The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-12
UNCLE SAM TESTS ARMOR
Three shots Fired at "a Model of the Massa
chusetts' Iurret.

Washington, May 11-An expert
mental firing on a turret constructed
precisely similar to that of the battle
ship Massachusetts, with the object OF
determining whether the structure
would properly support the arrlor at the
impact OF heavy projectile from one
OF the larger guns, was made this af-
ternoon at the Indian Head proving
grounds. 1t was one of the most i'm
portant tests ever held there. and a dis
tinguished party went down the river
in the tug Triton to witness the trial.
Included in the party were Secretary
Herbert, members of the senate and
house committees on naval affairs, Ad-
miral Ramsey, chief of the bureau OF
navigation; Commodore Sampson, chief
of ordinance, and a number of experts.
The result of the test was regarded by
naval officers as satisfactory so far as
concerns the balance of resistance be-
tween the armor and the strength of
the turret structure. From an ordnance
standpoint, however, it demonstrated
the great penetrability of modern pro-
jectiles. The turret was thirty feet in
diameter and, to accurately correspond
to conditions aboardship in actual use,
was placed a solid horizontal and rest
ed upon large steel cylinder represent
ing the usual rollers. The armor was
a 15-inch Harveyized steel plate. Three
shots were fired at this moving turret
bodily from IL TO inches. The first
shot was from a 10-inch gun, weighed
500 pounds and had a velocity OF l ZOO
feet per second. This shot, Wheeler
Sterling armor piercing shot, struck the
plate normally near the top. 1t pene-
trated about six inches and then broke
up. The framing in the rear of the
point of impact was injured, though it
is claimed not badly. Several rivets
securing the top of the turret We're
Sheared. The turret, however, was
moved bodily to the rear fully IA inches
The other shots were fired from Pinch
guns. The second was the same kind
of shot, moving with the same veloci-
ty as the initial shot and the point of
impact was "A seconds from the normal
line. The shot broke up at the point
and remained welded n the plate. The
cast .rOn atthe right of the target place
was displaced and three Of the armor
bolts sheared. One armor bolt of the
target plate also was sheared. The
plate was badly cracked from top 10
bottom and an official tatement made
tonight says the crack did not open
nor did the plate move on the structure.
to the rear in the direction of the line
Of fire. The third shot went complete
ly through the turret. moving il bodily
10 the rear six inches.
Concerning the last shot, a johnson
copper shot weighing 500 pounds, with a
velocity OF 1000 feet per second, Secre-
tary Herbert said:
The line OF fire was at an angle Of u
from the normal TO the plate. The shot
penetrated the plate backing the struc-
ture and passed entirely through the
turret, breaking up the cast iron plate
on the opposite side OF the turret- The
framing was torn and twisted in all d.
-ecuons inthe vicinity place Of the in
Iact The turret was moved bodily
20 the rear about inches. The cas-.
iron plate on the left Of the point OF
impact was wedged off the backing one
inch and two Of its bolts were SHARED.
The plate was not seriously cracked by
the shot, although IL struck quite near
'be edge OF the plate. Each shot in
creased the number OF bolts sheared
the top plating"
In general the statement concludes
the turret would have furnished good
protection 70 the guns and mounts with
IN IL 50 long IS the arTnor was not &C
tudlly penetrated. When this turret
IS placed on board ship. where Il rests
upon roller path constructed for car
Tylng the structure, the horizontal mo-
ton OF the turret observed IN these f.
inss VIII be entirely overcome by the
Ranges OF the rollers upon which IL re-
wolves. In this trial no means were
adopted 20 resist this motion, except A
single clip, whose strength was no.
equal 10 that on a 1ange Of :hs twenty
rollers which support the turret on
board the shf-,