The evening times., 1895-11-27

The effect Of 13-inch guns fired on turrets
similar to those on the battleships Indiana,
| Oregon, and Massachusetts is to be deter
mined by an experiment soon at the Indian
| Head proving station.
| An exact reproduction OF one OF the tur-
rets OF the Massachusetts is to be mounted
and struck by two or three shots from the
largest navy rifle, fired under fighting con-
ditiODs. This turret will have one OF the
f3-inch ballistic test plates fitted to the,
side where the projectiles will have impact,
| while the remainder Of the turret win
be constructed OF cast. t.ironplateso of a thick
ness which will give them the resisting
power OF the regular armor plates.
| A few weeks ago the department made
an experiment with a side armOr plate OF
the Oregon, fitted and supported SO as to
place 1t under conditions similar TO those
| on the side of the battleships. The expert
ment showed that 2-inch guns were hardly
| capable OF penetrating the arnor to dan
| gerous extent, while the projectiles OF the
heavier gun passed seven feet into The back
| ing and earthworks in the rear.
A COSTLY EXPERIMENT.
The same shell would have gone through
one side of any ship afloat, IL fired at range
Of about 1000 yards. The turret expert
ment will be the first of its nature and prom
ises to be OF incalculabe value to ordnance
officers in determining the actual resisting
power OF the new turrets against the heav-
lest proJectiles used in foreign navies.
The experiment will be costly, but the re-
suits obtained, it Is believed, Will warrant
the expenditure. SO far no modern turret
has been attacked with the best guns, al
though those of the turrets of the Chinese
battle ships were shattered pretty badly
with the light guns OF the japanese. Both
guns and turrets, however, were OF an IN
ferior quality. compared with those on the
first-class war ships. No turret carried
armor thicker than twelve inches, and the
heaviest guns Of the japanese were not OF
more than ten-inch calibre.
The proiectiles to be hurled at the ex-
perimental turret will weigh ] 100 pounds,
behind which will be powder charge OF
500 pounds, producing an initial velocity
of about / 500 feet per second. The shells
are expected to cieave Thirteen inches
Of armor, but the effect of the shock on
the structure generally Is the principal mat
ter to be determined by the test. The two
sides of the turrel will represent walls
of twenty-six inches in all.
No gun has demonstrated its power to
send a proiectile through 30 much cast
steel. Dummy thirteen-inch guns will be
mounted in the turret, and. while they will
not be OF steel, the effect OF shell
on the interior mechanism can be deter
mined with reasonable cioseness.
CLEARUP THE MATTER.
The strong grounds taken by the line
Officers of the navy at their annual meet
ing, held on Saturday night, in favor OF
the essential line features" or the Joint
commissi on's personnel bin, may clear
I'D the matter somewhat for Congress.
Uh..f mt. n..ll tS - "a nf
the staff officers concerning the staff feat |
ures of that bill. 1t is pretty well known |
that the staff would like positive rank, and |
that these officers also do not Ike the pro- |
posed reductions in pay accompanying |
changes in rank. The Secretary is expected |
to revive the subject once more in his re- |
port, although his views are already well |
known.
As Que OF the Chicago's new boilers viii |
be made of nickel steel and the other of or |
diuary steel, n comparison in practical |
workings can be made between them. The |
Maine and Texas will be formally exam- |
tned by the board of inspect ion and survey, |
aud this board will no doubt report on the |
character Of tue injuries received by the |
Texas, |
The new chairman OF the House Naval |
Committee is expected to be Congressman |
Boutelle of Maine, long prominent mem- |
Der OF the committee, aud the retirement |
v ". IT,, |
togive the craftsmanship of the Senate Naval |
Committee to Senator Blackburn OF Ken |
lucky, if the Democrats hold the coutrol.
The contest of machine guns at the Wash |
ington Navy Yard winds up with the Maxim |
Nordenfeldt. and the report OF the board |
will be awaited with interest. There have |
been tried five guns in all. Last year six |
were tried, two of which were automatic |
single barrelled and the other four hand |
worked; but the board could not agree on |
any one. the ajority favoring the Maxim |
Nordenfeldt and the minority the Gatling. |
SO that another trial was had this year. |
1t is feared that the down draught fur |
mace. which was recently tested by Chief |
Engineer Smith. will not be found suitable |
for naval use. 1t had been hoped that the |
consumption Of smoke, and a saving OF |
oue-tenth in coal would result. 1t was |
found that the furnace was economical. but |
1t is expected that the change of system
will not he advised.
TWO TRAINING SHIPS.
Secretary Herbert will probably recon-
mend the construction of two training ships
for the Naval Academy. Capt. Cooper, the
said in his recent report
that the Monongahelas s only merit for that
purpose was her fine accommodations; but
being unhandy and unwieidy, the result Is
that in many respects wrong principles are
taught" so that 1.-THE sea atmosphere
was the most she gave to the cadets. The
vessels he asked for were of about 800 tons |
composite built, bark-rigged
sailing vessels, with no steam appliances on
board. He added that the quick Judgment.
the readiness of resource, ,'and the unraiIng
nerve required of our naval officers in the
managemcnto ofmodernm en-of-war canonly
be developed through the teaching of sea-
and that on board sailing vessels
The argument that seamanship Is no longer
in these days of steam and mast
ess ships Is a grievous mistake, but the art
must be taught in youth. II should still be
he foundation stone OF this institution"
IN addition he wanted some light cutters
ind some handy steamers, uniform in size
md speed, for the use of cadets, and some
ailtng boats and racing shells.
The Improvement in the rapdity of manu-
acture OF ship armor is shown by the fact
hat the contracts of 1893 are expected
o be completed next July, and the entire
IrmOr for the Kearsarge and her mate,
BOO tons, is to be supplied within q
ear from the receipt of the plans for
{. This removes one argument for con-
racting with the shipbuilder for the armur,
md the ordering of armor by foreign
ountries is a guarantee of getting down
he price of that which is furnished by the
plants to our own ships
APT. Sampson has made the additional
oint that "the transfer of over So ,5OO,-
90 of Government, money, with all the