Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-23
BAD ARMOR PLATES
Representative Cummings Report Of
His Committees Investigation.
FHE MANY CHARGES SUMMARIZED
A Review of the Testimony Show.
ing the Frauds.
ESTS RECOMMENDED


Representative Amos ]. Cummings. chair.
man Of the House committee on naval az.
fairs. presented to the House today the pre-,
liminary report upon the investigation Of
the armor plate and bolts furnished TO tho
government by the Carnegie Steel Com-
pany. The Investigation has been In progress
for weeks, and during its course testimony
has been given by the principal officials oS
the Carnegie company. by worfmen and By,
government officials. The report is a re.
markably complete and minute review Of
the case The committee finds that charges
| OF fraud have been sustained scores the
company severely and recommends, as has
| been already stated In The Star that ffty.
nine suspected plates in use should be tested
as the only ethod Of proving their fitness
| or unf1tness. II also finds that the govern.
ment Inspection was negligent and defects
I've, but that nc. charge of dishonesty restS
upon the inspectors.
The Charges Summarized.
The charges against the company ars
summarized as follows:
First-The plates did not receive the uni.
form Treatment REQUIRED by the speciicas
tions OF the contracts.
Second-False reports Of treatment OF the
plates were systematically made TO the govs
ernment inspectors
Third-No bolts received the double treat.
ment provided for in the specifications of
either contract A report OF a double treats
ment. however, was made to the govern,
ment inspectors.
Fourth-Specimens taken from the plates
both before and after treatment 70 ascer.
tain the tensile strength of each plate were
stretched without the knowledge Of the COVE
eminent Inspectors 50 TO increase their
apparent tensile strength when actually
/ tested
Ffftt-Faise specimens taken from other
plates were substituted for the specimens
| selected by the government inspectors.
Sixth-Ihe testing machine was repeatedly
manipulated by order OF the superintendent
| OF the armor plate mill so as to Increase thS
apparent tensile strength OF the specimens,
These specimens were juggled In meas ;srsS
tility. :
the government inspectors were retreate6
without their knowledge before they werb
submitted to test.
Eighth-Piates selected by the government
| inspectors for baliistic test were retreateI
with the intention Of improving their bak
nsuc resistance, without the knowledge of
the government inspectors. In one case. al
least, the conclusion 10 almost irresistibie
that the bottom Of another plate was sub,
sututed for the top half Of plate A 6le Att
IL had been selected by the government and
while waiting shipment to Indian HeaG
Upon this ballistic test a group Of PLATED
containing S4s TONS valued at about siS0.s
90. were to be accepted or rejected. In
tnree caseA at least, the plates selected by
tne government inspectors were -retreate2
N this manner without their kno~ledg&
These balistic plates represented 75s eaI&
OF armor. valued at over $4,000. The
had all been submitted for premium OF I'd
per ton IL they passed a more severe test
than required for acceptance.
NinthLIn violation of the specifications Of
the contract pipes or shrinking cavitie[
erroneously called blow holes In the plates
were plugged by the contractors and tha
defects concealed from the government in
spectors; these cavities, In some casee.
diminishing the resistance and value of thu
plate.
Tenth-The inspectors stamp was eithes
duplicated or stolen and used without tha
knowleoge OF the government inspectors
Eleventh-The government inspector Inc
specting bolts was deceived by means "a
false templets or gauges.
The Testimony Reviewed.
Much OF the testimony given is reviewed.
| in the report. II is said that the first charrs
is admitted by Superintendent Schwah. ana
that the specifications meant that the platea
should be Of uniform quality before trest.
ment, and be subjected to practically unfs
form treatment. when practically uniform
results would follow.
The second charge is said IN he rro,,aa h,.
the rough records of the company OF over
200 plates and lots OF bolts 1T Is proved !.
says the report, that the bolts never re-
GeNea out one treatment. while it was of
the utmost Importance that they should
receive two treatments. The peculiar shocs
70 which they would be subjected In battIS
irom proJectiles and from ramming required
| II. Experiments had been made showtnS
that unless this treatment was given fhS
polts would break under a heavy GLOW refs
oering the armor, In a measure useless TX
. oad result Of this acknowledged fraud
tnat today the armor OF our ships is held A.,
place by bolts which the COMPANY a.
knowledges have received but one treatmeats
| "nen TWO were absolutely necessary.
Ill, inVestgation shows that there were
only two furnaces for the treatment ~
plates and bolts at the works up 10 SerS
tember i, 1889. After this a third furnsr.
was completed and used. These three fur,
naces did all the work mp to Angus; l. IeqS
when q fourth was added. After informss
uon OF the frauds practiced I'm the wor3rs
was given to the Navy Department and s
penalty exacted by the decision OF the Press
ident. other furnaces were added until toI
day ten are In use.
Not Enough Furnaces.
1T WIN be noted. however," adds the re,
pert that the contract OF November 2d
1890. provided for the manufacture of a a.
greater amount OF armor than the contract
Of February Is. 1s93 no penalties being ex,
| acted for the failure to deliver specified
amounts at specified times. When the CON.
tract OF February = was signed the couis
rany was far behind in It's deliveries under
the first contract Its three furnaces were
entirely inadequate TO carry out the pros
visions OF that contractyet for five montha
IL had only three furnaces I'm which Ia
| 90 the work required by all the contractS.
This. In the view OF the committee clearly
Indicates one OF the motives OF the suDer~
| intendents OF the press shop and armoY
plate department i'm making false reporta
of the treatment Of the plates and bolts "a
the government inspectors.
1T IL Clearly evident TO the COMMITTEES
that there were not enough furnaces Ia
| turn out the work reported if the plates
| were treated according 10 the spsciflca.
| tfons Of the contract and in accoriancS
with the directions Of the government IN
spectors."
The fourth. fifth and sixth charges are
said TO have been admitted, and REGARDING
the "tockeying" of the testing machine Mn
Cummings says: The reason for the ma
nipulatioa is shown in the evidence. Tho
company Itself was making private tests
| OF the plates and knew beforehand, as Su-
perintendent Corey testified. what tho act
tai tensile strength OF each plate was. u
| IL was below the minimum the manipula-
| tion Of the machine necessary 10 bring ID