Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-09-08

into flinders the strongest and heaviest
plate that is at present produced.
All of the recent naval engagements
prove that the very best armor and the
heaviest armor upon the battle ships of
this day cannot resist the tremendous
power of the guns we now havs~in our
possession.
So after this very large expenditure
we shall probably find. with the inyen-
tions with regard to dynamite and tor
pedos and different explosives, that the
Government will have expended a large
amount of money for useless pile of
iron and steel. that will not meet mod
ern requirements. I think it is q very
dangerous course to pursue. in the light
of what is transpiring, to tax the peo-
pie of the United States for what con-
siGer SO very large and useless an ex-
penditure OF the public funds.
Mr.. Ray. If the gentleman will per-
nit me, following the line of his argu-
ment, 1t would be just as well not to
have any ironclads at all, would it not,
according to the gentleman's view?
Mr.. Simpson. said, hat in the be-
ginning, recent events have developed
the fact that the light-armored cruiser
has proven more than match for the
battle ship, and that under our peculiar
conditions, with such long coast line
to defend, think if We need anything
at all we neee more of the light, swift
cruisers that can enter ports where
ships of light d. aft can obtain entrance
Mr.. Ray. Following out your argu-
ment that you make, what is the use of
any armor at all?
Mr.. Simpson. do not see that there
is very much use in it
Mr.. Ray. The way that it struck me
was that your argument tended to show
that armor of any kind on the vessels
was useless.
Mr.. Simpson. Tread an account of
the battle between the Chinese and
Japanese at the Yalu River, aud there
was one Japanese gunboat which was
unarmored which stayed in the fight
throughout. There were more than
forty holes shot clear through her, and
yet she remained in action. The men
on board plugged up the holes as fast
as they we're shot through her, and she
continued in action all through the
| fight
Mr.. Talbot of Maryland Does the
gentleman know that one OF the Chin
csc battle ships received over four
hundred shots, and none penetrated2
Mr.. Simpson. Yes;i and a torpedo
boat came along and struck her and
sunk her, and the account said that she
turned over and went down with her
propeller wheel sticking up in the air.
] Ano that is about all they are good for.
Mr.. Ray. As the penetrating power
OF our guns is increased, si.ouid we not
also proportionately, as far as we can.
increase the power of resistance from
the ships themselves?
Mr.. Simpson. There seems to be no
limit to the increase in the force of
propelling projectiles from rified can
| non. We have gone on increasing the
thickness of armor, until today it
seems that we have about reached the
limit. There is a limit to the carrying
| capacity of ships. Ali the armur is
placed above the water line, or very
| nearly so. It projects but very little
below the water line, and therefore the
enormous weight must necessarily
rest upon the top of the ship. Any man
who is familiar with vessels and the
things pertaining thereto knows that
ship must have part of the weight
she carries down below the water line.
Any thing else makes her top-heavy
and unseawortby.
We have, as I say, apparently reached
the limit. We have gone on increasing
the thickness of this armor so that it
makes such an enormous weight that
these ships seem now TO be unable to
bear it. The history OF the sinking of the
British ship of war Victoria shows that
she was top-heayy, and when hole
was cut in her and some water got in
which ran over TO one side it gave her
a list which cspsized her.