The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-14
CYLINDERS and TRUNCITED CONES.

CYLINDERS IND TRUNCI7ED CONES.
Relative Advantages or Vertical and In.
ciined Armor for Our ship Turrets.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 13-The change in the
original design for the turrets OF the Indiana.
Massachusetts. Oregon. and New York has at
tracted public attention and called out some
discussion as to the probable reasons for
making 1t. Ono OF tho interesting passages
In the current report OF Secretary Tracy fully
explains the matter 1t appears that improve
ments in our ordnance since tho turrets were
planned constituted the main cause. although
a consideration by no means unimportant was
that the original design would have too much
delayed tito completion OF come of the vessels.
To mako the matter clear. the Secretary
notes that where a fixed turrct. commonly
called a bnrbe.te. is substituted for the revolv-
ing turret OF the original monitor type. the gun
itself revolves on turntable. being mounted
above the barbette. which latter protects. how
ever. tho turntable. mount. and other ap-
paratus. Tho bnrbette gun has tho advantage
OF being carried higher and worked moro
easily. while to protect 1t and its crew. espe.
cially since tho introduction Of rapid-nre guns.
an armored shield is now used. although in
many English and French ships Of older types
1t Is not found. When the Indiana class and
the New York were designed. it was de-
termined. in view OF the advance in the elfec
tiveness Of rapid-flre guns. to substitute for
this shield a regular revolving turret. and SO
secure the double protection Of that and the
fixed barbette. As still greater gain over
anything in existing construction. it was fur
ther decided to slope the sidee OF the turrets.
so as to help defect hostile shot. This gave
them the shape Of a trunchted cone.
Board Of aseed 10 tSeso tne
rangemsnts. and yet obstacles soon arose to
carrying out that part Of them which provided
for inclined armor on the turret. The first OBJ
stacie seems to have come in the difficulty OF
manufacturing arror Of tho tyne adopted for
and peculiar form needed Tor tho truncated
cone. However. money and new MACHINERY
mghs od ays be
Monterey: for to The latter. as well as tho
Fee fSsn and n? a &ersy %eTs
compile ted and much needed.
Mean while much more i'm ortant considera-
tions were coming un The turrcts were orig
inaly planned. Of course. for the bare space
maximum thickness Of protection. Three
distinct advances in ordnance hid now made
the modern tendency is to lenGthon the gun.
with view to tho more com pete action OF the
S shaEfs Whs ss
B.inch guns rupplied to our navy are OF 20
calibres in length the newer ones now manu-
latter being one-third longer than what was
accepted as the standard only few yenrs ago.
portance OF length has been emphasized by
tho new smokeless powders. The introduc-
ton OF these latter into our sorvics constitutes
tho second great change referred to. since with
their far greater energy they give a greater
recotl. 1t IS only nece >sary 20 examine the re-.
guns. OF very great length with smokeless
powder. to see the Importance OF these ele-
TIE third hang. has in
with which it is intended to substitute hand
for ha Bsh hi wf Hass asy
resolved to reduce the calibres OF their guns
rather than not be able to use hand power in
Ulcers. since the conical turrets were planned.
have succeeded in applying a nm, new breech
MECHANISM to heavy guns. by which their m,
secure this exceedingly important gain they
must not be unduly cramped in using this
inward siopnc turrsts OF tho Battle ships. the
Nay York ana INC Montereyi, 49,. 49,. ,,u.,..,,
These eoHsidsrations ioud d not put prevail
opinion IN, Of the c6i.t q H. Bureau q ord,
nance supported by that Of FIVE out Of SIX OF
1.-The efficient working OF the guns In the tur.,
rets REQUIRED greater spats than was aef9rdeI
Mr.. Tracy says emphatically that. even II there
had been nothing but uonDt ralseu III MS
mind MS to the impairment OF the efficiency Of
the guns. he would have felt justified In
having the turrcts altered. at some expense Of
protective qualities, because for ship meant
to attack and fight. her battery power is all i'm
portant. But n thorough personal eXnmina;
lion. after this weight Of expert authority had
been placed before him. satisfied him COM
:letely that the gun space was inadequate.
Besides. when the question WAS raised as to
the real loss OF defensive protection caused by
making the turrets vertical. tho same very
large majority OF the CONSTRUCTION Board con-
cured In tho opinion that this loss was not
serious, nor ut all equal to tho loss in battery
power risked by not altering the original
form OF turret 1t was further found that very
careful experiments and calculations. made
years ago. showed the degree OF inclination
required for making any gain OF consequence
weights. and that high authority had then de-
cidcd that the increased gan space with vsrti-
cal armor might be found tho more valuable
elament OF the two.
TO complete the subject. Secretary Tracy
ndds that. with the present vertical armor.
forming cylindrical turrets. our armored Ves-
sells afford heavier protection Tor the on
closed portions OF the gun than any other YES.
sel OF their type In the world" The subject
was we'll worthy OF this careful and thorough
explanation OF the course which. amid dis
sentlng opinions, he decided to take.