Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-30
CHANGES IN ARMOR
That We're Ordered by the
Heads of the Ordnance
Bureau Will Not Cost
MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
They Consist Chiefly of Some Minor
Matters of Taste.
PARTY POLITICS In THE AFFAIR
Figure to the Extent of Charges Against
the Administration.
PARTY POLITICS In THE AFFAIR
INTERVIEW WITH COMMODORE FoLGER

with having made certain changes in the
construction of the warship City of New
York, which not only involves great addi.
tional expense to the Government and Q
correspondingly increased profit to the
manufacturers of the armor plate, THF
DISPATCH, in this correspondence, gave
the charges in full, stripped of verbiage in
tended to make the story sensational, and
gave the formal statement from Secretary
Soley, asserting that there was no tounda.
tion whatever for the accusations, with the
exception that some changes had been made
in the form of the turret plates.
Commodore Folger, Chief of the Bureau
of Ordnance, who is said to be primarily
responsible and upon whom the burden of
the charges rests, was at that time absent
from the city, but to-day he was again at
his desk, and ready to answer, with no
more than his natural reserve, the questions
of all corners in regard to the changes and
charges
The Changes OF Slight Extent.
Eyes" said the Commodore, to THE DIS
PATCH correspondent, changes have been
made to Q slight extent in the construction
of the plates for the new war vessels, but
they do not involve any increased expense
to the Government, for the simple reason
that the contracts had not been let for
the plates in the form that was at first con-
templated, and consequently the contract
price for the plates as they are to be made
is exactly what it is for similar plates under
q contract made years ago, before came
into the department
1.-THE chief criticism seems to be against
the change from the DETECTING armor of the
roof OF the turrets to what is technically
called the vertical form. Now, to begin
with, the design for the DETECTING form was
never fully decided upon. 1t was a
thought of former administration, an un-
tried invention appealing to the judgment
as an excellent fancy, but not at all perfect
in its suitability for the uses to which it
was to be put
What the Changes Really Mean.
1.-THE DETECTING turret means that the roof
over the guns and gunners, the part of the
turret that revolves, is somewhat conical in
form, to defect projectiles. This is the only
portion of the turret that revoives The
lower, and by far the larger portion, is of
cylindrical form and is stationary, and it is
proposed simply to extend this form little
higher, to that part of the turret which re-
wolves. In the conical form the breeches
of the gun extend across the turret to the
the barrel, and there would be very small
space for the trying and arduous work of
the gunners who must operate the ponder
Gus breech mechanism
SIT Is q question whether the DETECTING
armor, even leaving the matter of the space
aside, is stronger defense against projec-
tiles than the vertical armor. In the latter
the DETECTING sides OF the turret will make
it almost impossible to seriously injure it
with a projectile. 1t is a fact that the
turrets of the old monitors with their crude
armor were rarely seriously injured by shot
or shell. The form is a matter of judg-
ment and as the DETECTING armor had never
been formally selected. it was thought that
in view of some very Objectionable features
it would be best to return to the vertical
design.
mostly Matter of Taste.
Gas to the change in the form of a por-
tion of the armor for the hull, that was
hardly more than a matter of taste. 1t
was made in the interests of prompt work,
upon the decision of board of officers,
will cost no more than the other form, and
no one who knows anything about it can
truthfully say that 1t will be less effective
than the former design.
"Any one who says that any change that
has been ordered will detract from the et-
fciencv of the vessel is simply making an
assertion that he cannot bear out
in the light of experience or by
scientific demonstration. Had it been pos
sible to have constructed the New York
without delay upon the untried plans, the
experiment of the defective or conical tur-
ret might have been made; but taking all
things into consideration-and nobody but
those who are responsible has any idea of
the many things that have to be considered
in such an undertaking-it was wise action
to make the changes that have been made,
and those who are responsible for them are
willing to subject all of their acts to the
fullest inquiry.
81 see that a Congressional investiga-
tion is predicted. Well it seems to be
very easy in these days to get up a Con-
gressional investigation upon almost any
charge by anybody, and yet L do not find
that any one has been seriously injured by
them. At any rate, so far as am person
ally concerned, I have nothing to conceal
and can give good reason for every action
in which have had any part
An Apparently Strained Story.
'The whole story bears the impress of be-
ing strained and amplifed fer the purpose
OF making a sensation during dull period,
and as will be recognized from the attempt
to make point against the department for |
failing to advertise for bids at the time the |
contract was given to the firm at Pittsburg. |
The truth is the firm was the only one in a |
position to accept the contract, and it would |
have been a mere hollow form, worse than |
useless, to have advertised.
II might say much more as to the source |
from which the charges-if they can be |
called charges-emanated. but it would be
manifestly out of place. 1 shall not be |
drawn into any controversy. If charges be
made against ME personally 1 shall be only |
too glad to meet them"
1t will be noticed that Commodore Folger
gives practically the same series of denials
es was given by Acting Secretary Soley to
The DISPATCH, a week ago. There now
remains only Secretary Tracy to be inter
viewed, and this will be done promiscuously
as soon as he returns from bis jaunt on the
Government yacht, The Despatch. Then
The very clever gentlemen who are stirring
up all this fuss will have the complete de.
malls of the persons in authority, and can
move on their works if they desire to do SO.
Some Assertions Considered Foggy.
While there is no doubt of the changes
made, it is apparent that the assertions of
she ruinous and expensive character of the
,hanges are rather foggy. On the one side
It is asserted that they will in no wise affect
he efficiency OF the vessels, and on the
,ther 1t is insinuated that their resisting
power will be greatly decreased. On the
'ne side it is claimed that there will be
little or no increase of cost, and that the
'ost will be even lessened, and on the other
he estimates of additional expense run all
ne way from thousands to hundreds OF
thousands.
Whatever may be the exact truth-which