The record-union., 1892-12-12
special to the REcoRp-UNIox.

Special TO the RECoRD-UNIoN.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. 1.-THE Secretary
of the Navy, in his annual report, sets
forth the fact that when the present ad-
ministration came in, March I, 1889, be-
sides old and obsolete wooden ships, only
three modern war vessels were in COM
mission. During the administration
nineteen new vessels, of an aggregate
tonnage of 81, So tons, have been con-
structed, with a mounting of two Pinch,
six 10-inch, sixteen S-inch and eighty
two finch 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
and put into service. There is in process
OF construction eighteen new vessels GER
tain to be completed, should the armor
be delivered, within the next year of an
aggregate tonnage of 90, ,497 tons, and Il
mounting altogether of twelve I3-inch,
six Pinch, sixteen l0-inch, thirty 8-inch,
thirty-two 6-inch, thirty eight 5-inch and
tnirty-tour 4-inch guns, all of which
have been or are to be manufactured in
this country
D6NbIopuleDI lIl6 past lOuT years HIS
not been confined to ships alone. At the
beginning of this administration, SAYS
the Secretary, the naval establishment
was entirely destitute of certain elements
OF efficiency, each one of which was in
dispensable to its practical employment
as fighting force, and the absence OF
which, if it had been possessed of a hun
dred ships, would still have left it i'll a
condition OF paralysis. These were:
Armor, torpedoes, heavy rapid-tire guns,
armor-piercing shells, smokeless pow
der and high explosives.
The Secretary details at length the note
worthy progress in the production of
these things, and says the progress
noted by which the United States has
emerged from its condition of helpless
ness at sea, and by the employment of
its own resources has distanced its most
experienced competitors, marks an
epoch in naval development. not only of
this country, but OF the world. Delays
III the delivery of armOr have caused the
dates of the final completion of armored
vessels under construction to be sOme-
what later than at first contemplated.
The only compensation for this delay is
the superior quality of armor that has
been recently developed.
In connection with the development of
nIckel-steel for armor, the department
has undertaken series of experiments
III lllt " AtAtdllOnOl vi luAS HldlGIidl 10 Olu6G
purposes Of construction which promise
no less important results than those al
ready attained. If the expectations now
formed are realized, it will not be long
before nickel-steel will be extensively
used, both in ship and marine engines,
with marked improvement both in
strength of parts and reduction in weight
while its non-corrodible qualities, al
ready plainly demonstrated, point to the
probability that it may ultimately pre-
sent a resolution for the harasSing prob
lem OF preserving submerged plating of
ships.
Coming down to a detailed statement
as to armor tests, the Secretary tells of
the work ACCOMPLISHED OF the tremendous
test to which the Harveyed nickel-steel
armOr plate was subjected in November.
1881, as a result of which improved
methods were introduced in the manu-
1acture by the Harvey process, and a
final test made in July last. The plate
was of nickel-steels Harveyed, of ten and
a half inches in thickness. An eight
inch gun was used in the test. Five
Hotter forged steel shells, weighing $50
pounds eacn, with striking velocity of
100 feet per second, and each with an
energy of 1900 tons to the square foot.
were fired at the plate at the distance OF
thirty yards. Never before these trials
had any armor plate in the world been
these five blows of a total energy of q, GOO
tons.
An five of the proiectiles were smashed
upon the surface OF the plate, which
showed no sign of injury beyond the
opening OF a slight temper crack four
inches in length from one edge. and
vale less than one inch in thick ness on
the back OF the plate opposite each point
OF impact. The result has never been
approached before by any armor plate,
American or foreign.
1t has been demonstrated that the
nited States in constructing its new
navy, which ten years ago had no exist
ence even on paper, is enabled to place
upon each ana all of its armored vessels
material the like of which the world has
not up to this time seen; and while vast
sums have been spent plating sides of
foreign men-ot-war with inferior mate
rial this country will employ for the
purpose an armor which is not only far
more efficient, but which represents un-
questionably. having reference TO plates
thus far tested, the highest development
OF modern science, aud a development
reached 10y It's own independent efforts
Following our example, the English
Government four weeks ago held a trial
of the new American armor, and il is
clear, from the highly successful results,
that the United States, instead of being
vessels of war or borrowing the best
ideas from abroad, has set an example in
this respect which other maritime ma
tions will speedily follow.
With regard TO armor contracts the
Secretary says neither the Bethlehem
nor 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 authorized,
when these plants are able, IN preparing
to advertise for proposals for the re-
mainder of the armor required TO COM
plete the vessels now authorized. When
these plants are able to turn out, as will
shortly be the case, the full quantity&of
armor required by the contract, the
aggregate supply viii still amount to
only $500 tons per annum, or not
more than enough for the construction
ot three battle ships, and to provide
aiinor Tor eight such ships in addition to
lhose now authorized would require
three years after the fulillment of the
present contract, with the works running
al full capacity.
IL Is the belief Of this department, in
common with the Naval Committee of
tne present House, that this number of
adoltional battle ships is essential to the
protection OF the United States. 1t is
upon sucn vessels that this country, as
Wen as others having a seaboard, relies
ana must continue to rely for purposes of
ueIense as long as naval warfare remains
what IL is to-day. Without them we are
helpless at sea. With the plants in ex-