Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-08


plate that Is AZ present produced,
All Of the recent naval engagements
prove that tho very best armor and the
heaviest armor upon the battle ships Of
this day cannot resist the tremendous
power OF the guns we now havJ In our
possession.
SO after this very large expenditure
we shall probably fud, with the inyen-
tions with regard TO dynamite and tor
pedos and different explosives, that the
Government will have expended q large
amount Of money for a useless pills Of
iron and steel, that will not meet mod
ern requirements. | think II la q very
dangerous couree TO pursue, In the light
oil what Ia transpiring, TO tax the peo-
pie Of the United States for what con.
siGer 30 very large and useless an ex'
penditure Of the public funds.
Mr.. Ray, II tho gentleman will per-
nit me, following the line OF his argu-
ment, II would DO just as we'll not To-
have any ironcladp AZ all, would II not,
according TO the gentleman's viewY
Mr.. Simpson. said, that In the boz
ginning, recent events have developed
the fact that the light-armored cruiser
has proven more than a match for the
battle ship, and that under our peculiar
conditions, with such long coast line
TO defend, think II we need anything
at all we neee more OF the light, swim
cruisers that can enter ports where
ships OF light d, Mt Gun obtain entrance,
Mr.. Ray. Following out your argu-
ment that you make, what is the use OF
any aymor at alp
Mr., Simpson. / do not see that there
Is very much use In IT,
Mr., Ray. The way that II 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, and there
was one Japanese gunboat which was
unarmored which stayed In the fight
throughout. There we're 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
ese battle ships received over foul
hundred shots, and none netratedY
Mr.. Simpson. Yos;l and a torpedo
boat came along and struck her ant
sunk her, and the account said that abe
turned over and went down with hei
propeller wheel sticking up In the air
! And that lie about all they are good for
Mr.. Ray. AS the penetrating power
OF our guns is increased, should we moi
also proportionately, as far as we can
increase the power OF resistance from
the ships themselvesp
Mr. Simpson. There seems 10 be nc
limit to the increase In the force o.
propelling proieCtiles from riaed can
non. We have gone on increasing the
thickness OF armor, until today II
seems that we have about reached the
limit. There is limit to the carrying
capacity OF ships. All the armor IL
placed above the water line, or very
nearly so. II 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
a ship must have part Of the weight
she carries down below the water line
ANY thing else makes her top-heavy
and noteworthy.
We have, as say, apparently reached
the limit. We have gone on increasing
the thickness Of this armor 80 that II
makes such an enormous weight thai
these ships seem now to be unable ia
bear 1t. The history Of the sinking Of the
British ship OF war Victoria shows that
she was top.heavy, and when hole
was cut in her and some water got in
which ran over to one side 1t gave her
a list which copsized her.
Mr.. Geissenhainer. How much