New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-21

Indian II al they will be fired at by heavy guns un-
der seryio q conditions The trials will probably take
place this month. The results will he watched with
much interest by ordnance experts. Germany re-
Gently tested DIIumy plates with Krupp guns and
the showing was satisfactory to the Emperors Of
fcers.
Generally speaking. the DHumy armor consists
Of a series Of thin face hardened plates. firmly
bound together, in place of the one thick sheet
or block in use According to the claims or the
inventor, a series of plates Is stronger and !ess
liable to penetration and cracking than one solid
mass whatever the shape or treatment OF the latter
may be- In the manufacture OF heavy armor, Mr..
DHumy says there is great expense and con-
slant danger Of internal imperfections Thick
mates NAV Withstand high veloclties OF impact 1T
one time. he argues, but under different influences
of hca; and cold. and other conditions of actual
naval service. the character may soon be chanSei.
and the armor be cracked and rendered useless by
high powered rifles He also contends that selected
plate OF a lot manufactured under the present proc
css may come out of the ballstic test at the
proving grounds with flying colors, but placed on
the sides Of a ship a barbette or a turret.
the energy of impact may be so great that the
eniclency Of the vesse! may be impaired, II not
wholly destroyed. Mr.. D'Humy would take no
chances In extremitics. He would eliminate posi-
bilties of penetration cracking OF one huge mass
of metal by the Of series OF much smaller
and lighter thinner plates. strongly bound together.
and presenting the edges of the group, not the
face. to the attacking guns. His plates are firmly
to be fastened together and incased in a strong
steel box by MANY bolts keys and tubes
THE MAKEUP OF THE PLATES.
Each plate may be of any desired dimensions.
varying in thickness from y inch to inches, and In
length and width from to feet Twenty Inches
IS estimated to be the creates; thickness which
the heaviest guns will penetrate, even under the
most favorable conditions for the gun. Mr.. DHumy
proposes 10 follow any method of manufacture that
'he naval authorities may approve. The material
/ OF each pate may he OF common steel nckel-steeI
or any approved alloy having steel as base. They
are to be forged is the case with armor made
for the new battle-shps and cruisers and Ifar-
veyzed, II thought advisable. For backing. wood.
iron or steel may be employed The plates he Is TO
submit to the naval authorities for trial are of the
Harveyized nickel-steel type
In a recent communication TO the Naval Bureau
of Ordnance Mr.. D'Humy describes his invention
as series Of comparatively thin layers or slabs. OF
steel placed top OF another, in such manner
and with such line or curvature as may be neces-
sary to conform the shape OF the part or the snip
which is TO be protected The inventor has more espe
ciay IN view the protection OF the vital parts OF
vessel against shell solid shot His device may
however be used on all parts OF ship. including
the sides. barbettes. turrets smokestacKs ana
masts To guard against serious or permanent daih
ago from artillery fire. each ship using the - Huhy
arnor is to provided with extra boxes OF plates
Il
] Illustration a shot or shell may plough into ce'-
tain part OF a ship and dent. twist or crack the
plates. the entire tier IN a case may De dlS'oF'ed
The injury will not however, permanently impair
the fighting efficiency OF the ship the inventor con-
tends She can withdraw temporarily from action
and by means OF machinery provided OH board the
injured box or separate plates which 1t contains
may be withdrawn and a new group or any num-
Der Of its slabs substituted Having compieten the
repairs the vessel may return To the Datue III case
of similar damage TO solid plate. the snip wonid
nave withdraw permanently from action MI
D'Humy goes somewhat into detail III describing
what can be done in this direction. and the facility
! with which boxes OF injured plates may be with
drawn and Others OF sound plates put In place
This he regards however. remote contingency
He contends that hs plates will keep out projeetlles
and that there Is little or no probability OK thtlf
being cracked. even when attacked by the heaviest
artillery.
/ The cut shows a section OF the DHumy armor
bolted TO the side OF ship wood being represented
as the backing IL will be seen that there are lour
small sections In each box The boxes. as made
in Germany SIX feet long and thirty inches
deep thick. Thus the thickness Of the protec-
ton afforded that part Of the vesse. upon wh!ch
the plates would be secured Is two feet six inches.
Each small section has nine bolts. about ons foot
apart The bolts pass through the boxes ana
backing. and fastened inside the latter with
screw nuts and washers. At tho back OF the oox
teescoped tubes. secured with collars TO me boxes
The purposes Of the tubes in ADDITION 10 peink use
that viii follow the shock Of impact and to act
cushions. The boxes arc made OF strips Oh ,stec!
oinf metal Dent up%ard a, ,r riye,eS tose,beS
SIDES ana bottom. There may be one or severhl Of
from the backing II but one is used and heavy
protector Is the object Mr. piiumy would SaIT have
sented to the attacking gnns--io give the desired
ihi9kness 1t is thought that nsys. sn
ia. rtil.Af a