The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-09-05

WAsIuNGyoS, D, O., Sept, 4.-The new
battIsship Iowa will Withstand the pro-
iscliles OF tha best twelve.inch gun
aloaL That was tho conclusion drawn
To-day from one OF the most important
tests ever made at the government
proving ground at Indian lead. Since
the equipment OF modern baIlleshlps,
with heavy armOr, there has been in
naval quarters u question as to whether
the frame work OF shipI so arnorel
could reIist the crushing force Of blow
from one OF the big guns, even though
the armor itself was capabls vi keeping
the 2roiecsile out Hitherto all tests OF
armor nave been made against an un.
Welding wooden butt, To-day the
United States for the hrIt tlm0 since
tue use o: modern guns and modern
armor, began experiments to determine
the acluat strain and injury to which
bmtlsshp would be subjected II struck
by proiGcIile.
For that purpose side armor plate
OF the batIloshlp Iowa, now building at
the Cramps yard in Philadelphia, was
fitted upon all actual reproduction OF q
section OF the ship. II CONSISTED OF the
inner and outer bottoms OF tve'eighths
inch steel, forming compartments with
lateral steel bulkheads four feet apart.
Outside the outer bottom waS the skin
Of ive.eighths steel aud between this aud
the iourteen.inch armor plate were ten
inches ui solid oak backing. Above was
the projecting deck end below the main
deck. the whole being backed above
and below by oak OF the estimated
strength of the main decks. The plate
itself was sixteen feet by seven and
hall, fourteen inches thick at the top
and sloping toward tho bottom to the
lluckuess Of seven inches.
SECRETARY HERBERT PRESENT.
The importance OF the test was such
that Secretary Herbert himself went
down the river to witness it aud thero
were more than the usual number OF
officers from the ordnance and con.
strucl!on bureaus.
The shots were cred a! 80 yards at
right angle, to the plate to secure the
normal impact Tho first was a 500.
pound Carpenter projectile from u ten.
inch gun, driven by 40 pounds OF Du'
points brown prismaLic powder. 1t
struck the plato with a velocity OF l,4S2
feet per second, or with an energy OF
7il,OJO pounds. The DrojeCtile was
dr.Yea iRso the plate about six inches
and not single injury to tho backing
was discovered after careful eGanina.
lion. save tho loosening Of sOyen bolts
connecting the protection deck vita
the armpr. THIS was not considered GO.
Tion' At best
The .ecJni sho! was also from ten.
inch gun, but the charge was increased
% 1875 pounds, which increased the ye.
l0city to l,SJ2 feet per second. so that it
struck with an energy OF $4,000 foot
rounds. This shot also spent iiseit on
TIE nlate without creating q sign OF a
crlCh or Injury or stralnins the frame
work. There was not a bulge in the
plate OF frame ot the vessel. A single
bolt, however, was driven out.
CEACEED THE PLATE.
Having thus tested the iourIeen.inch
plate, it was decided to subiec: the
frame work to still sevGror test and an
sob Wheeler sterling shol driven by
80 bounds OF powder was driven to It
from a twenty-inCh gun. The proiGc.
Tile truck with n velocity OF 1880 feet,
or an energy oil l.j31,OJO loot pounds,
Ihi4 shot should according to tho most
OF estimates nave penetrated sixteen.
inch lllfYeyIsi plate. Although it
cracked tne plate, already woakeuad by
tue two previous shots aud penetrated
to tGs wo6d backing, 1t did not got
through tho backing. Tho enormous
foro., OF the plate, however, pulled II
it0m tGG wood about three.tourths oi
an lncu. II also struck close to u bolt
and sent 1t with tremendousio force across
tie compartment against the inner
bottom. which was bplged hu. nat
rcHSirRtGl. The outer bottom was
slightly Ducci also And the bulkGoad
where the shot struck buckiGd.
On the whole tho result OF tho tost
with the plate aud frame work was con-
s.lcraI remarkable. Tho plate with
stood tho government test Tor four
,een-tnch plate uplondidly, and con-
altgcHyety tho test Of q ssys@teon'tnch
pate. Iuo resistance OF the frame Work
really auouIshed ALL secretary Her
0sr! vas greatly roIoced at the fcihlt,
and Captain sampson, chioi OF tho ord
nance bHrciu. sNid the injury both to
iNo plato aud frame was yery minimum.
"lueitamo work withstoOd the shock,
sl.d hc better than wp lupod It would
a SIDE LiGHr