New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-29
NEWS OF ARMY AND NAVY.
SOME INTERESTING TESTS SOON TO BE
MADE
TIE BIGGEST GUNS EVER MANUFACTURED IN
THIS CoUNTRY-PRoGREss IN THE MANU-
FACTI-RE OF HARVEYIZED PLATES.
rny TELEGRAPH TO TIFF TRIBUNE '

rny TELEGRAPH TIFF TRIBvSR'
V-asbinqton Jan 2S-Furthcr interesting tests of
naval ordnance material will shortly take place.
Tn. first will be held at the Indian Head Proving
Ground within few days. when piece of armor
rapresentine a group of 500 Of plates intended
for tho barbettes OF the Monadnock the sides OF
the Puritan and the coming tower OF the ram
Katahdn is to be fired at The experimental plate
was made by the Carnegie steel Company. IL IS
the second representative plate Of the group to be
tested The first plate failed on the premium ana
accentance tests The coming test Will be watched
with much interest. as the results Will tend TO
show what ~ any, differences in ballistc properties
exist in separate plates of the same group OF
ormor Should the plate fail of acceptance third
representative Of the same group may DC selectel
and tested by the Government peiore '"e e"'ie
group IL finally rejected
Following closely after this test there VIII be
trial Of an experimental plate. representing
eroun of AS tons Of armor Intended Tor the SUES
OF the coast defence monitor Puritan ms a''e'
test will take place at the proving GROUNDS oi 'he
bethlehem Iron Company, upon when guns pack-
ing and other facilities for armor trials were To-
Gated some time ago, with a view 10 the saNl"b ~
the cost OF transportation of test plates to Indian
Head
The third and most important of the coming
tests will be a trial of one of the twelve b-lhch
guns which are to be mounted on the ih"la"u
Oregon and Massachusetts. The '3-inch gums ar
he biggest rifles ever Dullt lHS ''"i''''' '''''
the coming trial will be watched with great in
,ercst bv ordnance experts A number Of Interested
SPECTATORS including secretaries Herbert ana La
mont General Flagcr, Chief of ordnance 81 nv
Army: Commodore Sampson. Chiei OF ofuidhce ~
the Navy and several military ana naval attaches
of foreign legations in Washington VIII witness
the trial. An idea Of the SIT power ami other
features of the big gun and its ammu-
milton can he obtained from the following
hrief descriptions Weight 1860 pounds about slXty
inches length Of bore "a 10 inches; length of cham
her SO.SS inches capacity OF chamber l)"' cuplc
weight OF projecte LOO pounds muzzlc velocity 81
proJectle (service). Zoo foot secon's mu|%c 'h'iE
~ proJectilc 49,, foot tons. \ service pToJt'1i,
fred from the gun Is calculated To penetrate twenty
inches OF steel distance Of len var Is IL - m
inches caIlbrc will be- built the Navy. The pres
ent tendency is TO reduce the diameter 81 ne bore
to about fortynve tons. The four big guns OF the
hat,leShlp IoTa ~ ' 81 d in' ,s Nv rcccc rles
Inspector 81 arinor which Is belrg manufa, turcl
by the Bethlehem Iron Company AMI the Carnegie
the work ~ fIarveyizing plates Intended FOR the
prediction ~ secretary IIorlcr in his annual re-
port to the effect mat contract requirements call
Ing for the delivery Of 80 tons 81 armor pr month
would soon be exceeded by the manufacturers. has
been more than verified Progress in the work OF
forging the plates j. particularly SATISFACTORY az
unavoidable circumstances the ctrueg., Company
IS not yet In position 10 turn out monthly i4o r.-
qurel quantity ~ armor. bur the prosiccts that IN
the near future existing difficulties VIII b. over
come and that The COMPANY VIII b" 30 position
10 exceed any reasonable demands for armor coming
from this country from abroad tn" tottl
weight q. armor 20 be Harvey nj under th- d. n
tracts 81 1885,; lSI AMI iN1 f. e''N tons ~ This
quantity the Bethlehem Complny IS 20 m1nufacture
i6.,j tons and the Carnegie Company ii23 tons.
II Is OF Interest IN this Connection 20 note that this
country is no longer alone In IN" Manufacture ana
Use ~ UarvcyizeI arinpr. Germany has ahand ln'l
COMPOUND arinor. over when tho Harvey plates
shovel marker superiority IN tests az Nnnapohs
and Indian Head. ana has adopted nlcKel-si"el
Harveylzel plates Exrerimcnts With piHies treated
hv the Harvey process have given satisfactory r"-
suits In England AMI Russia. ani tao -ountries
VIII sooner or later subject their armor fo tnls treat
mont In Italy and France the tendency il -
abandon the old type armor and adopt n" su-
perIor quality which American enterprise developed.