Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-12
REHAB|L|TAT|NG THE NAVY.
A Digest of Secretary Tracy's
Annual Report,
Wonderful Progress Made in the
Building Of Ships.
The Policy Inaugurated by Secretary
Whitney Carried Out.
The United States Now Producing tn
Best Armor Plate in the World
and Constructing Its
Own Guns.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE secretary
OF the navy in his annual report sets
forth the fact that when the present ad-
ministrstion came in March A, 1889, be-
sides old and obsolete wooden ships,
only three modern war vessels were in
commission. During the administration
10 new vessels, with an aggregate ton
mage of 81, ,S32 tons, mounting 2 12-ineh,
6 10 inch, 16 8-inch and 80 6-inch guns,
all of which, with the exception of five
of the earliest, have been manufactured
in this country. Three new steel tugs
have also been contracted for and put in
service. There are in process of con-
struction Is new vessels, certain to be
completed, should the armor be deiiv-
cred, within the next year, of an sg
gregate tonnage of 93,497 tons, and
mounting altogether 12 Is inch, 6 l2-
inch, IL 10-inch, 80 inch, 50 6-inch, 3S
5inch and "a 4-inch guns, all of which
have been or are to be manufactured in
this country.
The development in the past four
years has not been confined to ships
alone. At the beginning of this admin
istration, says the secretary, the uaval
establishment was entirely destitute of
certain elements of efficiency, each one
of which was indispensable to its prac-
tical employment as fighting force,
and the absence of which, If it had been
possessed of 100 ships, would still have
left it in condition of paralysis. These
were: Armor, torpedoes, heavy rapid
firing guns, s,armor-piercing shells. smoke
less powder, high explosives. The Sec
retary details at length the noteworthy
progress in the production OF these
things, and says the progress noted by
which the United States has emerged
from it's condition of helplessness at sea,
and by the employment of its own re-
sources, has distanced it's most exper-
fenced competitors, and marks an epoch
in naval development, not only Of this
country, but of the world. Delays in
the delivery OF armor have caused the
dates Of the fnal pletion of armored
vessels under construction to be some
what later than at irst contemplated.
The only compensation for this delay is
the superior quality of the armor that
has been recently developed.
In connection with the development
of nickel steel for armor the depart
ment has undertaken series of expert
ments in the application of this mate
rial to other purposes of construction,
which promise no less important results
than those already attained. If the ex-
pectations now formed are realized it
will not be long before nickel steel will
be extensively used, both in ship and
marine engines, with marked improve
ment both in strength of parts and re-
duction of weight, while it's non corrod-
ible qualities are already plainly
demonstrated, there is a probability
that it may ultimately present solu-
ton for the harassing problem of pre-
serving the submerged plating of ships.
Coming down to detailed statement
as to armor tests the secretary tells of
the work accomplished; of the tre.
mendous tests to which Harvey nickel
steel armor plate was subjected in
November, 1891, as the result of which
improved methods were introduced in
it's manufacture by the Harvey process,
and the final test was made in July asst.
The plate was of nickel steel, Harveyed.
of 101a inches thickness. An inch
gun was used in the test. Five
Holtzer forged steel shells, weigh
ing 250 pounds each, with a
striking velocity of 100 feet per
second, and each with an energy of 5000
tons to the square foot, were fred at the
plate at the distance of 80 yards. Never
before these trials had any armor plate
in the world been subjected to such a
test as represented by these five blows
OF total energy of 25,0O0 tons. All
five OF the projectiles were smashed
upon the surface Of the plate, which
showed no sign of injury beyon the
opening of slight temper crack four
inches in length from one edge, and q
vale less than one inch in thickness on
the back of the plate opposite each
point OF impact, result never before
approached by any armor plate, Ameri-
can or foreign.
1t has been demonstrated that the
United States in constructing it's new
navy, which 10 years ago had no exist
enca, even on paper, is enabled to place
upon each and all it's armored vessels
material the like of which the world has
not up to this time seen, and while vast
sums have been spent in plating the
sides of foreign men-of-war with infe.
rior material this county will
employ for the purpose an armor which
is not only far more efficient, but which
represents unquestionably, having refer
ence to the dimensions of the plates thus
far tested, the highest development of
modern science and development
reached by its own independent efforts
Following our example, the English
government four weeks ago held trial
of new American armor, and it is clear
from the highly successful results that
the United States. instead of being last
in the race in the construction OF vessels
of war, or of borrowing the best ideas
from abroad, has set an example in this
respect which other maritime nations
will speedily follow.
With regard to armor contracts, the
secretary says: Neither the Bethlehem
nor the Carnegie companies are making
such progress at present as the depart
ment could desire, but both are increas'
ing their output from month to month,
and the department is now preparing to