Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-08

shapes to be ordered. In the case of the
Carnegie Steel Company, a similar condi-
ton would exist. At both establishments
armor win be completed a a much earlier
date. Should appropriations be deferred
until the succeeding Congress. becoming
operative July l. 1896, both armor plants
would have been practically idle for more
than a year, the organizations would be
broken up and the skilled labor, created
at much expense of time and money, either
lost or diverted.
1T is believed, therefore that better terms
should be obtained on pew contracts at the
present times than later"
Armor Development.
Under the head of armor development
Capt. Sampson has much to say in eXpiana-
ton Of the difficulties encountered in bring
ing into existence an entirely new industry
in this country and achieving results SUI
perior to anything accomplished abroad
One effect has been to thrust upon the de-
partment responsibilities which in an es-
tablished industry would be borne by the
contractors. The manufacture of armor
now being thoroughly established, SO that
a great regularity in the quality of the out
put may be expected 1t Is considered inn
portant that in future the minimum re-
quirements be raised to point known pos
sible to be attained by careful and skillful
manufacture, the contractors still being
pledged to produce the best armOr possible
under the conditions existing at the time Of
placing the contract --...-
The objection urged abroad against the
Harvey process that 1t distorted plates be-
yond use has been found groundless, and
makers can now produce such plates of any
required shape thickness, provided the
original plates are sound and homogeneous.
Surface cracks have resulted from the I'M
equal yielding of the carbonized and soft
parts of the plates, but these do not re-
duce the ballistic properties of the plates
The difficulties met in drilling bor-
ing the plates for fitting have been met
by the Introduction of electric weld
ing process, by which the temper may be
drawn at bolt holes. A brief reference
is made to the armor plate frauds, which
attracted so much attention during the last
Congress, and attention is called to the re-
ports on the subject already made to the
department. The deliveries of torpedOes
are being made with satisfactory rapidity
and as the present allowance of torpedoes
for each tube is entirely too small, an esti-
mate of S242, 800 is submitted for procur-
ing 100 more
Gums for Subsidized Vessels.
In view of the act of Congress providing
that steamers registered under the subsidy
law may be called into use as cruisers and
transports, 1t is suggested that means must
be found for arming them. Many months
would be required to prov lie batteries, and
for this reason the bureau recommends that
a small annual appropriation be made for
the purpose until guns and mounts have
been provided for at least 33 Atlantic and 8
Pacific steamers. This would require six
inch. 100 fve-inch, 15S four-inch and 317
secondary guns. and to begin their manu-
facture. an estimate of $5000O0 is submitted
The estimates submitted for the next fiscal
year aggregate ST, S64, $50, as against 81. 362,-
304 for the current year, the principal in
creases being for torpedoes and advance
stores, and for the armament of the new
vessels.