Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-10


row.
The naval bill was called UP at the
conclusion of routine business. Mr..
Hale. of Maine, evidently referring to
the publication OF yesterdays secret
session proceedings, said he let 1t to
Mr. Tilnlan whether it was wise or de-
sirable to proceed with the measure in
secret session. Mr.. 1fllman replied that
ne was persuaded at would be almost
impossible TO prevent the newspapers
from getting the Information. although
they did publish more than occurred in
the Senate and -"
Mr. Vest, of Missouri--'I think the
Senate would better go Into secret ses-
session."
Mr.. Tillman--"I hope the Senator will
permit me 10 complete my observa-
lions
a SECRET SESSION.
MIR. Vest--"I make the motion for Il
secret session. The Senator's remarks
are proving the accuracy of the news
paper reports"
Mr. Chandler. of New Hampshire,
1920 D. IN. the Senates doors were
closed.
At / o'clock the Senate resumed con-
sideration of the bill in oren session.
The pending question was upon the
committee amendment to tho House bill
=.
MIR. Tilman offered an amendment In
effect limiting the price TO be paid for
armor to $500 por ton, and IL it could
not be procured for that price. author
ling the Secretary of the Navy TO con-
struct n government armor plate plant
at a cost OF not exceeding $4,000. 900.
Mr.. Hale. in charge OF the bill, eX-
planned the committee amendment. He
said the committee had sought to re-
leVe the country from tho embar-
rassmcnt that was irksome to almost
everybody.
Right in the midst Of our remarkable
advance in the construction OF naval
ships" said MIR. Hale, I'VE We're ar
rested by this controversy over the
price of armor plates.
| Il believe the armor plants put their
| heads together and put up prices OF
armor OF course this created resent
ment. and l am not SURPRISED at the
| action and feeling of the Senator from
| South Carolina (Mr. Tillman). who is
| acting entirely conscie0tiously In the
matter"
Mr.. Hale explained that the average
price for several years paid by the gov
eminent was about $500 per ton. For
the armor of 1897, $412 per ton was paid.
ARMOR PRICES JUMPED UP.
"As it was seen" continued Mr.. Hale,
that we had ships which needed armor
10 $545 Der ton. When last year Con-
gress fixed n price of $500 per ton. the
Navy Department could not get the
0rmor at that price"
1t was the oninion of the committee
that the government could get better
armor from private concerns than 1t
could make itself. and avoid any OF the
possible attendant scandals.
AT the same time. he added 1t was
realized that something had to be done
Under this bill. IL the companies de-
clined to accept $i45 per ton. a govern
ment nlant for the manufacture of
nrnor was to be constructed. He be-
lieVed the manufacturers thus would
accept.
The government he said, would not
be able to produce mound OF armor
under three years. and 1t might require
I'VE years TO set well started. Mean
time serious delay would occur in the
building of authorized ships Mr.. Hale
said mat as soon as armor manufac-
turers got upon their feet financially
they began 10 put the knife to us"
Mr. Tillman said the prices asked by
the manufacturers would cost the gov
ernmcnt Sl7,c00,000. while his proposed
price would cost but about $4,000, 900.
His proposition was TO build an armor
plant regardless OF manufacturers
prices. Alr. rtllman said it was no
wonder Mr.. Carnegie could go 10 Scot
land and buy game preserves and
baronies and that sort OF thing.
MIR. "nlman referred to the recent
naval tests on the penetrability of
armor. lie was not convinced that the
new process armor was any better than
the old kind. Il nine-nch new process
plate mad been easily penetrated, and
who could say that fourteen-inch
plate would not suffer similarly?
NO ARMOR UNPIERCABLE
Mr.. Hale Interrupted 20 state that the
only significance Of recent experiments
was to show that the best proiectiles
Will pierce anything. but that the new
process arnor has an iinpenetrabllity
OF 70 per cent. greater than any other.
The cap projectiles went through the
nine-inch and even the eleven-inch
plates as though they were pine boards.
Mr. Hale presented a memorandum
from Rear Admiral O'Neil, chief of the
Naval Bureau OF Ordnance. giving the
atest available Information on the
subject or armor. and particularly on
'soft-nose projectiles." The memo
randum stated in part:
NO armor that exists to-day regard
less OF its thickness or quality can re-
sst the power OF the modern gun at
short range. Therefore. the fact that
armor can readily be perforated at
short range must not be considered an
indication that 1t Is OF inferior quality.
1t simply means that 1t is over-match-
ed by the gun. Naturally, that which
IS the MOTT difficult to perforate is the
most desirable
All tests of armor. the memorandum
states. are made with uncapped pro-
jectiles and are exceedingly severe. The
memorandum adds:
1T is a well-known fact that soft
steel attached IF
armor piercing projectle increases Its