The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-12
TESTING ARMOR PLATE
Interesting Experiments at the
Naval Proving Grounds.
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS LEAD.

Commander Sampson, Chief of tho Ord
nance Bureau, Says the United States
Makes tho Best Armor in the World,
and Makes 1t Cheaper.
WASHINGTON, suly 12.-The third of a
series OF armor plate tests of worldwide
interest and Importance took place yester-
day at the naval proving grounds, twenty
miles south of this city, on the Potomac
river. The first of these tests was at An
napolis several years ago, when plates
from England, France and the United
States were in competition. and the second
In the fall OF 1891, when the merits of the
Harvey process were demonstrated. Yes
terday the results of the labors of Ameri-
can manufacturers, encouraged by the lib
eral inducements of congress and the adj
ministrations of the navy department,
were subjected to the requirements en-
bodied In the contracts for side and turret
armor for the vessels Of the new navy now
approaching completion. The results,
generally speaking, were most satisfactory.
Among those who witnessed the tests
were Secretary Herbert, Captain Ord
Brown, the famous English ordnance ex-
pert; NJ. Bouvard, superintendent of the
armor department of the Cruzot works,
IEuhCt, toulHiuuoic souuipsoh, thiCt VI thp
ordnance bureau, and representatives Of
the contracting firms.
There were two plates tested, which
were attacked by three projectiles each.
The tests were for acceptance and for pre-
MUM, it having been stipulated that il
the plates resisted penetration under n GER
tain prescribed velocity the makers should
receive premium Of $50 ton, in addition
to the contract price of S5S5 ton.
The first test was OF q 9inch plate, 0
feet and inches wide and 8 feet and z
inches long, a sample Of the side armor of
the monitor Monadnock. 1t was nickel
steel, weighed 10 tons and was made by
the Carnegie-Fri company, of Pitts
burg. Three Hotter projectiles, weigh
ing $50 pounds each, were fired against it
from an S-inch rifle, the muzzle being SO
feet from the face Of the target. The first
projectile had velocity of 400 feet sec
ond at the moment of impact, and pene-
trated the plate and oak backing to q
depth of III inches. The second project
lie, with a striking velocity Of ,6S3 feet,
went through the plate, 8 feet of oak back
Ing and lost itself in the earth against
which the butt was built The third pro-
jectie had velocity Of $50 feet and pen
etrnted plate and backing to a depth of
1415 inches. The plate well withstood the
strain of the attack, no cracks being per-
ceptible, and it fully met every require
ment for acceptance. But the result of
the second shot deprived the makers Of
any chance for the premium. Depending
on this test were about 250 tons Of plate,
involving nearly $150.0o0.
The test of the second plate was an ex-
act duplicate of the first in its results. 1t
| was sample of the curved plates for the
| barbette on the Indiana, made by the
| Bethlehem company, and, like the first, OF
nickel steel. Its Dimensions were 8 feet 4
| inches in height, IL feet inch In length
and II inches thick, forming mass weigh.
ing 8l1S tons It was the heaviest plate yet
tested, and it's thickness will probably not
be surpassed to any great extent until
| there is u change in the method of naval
warfare and shipbuilding, II was sub
| jected to attack from a l2-inch rifle
! which threw a monster Carpenter shel
weighing $50 poupds Its muzzle was 3li
feet from the face of the plate. The strik
ing velocity of the first shot was !, ,s22 fee
second and &c penetrated TO depth o
1915 inches, lacking less than half an incl
of going through. The second shot wa
fired with velocity Of ,49o feet a seconC
and went inches into the oak backing
Tho third and last shot was to determin,
whether or not the premium was to bl
paid, and the velocity was raised to IS;
feet second. When the smoke and dus
following the discharge had lifted It wa
found that the shell had gone clear through
the. plate and 50 inches of oak backing
and then, finding the etnbankment rather
thin, was DETECTED into the air and plungeC
into the river some hundreds of yard
away, or was lost in the woods on the hill
side. Expert opinion on this point dif
fered, but that it had plowed its wa.
through all Instructions and disappeared
from view was obvious. The plate secured
for its makers the acceptance Of the Who'll
contract, amounting to from 800 to 20
tons, but earned no premium. Like til
Monadnock plate, II showed no cracks un
der the terrific strain to which 1t had beer
subjected.
Even more satisfactory than the show
ing made by the plates was that of tn
projectiles. The s-inch shells were of tn
Holtser conieal pattern, and the l2-inch @
the Carpenter conical pattern. All four G
the shells that were recovered appeare
wholly unchanged to the Impractical ey
of the layman. and the gauge showed tina
they were disturbed to such small dt
gree that they might again be fired wit
the attachment of a new strip for riding
Some idea of the force with which th
shells struck the face Of the plates may /
gained from the fact that the energy {
the last shot fired was equivalent to th
force necessary TO move mass Of 81 &C
tons through one foot of space.
The cost of the tests was no small item
and, as they compelled tho acceptance {
the plates represented, it falls upon I'll
government. In round numbers the ba
bette plate cost 5000, the armor plat
81, 900 and the firing of the rifles Gf tt
! proiectiles are not again used) $4,000.
After the tests had been concluded a
the officials and experts expressed III
bounded qualification at the results. Cal
tain Ord Brown, of England, looking
admiration at the barbette plate, said g
ia n piece Of magnificent metal do mt
understand why there are no cracks frol
one hole to another"-they were less tina
three feet apart. Commander Sampso
said, 1.-THE tests demonstrate that Il
United States makes the best armer in Il
world, and makes it much cheaper tina
other nations are able to produce it,"
| --
Want the Old Rate to Atlantic.
ATLANTIC CITY, July 12.-The may
and city council will make an effort