New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-20
INJUSTICE TO THE NAVY.
UNFOUNDED CRITICISM ON RECENT ORD
NANCE AND ARMAMENT WORK.
THE FACTS IN THE NATTER OF INCLINED AhNof
NICKEL AND nARvEYIzED STEEL AND
my rrLgeRAru TO TIE TVruSE..


,ested by prominent officials at the Navy Department
nm wednesday at article in the COZ
umns OF "The Newiork Herald cr'uci9
ing the methods and results 81 certain
work OF the Department connected with ordHahce anu
armament for modern ships. The substitution VI
vertical for inclined plates on the tnrres OF certain
neglect To purchase and use nickel steel he
publ,cation OF successful and the suppression Oh I'M
successft tests of armorplaeS. changes III .'e s"e
hruaor OF battle and other armored ships ana d" u"
crease in expenditures for armor were asser'eu an"
challenged with particular want OF FAIRNESS " ''e
administration Of the Navy Department
In relation TO this article rejecting severely 1n1
oost uniusty upon Ats action connection with nickel
and armor plates the Navy Department today give
out for publication the following statement
A 10 the purchase Of nickel, the prices PAID by
Che NAVY Department under It's contracts. are lower
nv 40 per cent than those paid by other purchaser
GAS 10 the publication OF successful armor trials ana
ths concealment OF unsuccessful trials there have been
absolutely no unsuccessful trials OF either hchei VI
Harvey plates On the contrary the uniform results
~ these trials have been phenomenal success NJ
results In any degree approaching them have ever
teen attained at the tests OF any foreign arInor'
nrhe statement that the ctnnge IN the form OF the
s,rrets OF the battle ships would cause great saving
10 the contractors for the armor is absurd as 1e '
armor OF the batte-shps has not vel oeeh IN W '
tract nor has the Department even calico po' piV
,ssls Il Is not true that the change in form OIL 'e
chiefs. the majority Of the board having reoo"'euo
q Even u the Department had changed the s'ape VI
sha ,ttle ship turres after Il had conuace" iVi 'e
ence in the price 20 be paid THEREFOR as ue "on.~
armor II Is clear that this would nave mace NO "
shape was not prescribed in the arihor con~"0V' va
tbe contrary a chim has been nn'de on the Pd'' vi
the contractors under the old contract Of ioo' ,o'
additional compensation for the use on the deheVNV
.-rs, IN those ships IN which the vertical oirret mas
not been substituted for IL.
aTbe statement that the change or inc sue "'Po'
-. al thu batle-ships and other armored vessels from
curved to straight plates means several huore" .No
sand dollars to the two contractors as tic Pa''s
roroe from 1925 to 800 per ton, or aboT FLU ION
moro Than is charged for plain plates In also incorrect
Tho monitors have had straight plates fVm "e UcsIn
,,in, The other arrnored ships have curved P"'
md no change has been made In these, except i" Wv
heavy armor OF the three battleehips. mu'a'' -
cbusetts and Oregon, which Is eighteen Echcs INV :"
7, ,yoc fopnd that the proposed co'Lo hoe o
made IN plates Of that thickness by any hauu"o'"'
In America and the curve wis inercn ie' -,
Vt design for the sake OF appearance ana ""o'i, "
necessary a straight plate was SALES.--FUTURE w.
ouired some additional machining As 10 u. Puar
these MATES that at the extreme end, being OF p"
,ore costs 1900 per ton The next. also OF Pecu,'l
.bana costs $685. Der ton. The remainder c"S' go
ner ton or $40 less than the cost OF tie S''ae
mates OF the monitors. The heavy sac 'Fno' y. o
Of the batte-ships Is to be hrihsheo ps bo n
rpHo fha Otd
srn,or for a second by Carnegie. under the coo.o' "
,soo M the same figure. The side arniof lor '"e
third hattie ship has not been let TO anyoahy'
The subiect OF change In inclination OF arhor io
Che turrets Of certain vessels Is one WHICH i' ~.
ruch consideration In this country ana ho'o'N' Wv
while inclined armor. owing 10 us oe"o'''1
Ga osneralv recognized as the most desirable by eA
,,orts "A happens that in the ships whose ar"or
Sas haen changed that cnother and equally inpor''V
oueson arises. that Of space within the lpfic's' "
naval authorities seem TO agree ua' WIFI e"' -
1Oinches and less In calbre, hand power Is
I'm working the guns to hydraulic power De.au,. "
tina complicated machinery which goes Win 'he a''ei
go Tho ones.ion presented TO Secretary Tracy
Cas whether hand or hydraulic power was 10 Do "se"
,ff the former ii would be necessary no i'c''''c ~
snace within the tnrTets; If the latter TIE iisA "
having the power with which the guns "elo " ="
worked damaged irreparably BY stray sho. WIZ
apparent Secretary Tracy decided upon Tile io'"r
cnrse and the substitution Of vertical armor for III
cuned arnor 20 secure an increased WORKING space
,or the men I'm the turrets followed as hat"a'
result. attain.
The Bureau Of Ordnance has attracted mucn a''eh'
tim and Justly so, because OF the Importance VI '
results obtained in the development OF American guns
and armor which, without question, are To-Day secohu
IN those OF no other country in their quality anu
character One Of the principal successes vi u'e
Breau of Ordnance relates TO the discovery vi inc
merits of nickel steel. The supply OF tms oro Is
lfu1ffe
n good quality, Canada, Australia, ana husun''
when If was that nickel was to fse Valuable
ore Congress induced by secretary lrac! "
make an early and extensive purchase OF 'h's oIe'
and accordingly 100000 were appropriated ior
that umrpose TO prevent European countries rom
securing the supply, and TO prevent corner Deihs
made on nickel the Department obtained an option
IN nickel ore worth 81 100000. Idaho and Coo
RADIO have nickel mines, but their output IS not re-
garded as being Of high class, and purchase III
Canada, that being the nearest country producing
high grade Nickel was ordered.
.rsI 1t is true that only small portion Oh the
81 900 900 has been spent for nickel ore, but as inc
Government has option on the fun quantity re-
uuired TO be delivered ut a stated Time the market
rates will not affect the amount paid for IT, Inc
wisdom OF the Departments contract for nickel Is
undoubed as nickel has proved after thorough tests
I'm all trials superiority over all metals FOR arior
The article referred to attaches little II any value
TO Harveyng-that chilling after peculiar process
OF shell plates whereas that process has shown some
remarkably good results demonstrating the fact that
when properly applied the system increased the resist
ing power OF the plate Like all new systems this
enc requires experience to obtain uniformly good
results, but In the opinion OF experts there Is no
doubt as TO the final results being satisfactory
There have been few failures, Of course, but IN
each case the defective plates have been promptly
rejected and and better required. All successes
have not been published. The most noticeable sue
cesses the last one, when ten-inch Hotter shell
WAS shattered against Harveyized nickel steel plate
without having penetrated the plata remarkable
test-was but briefly referred TO In the newspapers
Of the country
Under the administration Of Secretary Of Navy
Whitney In June. 1887 contract for the purchase
and delivery certain kinds of armor for the sides
turets p:o,-houses, smoke.sacs, pipes, ventllaors
ammunition tubes breastworks. coming towers rolled
plates deck armor, bolts and washers was made win
The bethlehem Iron Company, the articles to be de-
uyered nj q price agreed upon by the manufacturers
and the Navy Department, the aggregate amount In,
each KIND OF material b. be furnished being provided In
Mn contract The bethlehem COMPANY, not having