
uninjured even by boiling in water gives high
and regular velocities with moderate md re gular
pressures and thus far has shown all the essen
tlal requisites OF 4 normal smokeless powder
1t is safe to say that within short time the use
of ordinary gunpowder will be abandoned In
calibers OF six-inch and below.
Experiments are in progress to determine
the feasibility Of firing shells containing large
quantities of high explosives from q mortar
and it is believed that these will result in show
ing the practicability of discharging high ex-
plosive Projeetile from powder gun with
safety, and exploding il upon impact with
certainty. Like other experiments now max
ing in ordnance. the possibilities of these i'll
designations are far-reachinS and point to ex-
traordinary developments in the near future.
PRoJEcTILEs.
Until the present year the United States has
been entirely destitute OF any armor-piercing
projectiles- The difference in the effective
force of the navy today as compared with its
situation year ago, when 1t had not single
projectile that could pierce modern armor, is
incalculable 1t may be added that this change
little more than a revolution, by which we may
obtain in America all the armor-piercing shell
that We need, has been brought about at very
moderate expenditure.
THE WASHINGTON GUN FOUNDRY.
The development Of the gun factory has con-
tinued during the year and many improve
ments have been made in the appliances. The
new l10-ton crane has been completed and il In
operation. Additional machine tools for small
work, a ell-equipped chemical laboratory,
new m hinary for the rna nfacfnre NJ breach