Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-09-05
NTHEsarn or rHE IOWA.
Can Withstand the Proirctiics Of the
Hsst Tsn-inch Gun AnunL

thu Ntthatnuu inc EFNlhfNilfH nh INV
Rest rfn-inch Gun AnuaL
wAsnnSuION, ID. G., sept. 4.--Tho
new batttsnip lows, Will Withsian
tho tfrjectliss OF the best ten.inch
gun siJai. That was the conclusion
drawn toJsy from oue Of the most im'
portrait tests ever made At The govern
ment proving grounds at Indian
Head.
Since the equipment Of moiera bat.
tleshlps with neavy nrmUr there has
bscu In certain quarters question A.
whether the framework " SINUS 90
armOTUd could resist tho crushing
force Of bow from one Of the big
gunF, even though the armor ittelf wns
capsule o keeping the pfoioctile out.
Hitherto at tests OF atmor have been
male against unyicljinx wooden
butts. Today the Uhiiod States Tor
the ilrst time siuce tbs use Of m0iefn
guns and aruOr began experiments 10
determine the actual strain injury 10
which battle ship would DO subjected
u struck ny a pr iclilc. For that puf.
pose sidt-afmor plate Of the battle.
chip lows, now building ut the
| Cfampb's yards In Philadelphia, was
fitted on an actual reproduction Of n
fec,ion NJ the sup. Il consisted OF the
Inner aud outer bottoms OF iivy.ulgh;ht.
inoh steel, forming compartments with
| lateral steel luiaheass i0ur loot apart.
| Outside the outer bottom was skin Of
| hve.sighths steel, nui between this
gud the inurtorn.inch afmlr plate were
| len Inches I! solid 0ab lacking. Abpvo
was the projection deck, ami below tho
main dfCE, the whole belIg backed
ABOVE ami below by oak Of the osti-
mate strength Of the projection Eud
main Jsckp. rnU plate Itself was HN-
teen feet 10y :! feet, fourteen inches
| thick at tile top aud clipping towards
| tho bottom " "a thickness OF seven
| inches.
The character o. the test was such
that Secretary Herbert himself went
down .He river to witness u, aui there
was more than tho utJAl number col
| officials prUspnt from the ordnance AM
| Construction bureau.
The shot, were nj $50 yards, at right
angles 10 iAe plate. q secure the nor
| m, ig1TsCt. tbs tfst was 5UO'pUuH
| Carpenter pr lrctiie, from q ten.inCh
gul, driven Uy 40 pounds 81 Dnp3n'-
brown ptisma,ic powder. IL eituck
| tito plate with u velocity % 49, i'ut
ppr second, " with Nn energy %: 7il'
| OID pguul.. Tho prolerJle w.H driven
Into the plate abuus .'S lucpcs, anu
! not single iHIufy 10 tn Leasing was
| discovered alter careful examine.
| ton, save the Bhs.fing ui nine b0lis
/ connecting the projecting deck with
the amor. Tni. was NOT considered
serious nj beet.
Tue secOni shot was also from ter
lnch gun, tut the powder uhErse wa
increased TO 9lB pounds, winch IN
crenged the velocity TO 50! .Uet per
ssclud, and II struck with an energy
! a. g3l 900 pounds. The shOt also spent
itself ou tue platJ with at creating
sign Of crack OF Injury or SlThiniug
tnu framework. There was not n
bulge In the plate or frame Of the wee.
col. a single bolt, however, was
driven out.
Having thus tested the i-inch plate,
II was decidoI 10 subject tu1 frame.
work to still seyofcr test, anu M $50
pound Wheeler sterling shell, driven
by 400 pounds Of powder, was hrcd at
u from l2inch gun. The nr0icctile
struck with u velocity Of |, $40, or an
energy OF l,bGO0OO foot pounjs. HE
shIt would, according 10 tue estimates,
have penetrated n lB.iuch HArveylzed
plate. Although 1t cracked tho plate,
already weakened by the Two prsviou.
shots, ami penetrated tie wood back
ing, Il diI not get through tho WOOD
bAcKing. An enormous rscOil OF tue
plate, however, pulled II from The
wood shout thtoe.ilufths Of an inch.
II also struck close 10 u bol', aud sem
II with Tremendous force across the
compartment against the inner bottom,
which was buigod, but not penetrated.
The outer bstlOm was slightly bulgbd
also, aud tho buikheal where the shYt
sttuck was burkicd.