New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-12
NEWS OF ARMY AND NAVY.
EMBARRASSMENT OVER THE SENATE
GUARDIANSHIP.
SENATOR BATE ANXIOUS TO SUCCEED SENATOR
wALTHALL At THE HEAD OF THE
MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
-ARMOR TESTS.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TnIBryE.]

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrSEJ
Washington Feb. 1.-THE voluntary retirement to
private life OF Senator Wathail has caused no little
embarrassment to the Democratic Caucus Com
mittee of the Senate. At the time OF his resig-
nation Senator Walhall the chairman OF the
Senate Committee on Military Affairs. His DEPART
ire from the Senate caused a vacancy In the chair-
manship and II is about the succession that en-
oarrassment exists. According TO seniority senator
Cockrell would be promoted to fill the vacancy as
he is now the ranking Democratic member or the
committee Senator Cockrell is the chairman of a
much more important committee--that of Appro-
priations-and the duties OF the position are III
every way agreeable to him he viii not relihquish
them Next in order the committee Is senator
Bate. whose present chairmsnship-that OF the Com
mittee on the improvement of the Mississippi River
is Of little dignity or Importance senator bate
In eager TO be made Senator Walthalfs successor,
and what leads 10 the embarrassment OF 'the Eau
GUS Committee is the fact that he feels confident or
receiving the appoin AS far as can Dc ieaieu
he has no. particular qualifications for the position
He is not familiar with the condition and needs OF
the Army and in his subordinate capacity on the
committee he has shown little if any interest in leg
saton affecting II.
There is a serious doubt whether senator Bate
has any sympathy with the Army. He mad not
wthen as a rebel major general. he SURRENDERED MS
sword in 1865 and of his public utterances
since that time induce the belief that his sentiments
toward the Army have become more gentle and
generous Indeed, among his colleagues VINO look
I'D arms against the Government between 1911 ana
1866 Senator Bate Is regarded as one Oh lhe Wosi
pronounced of the unreconstructed "prlgadiers'
His lack Of special fitness for the chairmanshlp
added to his present we,-known sentiments and his
personal unpopuarty among his DEMONSTRATORS
of both parties make his chances of success ex-
tremely doubtful. 1t is learned that when senator
Walthall was appointed chairman of the Commit
tee on Military Affairs the Democratic Caucus COM
mittee gave serious consideration to the adVisa
bty of selecting for the position. soon after the
war a Senator who had been an officer In the rebel
army Senator Walthall was regarded as a moder-
ate representative of the type; and upon &C.
coming from several Repa1ncam o,ld be made to
his appointment the score of his attitude towt cru
The Government during the war he was named Tor
the craftsmanship. There Is no evidence Ihat ~
publican Senator's have uttered such friendy sehli-
The report IS current that Senator Palmer also
desires the Craftsmanship of the Committee on
mn an The ardnous duties Of the work of Com
mittee Pensions. He entertains lively ,n,Jres so
in military matters. and believes that the work OF
directing the preparation of legislation lop tne
Army would be more sOngenial Y evsTy Palmer
would bring the committee a good geheral
knowledge of military affairs Other ruors maTe
important committee. and that his colleasues on t1s
Caucus Committee are Of the opinion that ne samcs
should be held The Democrats are opposed TO ON, the
ut fasctionai Suarreis being brought about. but
there appears to be other solution Of the pres
ent embarrassments.
Commodore Sampson made public to-day the re-
terday afternoon. The test trial OF plan
nickei-steel plate 1t of special interest OWING
TO the fact that the plate was the last OF the kilu
TO be experimented with under contracts now IN
force and that 1t the second represehtatlve
Of the same group Of armor fired at Future eK-
periments will be with nickel-steel armoI, Wnlch
has been treated by the Harvey process Inc pid,e
tried Yesterday eleven and half lnches tliiGh
II was the representative of group or arnor IN
Nod III no barDctteS
sides Of the Puritan and the coming tower OF me
ram Katahdin 1t was manufactured by me Sar.
nege Company. The group comprises IN all ABOUT
300 tons of armor. valued at about $SOVv IN jan
uary a representative of the same group vas mr.
at hut failed to pass the required tests AS III t,c
earlier test an 8-inch rife used in yesterday
trial. Only two shots were fired. Doth LOT tie ae-
ceptance test. The contractors dld not ask ioi d
premium test. Carpenter forged projectles were
Used in both rounds Each shell weighed ~ pounus
and was driven by two charges OF brown p0Wuev
Weighing 72i4 pounds each The velocity OF me
first shot was comparatively low. being only l,2S.
feet second The shot struck the plate nornnaIly
and penetrated TO depth OF IL. ihchess !. 6 re-
bounded with great force some OF the pieces ny
ing as far to the rear 40 yards. No cracks
were made in the plate. The second proJecte hau
n velocity of 1.7S0 foot seconds. being driven 10y
ninety eight pounds of powder. The shot Went
through the plate. and its point penetrateu 50 ral
into the backing to, leave only about tnres
inches Of the she'll in the plate. No cracks were
deyeloped and the prolectile did not get az! tne
way through the plate the test was satisfactory
THE 200 tons Of armor which the test plate repre-
sents will therefore be accepted