The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-07-19
HEAVY ARM0R PIERCED.
Failure of the 17-Inch Carnegie Har-
veyized Plate.


A l7-inch Harveyized armor plate. manu-.
factured by the Carnegie company, met with
disaster at the test at Indian Head The
plate itself cost s2l 900, weighed 80 tons, and
was one Off group OF plates weighing 3s7
tons, which are worth to the Carnegie COM
pany 52iG.000. The plate had been made
with ~ great care as possible by the Carnegie
company, and II was hoped that successful
group had been secured. for 1t was desired TO
remove n far as possible, the doubts cast on
Haryeyized steel plates by the failure OF the
ls-inch plate made by the Bethlehem
company. and tested some time ago.
This plate was rs sound and Ane
specimen Of Har, ayized armor as has
ever been turned OUT At least that is what
the Carnegie company thought. The second
test was the one tnat uiu tne damage. Ine
Misunderstanding Pinch shell weighing $50
pounds was used, with 396 pounds OF brown
prismatic powder, giving an initial velocity
Of 1858 foot pounds, and an energy Of 20, $40
foot tons.
The she II pierced the plate entirely. smash
Ing through the three and a half feet OF oak
backing three feet Of oak SUPPORTS; through
80 feet OF earth beyond, and into the woods
for 100 yards.
This was the first she'll OF the kind which
was manufactured by purely American pro-
cesses. which had been developed In this
country.
The shot did as much damage as any shot
ever did. The result was entirely yunexpccted
To the Carnegies and the ordinance officers
Capt Sampson said the shell was phenom-
enal one aud the plate soft. The failure on
such good plate was entirely inexplicable.
In the first ties, Carpenter special No. 35,
weighing $50 pounds. was used with acharge
OF 2bO pounds of brown primatic powder.
The velocity OF the shell was 4l0 feet and
II had an energy Of l,729 foot tons. The
shell pierced the plate l3l = inches and with.
out being smashed the shell rebounded some
GO feet. The plate was uncracked and the
structure as rigid rs ever. The shot exhib-
tied tLat the shell was phenomenal, and had
come In contact with an insufficient hardened
Harvey plate. although TIE company thought
II had done everything necessary to make
the plate perfect.
Representing the Carnegie company were
Chairman II. @. Frick. Second Vice Chairman
Schomaker, Attorney i. c. Knox and super
lntendent OF the armor plate manufacture,
Millard Hunsicker.
SECOND TEST.
The second test OF fragments of the Car
negie l7-inch Harveyized plate, held at Indian
Head by Secretary Herbert's order, was much
more satisfactory than the first. The pro-
lectile used was selected from the same lot as
the one which failed to pierce the Bethlehem
plate III the tests of May last. II was Car
penter s0O-pound she'll fred with the same
velocity, ,s56 feet per second, and with tho
same powder charge Us the projectile which
pierced the plate.
This shot pierced the plate, but did not 90
clear through 1t, the point projecting about
two inches beyond the back. but the she'll re-
manned firm in the plate. The plate was
cracked, but this was to be expected OF any
plate which had had three shots fred nj IT,
The proiectile was not seriously damaged.
Captain sampson, after the result of the sec.
ond test, said that If the first shots had acted
IN the same way rs the last, the plate would
nave been accepted. As IL is, the group OF l3
barbette plates for the Oregon have been re-
lected.