The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-09
THE ARMOR QUESTION.
An Adjustment or II In Prospect-Privato MAN.
urnCture Hoped For.

uIuCEure boptu For.
WASHINGTON, May There is good reason to
believe that, by making some reasonable conccs'
sions, the Government can contract with the
Bethlehem and Carnegie companies for the
armor needed by the Illinois, Alabama, and
Wisconsin, our three new battle ships.
This result. II brought about. will DO due to
recent conferences between the companies and
the Navy Department, while Congress, on its
part, would have to sanction any basis agreed
upon for the ncw bidding. Tho first concession
Is that Of raising the maximum price per ton
fixed by the last Congress to $i0O, or, the com
panies say, $3.50. Against this there may no
some protests In Congress. but. although the
difference amounts to over $500, 900 or 81 ,2OO,-
600 on the armor needed for the three ships. it
ought to be remembered that Secretary Herbert
originally urged S40O as as the proper price to
be fixed. and the House accepted it, yielding
only to the Senntc's urgency for the lower sum.
Another proposition has been to reduce the
cost of manufacture by adopting all vertical
instead of inclined armor for the turrcts. Here
there is some difference OF opinion between the
Bureau OF Ordnance and the Bureau of Construc-
ton, the former being willing and apparently
anxious to make the change. while tho latter
opposes IL. The controversy is one that has
existed between the two bureaus for years.
Chief Constructor Hichhorn designed oval or
inclined structures for tho new ships, with a
view to increasing the chances that a hostile
shot would glance Off without penetrating.
Capt. Sampson, however, held that such a shape
left lnedcquatc space in the tIrrcts for the gun
crews. and thought that this space, as secured
by the usual circular form with vertical walls
throughout, was more important than any adj
v%antases that would come from the other
shape.
OF the armor manufacturer for simpler forms.
II the price Is 10 be made less than they think
making the plates for the inclined structure
would he %Co-tlicr, and hence the manufacturers
born, however, urges that foreign Governments
adopt The inclined structures as best.
Ii is also urged that some changes should he
mndC in tho bDlliStic tests OF the urnur, thus di-
minishing the risk OF rejecting plates, which
must always be taken into consideration. 1t is
believed, however. that rs our s!ip arInor has
always been the best In the world. there will be
no such notifications in this particular as to re-
While upon this subject of reducing the cost
II may he mentioned that the Ordnance bureau
lately arranged for testing a target consisting OF
other half an inch, less, placed one upon the
other md backed, OF course, with oak. Another
luloso between the two plates. The project was
to see whether the difference in rcsist ing power
between having two plates and n single plate as
thick a. the two would he so great as to pre-
cludo the use OF the former. For the smaller
plants nigh, roll plates half a dozen inches
the diagonal arInor, The first 10 he required.
However. this experiment need not he referred
an agrrement with the Bbcthlchcnm and Carnegie
companies, which can give solid plates. and
these are admitted to be better.
The Government, by making an arrangement
with the nrmor plants. would, in the first place,
avoid the undesirable alternative of having 10
establish a plant of It's own, costing, at the low
est estimate, ~ 100000 and perhaps moro.
Although this was recognized rs a possible
alternative. even the Scnntc defeated, by a vote
OF Pc to 90. "a proposal in the last navy bill to APP
propriate 81. OOO.OUO toward such IL plant. The
private industries, il possible. In addition.
The Cover aucut may save "a considerable
sum in dam ges by making the proposed ar.
with the companies. 1t is said that
the constructors OF the three ships have notified
the Navy Department that thcy will be ready
for the diagonal ArInOr in October next, and for
the hnrbcttc, turrct, and belt armor, at times. in
the latter part of next year. or course, the Gov
ernmcnl will ascertain by its own Inspection
when the armor is really required, but any do
lays would presumably subject it to the pay.
mcnt OF damages.
Thus 1t would apparently be for the public adj
vantage to make the arrangement now under
consideration, and of course the sooner that il is
the ships, 1t IL 10 be hoped that the whole mat
ter may he adjusted while Capt. Sampson. who
has given much attention 10 ii, remains at the
head of the Ordinance Bureau. from which he Is
to pass to the CoInmhnd OF the Iowa during tho
course Of the next month.
The House committee, in reporting on the
question of aTmor at tho las. session, declared
its belief that sound policy requires that our
Government should deal with sufficient liberal
ity with he managers of the great armor plants
of such FACILITIES for furnishing war material
may continue" This view leads TO the hope
that any n arrangement which the Navy Depart.
ment may make will be sanctioned by Congress.