The evening times., 1898-09-23
SHIPS UNDER FULL Speed.
War Vessels to Hurry Their
Journey to the Philippines.
ARNOR FOR NEW VESSELS.
Congress VIII BE Asked TO Make APP
propriations Covering the Cost of
the krupp PrOcess-SheIIs Crumble
at Impact or Pierce the ArmOr
Without FlakinS.

AS an indication of the haste which
will be observed by the battleships Ore
gon and Iowa in making their voyage to
Honolulu and then to Manila, it can be
stated on authority that they will make
but three stops between New York and
the Hawaiian Islands.
Instead of putting into ports along the
South American coast to awe Spanish
syr pathiZers, the original program of
making haste will be adhered TO.
The first point at which the battleships
will touch will be Bahia, Brazil, 1850
miles from New York. To expedite mat
ters, the collier Aberenda has Started for
Bahia, and upon her arrival there she will
await the appearance of the battleships,
which will coal from her. after leaving
Bahia the squadron will move as rapid
ly as possible to Punta Arenas, or Sam
dy Point, which is located on the Straits
of Magellan, 3,l13 miles from the Brazil
ian port. Here two colliers will discharge
their cargoes into the bunkers of the bat
tleships and remaining Golfers.
The next run will carry the squadron
up the coast of South America to the
Galapagos Islands, owned by Mexico,
where the United States on one occasion
seriously considered the idea of estab-
fishing a coaling station. The distance
between Punta Arenas and Galapagos is
$500 miles. After coaling at this point
the squadron will proceed to Honolulu,
where the Golfers viii take on board car
goes of coal and make ready 10 proceed
to Manila with the battleships.
The authorities continue to be silent as
TO the reason for the disaptch of the
hot lnc h irac To ha nd no
for the haste to be observed, but, the ac-
tion is of a precautionary character and
designed 10 impress Germany with the
sea power of the United States and the
intention of this Government not TO per-
nit any interference with the disposition
TO be made of the Spanish islands in the
Pacific
Krupp armor will protect the battle
ships Maine, Missouri and Ohio If Con-
gress will consent to pay the price which
will be demanded by the Carnegie and
Bethlehem companies.
The statement has been made on the
authority of ordnance experts as a result
of the tests, at the Indian Head proving
grounds, of an experimental Kruppized
plate. manufactured by the Carnegie
Company. The plate demonstrated that
IL was fully equal to any Krupp plate
manufactured abroad and at least Is per
cent superior 10 any plate ever manufac-
tured and tested in the United States. 1t
is not meant by this that the armor pro-
tecting Germans and other foreign ships
actually in commission is Is per cent
better than that on American ships As
matter of fact there is but one ship, in
the world which has better armor than
that on American ships. She is the ar
mored cruiser Russia, OF the Russian
navy. about to be placed in Commission.
The Kruppized plate was II 81 inches
in thickness. and was feet long by
feet wide 1t was backed by twelve
inches of oak and two skin plates OF soft
iron having a combined thickness of SIS
inches. A Pinch gun was employed du-
ring the test, and the shells it fired
weighed $50 pounds. The first shot. a
Carpenter armor piercing projectile, was
given a velocity of l.S33 feet per second.
II struck the middle of the plate and
peneterated eight and half inches. The
shell broke up in numerous small pieces.
There was considerable taking around
the impact the diameter OF the circle in
which the taking appeared being sixteen
inches.
A Midvale shell was employed In the
second round. This shell was given o
velocity of 2.220 feet per second. Complete
perforation of plate and backing occur
red The shell broke up in passing
through, two small pieces falling in front
| of the plate A clean hole was produced
| and less taking was apparent than oc-
| Cured as a result of the first shot. The
proiectfle fired in the third round was
given a velocity of 1.720 feet per second.
| The shell broke up, the head remaining
| welded in the plate. The estimated pene-
| tration was five inches There was prac-
| tically no taking.
Although the test of the plate was very
severe, it is intended that it shall pass
through another ordeal that its limit of
| resistance may be determined The expert
mental Krupp plate tested in Germany
kept out a projectile weighing IA pounds,
fired with a velocity of 1893 feet per sec
ond. The projectiles fired yesterday each
| weighed $50 pounds. and il is estimated
that the plate would keep them out II
fired at velocities of 1.S25 feet per second
| or less. Under the Davis formula foT
Harveyized plates, 1855 per second is suf-
fcient TO perforate twelve inch plates
manufactured by the Harvey or double
forged process.
As the Navy Department is not per-
mitted by law to pay more than S400 per
ton for armor for naval vessels, it will
be necessary to secure the enactment OF
a bill authorizing the payment of larger
sum. krupp armOr dDTOau Is HlahuldC-
tured for $525 per ton, and it is doubted
In ordnance circles here if the armor car
be bought of the Carnegie and Bethle-
hem companies for less than $500 per ton
| Krupp armor will not be adopted for the
| battleships for Illinois, Alabama, and
| Wisconsin. They are to be supplied with
double forged armor. if the department.
| recommendation is of avail.
| The test was considered so important
| that the witnesses included, Capt. Charles
| ONeill, chief of the bureau of ordnance
Lieut.. /. X. Seymour, armor expert ol
| the bureau of ordnance; Ensign A. NJ
| Beecher Gen. Mertwago, naval attache
| of Russia: Capt. Petroff, Russian inspect
or at Carnegie's works; Capt. Barthat.
kline Russian inspector of ordnance al
| Cramps; Capt Alfred W. Paget, r. N.
naval attache British embassy; Lieut.
| Commander Joseph Rodler, naval attache
| Austrian legation; Mr.. Charles A. Stone
| representing Carnegie Company, and sew
eral others.