The herald., 1894-04-18
is OUR NEW NAVY RorTBNi


mert had been imposed upon by the
Carnegie works to be used in the con-
struction Of srmor for the new navy
The result OF an investigation was to
confirm the charge, and the works were
let off with a fac of $4,000, . per-
csntAgs OF which went to the iniormers.
who were men that had been employed
in the Homestead mills, and who had
assisted in imposing the defective plates
on the United States inspectors.
Now smother batch OF charges have
been submitted to Secretary Herbert in
which it is claimed that the iniormers
can trace 700 fraudulent plates to the
vessels they have been used in. These
plates, it is charged, we're dsfsctively
cast, were known to have holes in them
that hsd been plugged up to deceive the
inspectors, and that the metal was
badly tempered was we'll understood in
the works. The men, for their own pro-
lection, we're in the habit OF keeping q
memorandum of all the plates they
worked upon. because when any Of
them failed to come up to the yard test
they were he'd responsible. From this
fact the informers stand ready to trace
every plate to its place in the warships
and to prove by actual examination Of
each plate the truth of their charges.
This is certainly very serious charge
and a most alarming revelation. II the
men can prove what they assert, then
there can be no doubt whateve. OF the
completely OF the owners of the works
in passing off fraudulently defective
plates upon the government. OF course,
in entertaining any such grave accusa-
ton, we should not forget that the men
have a strong animus OF revenge against
the Carnegie managers, and that they
have become informers from the not
very high motive OF receiving, "a the
others did, a percentage OF whatever
fine may be imposed. But if their
charges are based upon facts, then their
Iaotivss cut no faure in thu m altar If
some OF the ships OF our new navy are
armored with defective plates that will
20 to pieces at the frst shot from an
|
know it, and whatever there can be done
to remedy go dangerous q weakness in
our ironclads sho uld be done before
they are permitted to risk the lives OF
their crews by going into action. The
affidavits trace some of the fraudulent
plates to the Monterey, built at Ssu
Francisco. McLuckie, who seems to be
the spokesman of the informers, declares
that their afidavita show CO nclusively,
and mark out with unmistakable partic-
ularity three immense armor plates on
the Monterey that are rotten with blow
holes. One OF the plates on the Monte
rey weighs twenty-eisht tons. 1t is
known As a belt line plate; that is, goes
on the ship above the water line. and is
but slightly curved. 1t is thirteen
inches thick. Its number is "X8."
There was q large bloWhole in this
plste.'' said McLuckie; $50 large
that no inspector would have dared pass
it. A wire was run into this blowhols
to the depth OF four feet. One of the
superintendents ordered that cobble
be dropped in and then a hole three
inches in diameter and eight inches
deep was drilled at the mouth of the
blowhole. A three-inch bolt wss ham
mered into this hole and then q fake
blowhols was made in this bolt by drill
ing it 20 the depth of four or five inches.
This fake blowhole was shown to the
inspector and be decided that it was not
great enough to spoil the plate, and cr-
dered it plugged up.
"On the opposite end Of the plate
there WAS another blowhole. 1t was
almost directly opposite the first. and
there was reason to believe that the
, blowhole extended the entire length OF
the plate, 10 or II feet. The second
blowhole was plugged up. and another
bloWhole found Oh the corner OF the
same plate was filled up with melted
steel. Then the surface was nicely
planed of This plato is on the Monte
rey now. We have it's number, and an
investigation by experts will show these
conditions just as / have described item
''In another belt armor plate now in
position on the Monterey, No. X9, there
, are nearly dozen plugs which were sur
! reptitlously driven in without the in
r spectors' knowledge. The plate was
. passed by the government inspectors
with the idea that the condition va!
perfect. Still another rotten plate or
the Monterey is No. lilo. Three great
: blowholes were plugged on a Sunday
= night when no inspector wac present
Neither OF these three plates are fit Il
be in position on the sides OF UniteC
States monitor.
''In one of the three there are A
0 plugs. All these are heavy armor plate
9 I3 inches thick"
. This is matter OF too grave import
a ance to be slighted, aside from any rea
:, son OF personal consideration. 1t strike
j. at the safety as well ss the efficiency Q
r our new navy. We ought not to be re
= quired to depend OH rotten armors t
g our ships when the clash comes. Ou
d officers and men should not be- left
,i stand the hazard of battle with vessel
- that may be riddled and sunk in thei
l.; frst engage msnt because there mas beer
g villiany and fraud in that part of thei
t. construction which should be the mos
of impregnable to the missiles of th
&c enemy. Whatever may be the motive
8. OF these men in being informers. the
e show themselves sufficiently armed wit
f. facts to be entitled to a hearing. An