St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-16
THE ARMon Plate FRAUDS.

THE ARMOR PLATE FRAUDS.
The deeper the armor plate contracts
with the Carnegie company are probed,
the more glaring become the frauds
which have been perpetrated upon the
government. 1t now appears that
larger quantity Of the steel plates placed
In our cruisers were defective than he's
heretofore been suspected, and these
vessels may at any time so to the bottom
OF the ocean IN consequence. Immense
sums OF money have been expended
upon their construction. and it has been
our boast that they were the fastest as
we'll as the most staunch war vessels
afioat. But 1T transpires that their seem
ing strength is merely sham. The
/ sheathing, supposed to be inyuInerable
to the heaviest shot, may be shattered
to thousand fragments by single
cannon ball, for it is patched and
plugged to cover up the blowholes pro-
duced in the process of casting.
The contractors are claiming compen-
satiDn for the work at the contract price.
although the contract specified that all
plates must be sound and evenly tenn
pered, free from blemishes' of every
sort. The president and secretary of
the navy have withheld portion of the
pay to guard against precisely wilat has
occurred. But the naval committee OF
the house objects to this course. and in
slsts that the money shall be paid over
| to the contractors, Notwithstanding that
they have violated their agreement in
many material respects. But the execu.
tive officers of the government do not
propose TO comply. except under CON-
pulSlon, and are prosecuting the eXalni-
| nations still further. The results have
been given to the public in the Wash
Ington dispatches, and lay bare the
most shameless conspiracy to defraud
that has ever been known in our his
tory. Ii like state of affairs should
exist i'll any country in Europe, the
perpetrators of the frauds would long
ere this have gone to prison, there to
atone for their dishonesty. and their
estates would have been sequestered to
the use of the government.
One witness testified before the COM
mittee of investigation the other day
that from Is to 80 per cent of the arr1or
plating on the new war vessels was
flake work." or patched and imperfect
work. The patches had been adroitly
covered so as to escape notice except
by thorough inspection. This was done
with the full cognizance of the man
ayers OF the works. and by their express
direction. 1t might be that these de-
| fects would not impair the strength of
the vessel. but in almost any heavy sea
leak might be sprung that would
cause the vessel to founder. And if a
solid shot should happen to strike one
| Of the ''doctored" spots it would pass
through it almost as readily as if it were
plate of putty.
| fhe president and secretary Of the
navy need not fear the criticisms of the
partisan press in this matter. Their
duty is plain under the law and the con-
tract. The government agreed to pay
good, round price for the work, and has
Alright to demand that it shall he done in
a workinanEike manner. Not another
dollar should be paid to the Carnegie
company until every defective plate is
removed from the vessels, and Its place
supplied by one perfect i'll every re-
spect.. Ii this course shall be pursued
the country will approve OF it, but the
severest censure will be visited upon
the officials who consent to pay good
| price for inferior work.