The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-09-12
lOWA'S ARMOR PLATE
Satisfactory Tests Made at
Indian Head.
ACTUAL STRAIN TOA BATrLESHIP
The Iowa Will Be Able to Withstand
the Projectiles of the Best 12-
Inch Gun AfOat.

Washington, Sept. 6.-The new bat
tleship Iowa will Withstand the projec-
tiles Of the best 12-inch gun afloat.
This was the conclusion drawn today
from one of the most important tests
ever made at the government proving
grounds at Indian Head. Since the
equipment Of modern battleships with
heavy armor there has been in certain
quarters question as to whether the
framework of ships SO armored could
resist the crushing force of blow from
one of the big guns, even though the
armor itself was capable Of keeping
the prOjectiles out. Hitherto all tests
OF armor have been made against I'M
yielding wooden butts. Today, the
q nited States for the first time since
the use of modern guns and armor be-
gan, experimental to determine the
actual strain and injury to which a
battle-ship would be subjected if struck
by a projectile. For this purpose a
side armor plate of the battleship
Iowa, now building at the Cramps
yards in Philadelphia, was fitted upon
an actual reproduction of section of
the ship. 1t consisted of the inner and
outer bottoms of 5-8-inch steel, form
ing compartments with lateral steel
bulkheads four feet apart. Outside
the outer bottom was skin of five
eighths steel, and between this and the
14-inch armor-plate were 10 inches of
solid oak backing. Above was the pro-
lection deck, and below the main deck,
the whole being backed above and be-
low by oak of the estimated. strength of
the projection and main decks. The
plate itself was 16x7 1.2 feet, IA inches
thick at the top. and sloping toward
the bottom to thickness of inches.
The character of the test was such
that Secretary Herbert went down the
river to witness it, and there was
more than the usual number of officials
present from the ordnance and con-,
struction bureaus.
The shots were at $50 yards, at right
angles to the plate, to secure the nor
NAL impact. The first shot was 500
pound Carpenter projectile from TO-
inch gun, driven by 14O pounds of Du-
points brown prismatic powder. 1t
struck the plate with a velocity of
/ ,482 feet per second, or with an
energy of TAI, 900 pounds The pro-
jectile was driven into the plate about
six inches and not a single injury to
the backing was discovered after care
full examination, save the steering of
nine bolts connecting the projection
deck with the armor. This was not
considered serious. The second shot
was also from 1O-inch gun, but the
powder charge was increased to ZIG
pounds, which increased the velocity
to 1852 feet per second, so that it
struck with an energy of 931, 900
pounds. The shot also spent itself on
the plate without creating sign of a
crack or injury or straining the frame
work. There is not a bulge in the
plate or frame of the vessel. A single
bolt, however, was driven out.
On the whole, the result of the test
with the plates and framework was
considered remarkable. The plate
withstood the government test for TO-
inch plate splendidly, and construc-
lively the test of 17-inch plate. The
resistance of the frame really astonish-
ed ALL Secretary Herbert was greatly
rejoiced at the result, and Captain
Sampson, chief of the ordnance bu-
reau, said the injury both to the plate
and framework was the very minimum.
He added:
"The framework withstoOd the
shock better than we hoped.