New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-30
TESTING CAST STEEL SHELLS.
noMp SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS AT INDIAN

noMp SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS AT INDIAN
-s-,.--- prAp PROVING GROUNDS
V,.shinsfor Aug - (Special).->Ine Naval Bureau
Of Ordnance received to-day from Lieutenant n. H.
Nason Commanding the naval proving GROUNDS AT
indian Head an interesting report relating 10 the
rost recent tests of cast steel shells Experiments
with projectiles Of this kind have been gong on al
indian Head for some time the OBJECT OF the 1>a'!
Mana rtment and the manufacturers being to ma
= cast shell which would be practicable for general
vur,o.es Of attack against armor. In many trials
the Johnson cast steel armor piercing protectiles
have given excellent results and in the last three
fnatances they have shown qualities equal 10 many
forged steel projectles. Lieutenant Masons report
relates to the test OF shell manufacturer by the
ravlor Iron and Steel Company These pro)ecties
have the usual thick walls of cast steel ana contain
bursting charges which explode upon penetration
Upon the striking point Of each is fixed a thick
hardened steel point.
In the tests referred to in Lieutenant Masons last
report two S-nch shells were fired. oreech-ioad-
ing high-powered gun OF the same diameter OF
bore being used The plate attacked was one repre-
senting the Oregons 4-inch nlckel-steel sponsor
armor II was backed by about four feet of oak
blocking placed against heavy structure and
firmly held by tie bolts The distance between the
plate and the muzzle Of the gun was about ~ ieet
The first round was fairly satisfactory. The charge
of powder was SO pounds. which gave velocity OF
LOO feet per second and striking energy OF Sioo
II penetrated the armor. backing and supporting
structure The shell broke up into a number OF
pieces about seventy-fve Of which, including the
on give We're ane Ssfe Se
through the shot hole and afterward were dug OUT
The shoulder and also front Of the bourrelet The
point Of the shell was SOUND ana nhaeioIiheo re
hole made In the plate from IA inches to lo-lo
inches in diameter. The plate was dished about
two inches the point Of impact the dish 5e ing
bore OF the gun showed some slight scratches on
the lands about feet from the muzzle. lnese
scratches across two or three lands perpeiuIcu
In the second round much better results were OBJ
tained The same gun and armor used IN the hTst
trial were employed. The charge OF powder AND the
resulting striking velocity and energy were also the
same The projectile struck the plate normally,
fwenty-nyp Inches from the bottom and about NIFTY
inches from the left edge two feet from an opening
in the plate 1t penetrated the plate and backing,
and was found In the sand about fifteen feet In the
rear OF the structure in three principal pieces-the
point the body and the base: IL had broken OF
souarey just forward OF the bourrelet ten inches
ffom the point. The point was SOUND ana uhde-
formed The band was partly twisted out OF It's po-
sitIon. but remained attached to the base piece
sernicircular segment OF the base was broken OF
from the rear edge OF the band score, The BODY OF
the she'll was only slightly swollen The plate was
dished "a. inches the diameter Of the dished portion
being q Inches. The shot hole fringe was cut on
and the edge Of the hole presented beveled appear.
S Dee ss sa1s P ne the
Lieutenant Mason adds TO his report an interesting
table of dimensions Of the Taylor shell before and
after firing showing that the difference In measure
different parts Further tests OF other Taylor shells
will be had the results OF these first experiments
being regarded encouraging by both the Navy
Department and the manufacturers