The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-05
Secretary Herbert and other Naval
Officers Satisfied that Big Guns
Cannot Sink the Battle ship Iowa.
CONSUL wETTER IN TROUBLE
CHARGED WITH UNFAIRiY TRYING
TO IMPRIsoN AN AMERICAN.
Conduct of Our Representastve IN
Madagascar TO BE investigated
UnfrfendIy Toward Waller.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.-The new battle
ship Iowa will Withstand the projectiies OF
the best l2-inch gun afioat. That was the
conclusion drawn to-day from one OF the
most important tests ever made at the gov
ernment proving grounds at Indian Head.
Since the equipment OF modern battle ships
with heavy armor there has been in certain
quarters a question as to whether the
framework of ships so armored could resist
the crushing effects OF a blow from one or
the big guns, even though the armor itself
was capable OF keeping the projectile out.
Hitherto all tests OF arnlor have been made
against unyielding wooden butts. To-day
the United States, for the first time since
the use of modern guns and modern armor.
began experiments TO determine the actual
strain and injury to which a battle ship
would be subjected If struck by a projec-
tile. For that purpose a side armor plate
of the battle ship Iowa. now building al the
Cramps yard, at Philadelphia, was fitted
upon an actual reproduction of section
of the ship. 1t consists of inner and outer
bottoms OF five-eighths-inch steel. forming
compartments. with lateral steel bulk
heads four feet apart Outside the outer
bottom was a skin of fve-eighths steel, and
between this and the 14-inch armor plate
were ten inches OF solid oak bracing. Above
was the projection deck and below the
main deck, the whole being packed above
and below by oak Of the estimated strength
OF the protection and main decks The
plate itself was l6 feet by az. IA inches
thick at the top and sloping toward the
bottom to a thickness Of seven inches. The
Importance of the test was such that Sec
retary Herbert himself went down the
I. <mr.xaU
than the usual number OF officers from the
ordnance and construction bureaus.
The shots were fired at 80 yards at right
angles to the plate, to secure the normal
impact. The first was a 50o-pound Car
penter projectile from l0-inch gun. driven
sby l49 pounds of Duponts brown prismatic
power. 1t struck the plate with a velocity
of l,4S2 feet per second. with energy
of 74l,000 foot-pounds. The projectile was
driven into the plate about six inches, and
not a single injury TO the backing was ois-
covered after careful examination, save
the sheering OF nine bolts connecting the
protection deck with the armor. This was
not considered serious at best. The second
shot was also from a l0-inch gun, but the
powder charge was increased to PIG pounds,
which increased the velocity to 1.S62 feet
per second, that 1T struck with an energy
of 931. 600 foot-pounds. This shot also spent
itself on the plate without creating sign
of a crack or injury or straining the frame
work. There was not q bulge In the plate
frame OF the vessel a single bolt, now
ever, was driven out.
Having thus tested the 14-inch plate. II
was decided to subject the framework TO a
still severer test, and an S50-pound Wheeler
sterling shell, driveh by 450 pounds OF
powder, fired at IT from a 1z-inch gun:
The projectile struck With velocity OF
1900, or an energy Of 1.530.000 foot-pounds.
mates, have penetrated a 16-inch Harvey
lied plate. Although IL cracked the plate
already weakened by the two previous
shots, and penetrated TO the wood backing
il did not get through the backing. The
enormous recoil of the plate, however,
pulled 1t from the wood about three-fourth8
of an inch IL also struck close 10 a bolt,
and sent il with tremendous force across
the compartment against the inner bottom.
which was bulged but not penetrated. The
outer bottom was slightly bulged. also. and
the bulkhead where the shot struck
buckled.
On the whole, the result of the test with
the plate and framework was considered
remarkable The plate wfthstood the gov
ernment test for 4-inch plate splendidly.
and constructively the test Of a I-fnch
plate The resistance of the frame really
astonished all. Secretary Herbert was
greatly rejoiced at the result, and Captain
Sampson, chief of the Ordnance Bureau.
said the injury both TO the plate and the
frame was the very minimum The frame
work withstood the shock better than we
hoped 1t would said Captain sampson.