Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-08
FOR ATTACK AND DEFENSE
Heavy Armor and Long Guns to Be
Tested.
Tremendous Projeetaies to BE Hurled
Against the Latest Plate Material
Great Interest Felt.

-Great interest Felt.
The naval proving ground at Indian Head,
on the Potomac, on Saturday next will be
| the scene Of the most extraordinary contest
between gun and target that has yet taken
place in this country. The occasion will
be trial for superiority between the at
| lacking power of the thirteen inch breech-
loading rifle and the resisting strength of
| the eighteen-inch side armor of the 10 2ss-
ton battle ships. 1t will be a battle between
the heaviest gun and the thickest armor
ever made in this country. The thirteen
irch rifle is not only the largest gun ever
made here. but the largest likely to be
made for years to come, and a similar as
sertion is proper in regard to the armor
plate.
Twelve 13-inch guns have been made at the
Washington navy yard. and will be equally
distributed among the battle ships Massa-
chusetts, Indiana and Oregon. newer
| battle ship. the Iowa. with LOCO tons more
displacement than the three named. will
have twelve-inch guns as her heaviest bat
| terry. The reduction is in accordance with
the latest policy Of the leading navies of
| the world.
The twelve-inch gun, with its superior
| construction and powerful charges, can
| penetrate at short range any ship armor
| now dHOdl. II aiiOWS greater care OF ma
nipulation and greater frequency of fire
than the thirteen-incb gun. The chief rea-
son for the new policy, however, is in
the possible manipulation of the lighter
gun by hand power. so that in case OF in
| jury to the hydraulic or other apparatus
they may not be wholly useless. The propo-
| sition for the manufacture of a sixteen
irch gun, urged some years ago, to meet
the increased resistance of improved armor,
has been abandoned ficm lack of practical
encouragement in the shape of an appro-
priation.
The largest gun ever manufactured for
| the army is the twelve-inch rife, and there
| is no prospect of an increased caliber for
that service. This is heavier than the navy
| rife of the same caliber, and is more pow
erful, not needing the same limitations as
to length, weight and other matters that
are imposed on ordnance to be carried on a
ship. The navy thirteen-inch rife, however,
is larger than the army twelye-inch. Gen.
Flagler has urged the construction of six
teen-inch guns for coast defense. but SO far
has not been able to persuade Congress 10
provide for any guns larger than the twelve
trch. Therefore. ii is not likely that a
larger gun than the naval thirteen-inch rife
Will be built in this country for some time
| to come.
Reducing Thickness
The recent improvements in armor by the
Harvey process and others has also led to
reductions In the thickness of plates The
side armor of the Iowa is reduced to four
teen inches. or four inches less than the
maximum in the case of the battle ships of
the Indiana class. Although IL is possible
mat some OF our future battle ships or har-
Dor defenders may carry maximum armor
exceeding eighteen inches in thickness no
such ships have been authorized or are in
contemplation.
Attack md Defense.
The armor to be tested is a nickel-steel
| Harveyized plate, eighteen inches thick,
sixteen feet long and seven feet wide. 1,
weighs thirty-two tons. 1t was manufac-
tured BY the Bethlehem Company. and
| represents 6i3 tons of plates intended for
the side armor OF the Indiana. Being the
latest product of skill in armor manufac-
lure. the test plate is supposed TO possess
the very highest qualities of perfection.
IL Is now at the navy yard in this city
ana VIII be sent TO Indian Head by special
barge In day or two. Upon arrival at
| the proving grounds Ii will be placed upon
the long-range butt and secured TO a thirty
| six-inch oak backing. It will be so placed
that the heavy projectiles will strike its
race normally, In order that the trial may
| be fair thorough test of its resisting quail
ities. Two rounds will be fired at the plate
under contract requirements. To pass the
ordeal and for the group of armor which
| II represents to be accepted the plate must
SHOW no crack extending from the point
OF impact TO an edge. from one edge to an
other or through the entire thickness of
tiiS mass AT an cage. III must also resist
the through penetration of a projectfle or
any fragment thereof The projectiles will
be or lot made by the Carpenter Com
pany, under the new process, which is re-
sarded as giving at least as good results
as those obtained abroad in the use of
| Hotter or Firminy shells
Ihe proJectiles Will weigh $50 pounds
They Will be driven by 425 and $50 pounds
| of brown powder respectively. The veloc-
| tiles will vary from l.dJ0 10 400 feet n
| second. depending upon the charge Of
| powder. The striking energy of each shot
| will be St.uo and 3s6O0 foot-tons. resnec-
lively. Under these conditions the meme
tratlon of shot from the l3-inch gun
would be twenty-six inches i'm common
steel IL remains to be seen whether or NOT
nickel-steel plate, Harveyized. Of eighteen
| inches thickness, will be equal 10 the
emergency.
III the gun wins IL will be a triunnh for
| American ordnance over the most effective
| modern plating, while a victory for the ar
NOR viii be a new triumph for an Ameri-
| can process which is giving our ships ex.
traordinary protection. The impression
among naval experts is slightly i'm favor
OF victory for the gun, with its big pro-
tectile.
A distinguished party, including promi-
nent members of the Senate and House De.
partment officials, Representatives of for
eign legations and a delegation of army
| and navy officers and civilians will witness
the tests. Commodore Sampson, chief OF
the naval bureau OF ordnance will super
wise the trials. and Lieut.. Mason. the CON-
| handing officer at Indian Head, will have
personal charge of the firing.