The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-05-09
A WONDERFUL NAVAL SHELL
THE INVENTION OF A PROMTNHNT
A1rNRICAN OFEICER.
Some Startling and important Facts
Laid Before tho Senate In Secret ses.
Pierced-nIay Revolutionizc WarahiP
Building.

Washington, May 8.--Some facts al
most startling in their importance We're
laid before the senate to-day in secret
legislative session at the conclusion OF
the regular open session. They related,
1t Is understood, to the invention OF
shell by prominent officer Of the Unit
ed States navy; a she'll superior in ev-
cry essential quality to any now In use
either by this or by any other govern
ment The quality Of penetration pos
sessed by the shell Is said to be 80 great
that no armor now manufactured In the
| United States or abroad has sufficient
resistance to withstand it. The facts,
which were In the possession of only
few senators, were deemed so impor-
tant that the senate decided to consider
them in secret session.
To-day after the naval bill had been
laid aside for the day, Mr.. Tillman
asked for secret session in order that
he might explain to tine senate why he
desired the arnor plate matter discuss
ed in secret. When the doors were
closed, he said that several days ago
he had offered resolution calling upon
the secretary of the navy to send to the
senate for its information the details Of
tests made by the department officials
of armor plate at Indian Head. No
answer to that inquiry has been receiv-
ed and in all human probability none
will be received. 1t seems that Mr.. Till
man called at the navy department and
was informed that 1t would be unwise
at this time to make public the details
of the tests he had asked for, as it
would place In the hands, not only Of
the senate, but Of representatives Of for
eign governments that which properly
belonged exclusively to the United
States He was informed that Admiral
O'Neill, chief of the bureau Of ordnance.
had been conducting for several months
a series Of arnor tests at Indian Head,
the results of which was very remark
able A prominent official of the navy
department said, it Is undersood, that
the tests Of all sorts Of armor including
the Krupp armor, had been made with
view Of ascertaining their effective
ness against new shell that had been
invented by an officer Of the navy. No
piece of armor submitted to the test,
1T is understood, was able to Withstand
the test. The shell, fired from high
power guns, penetrated the arnor al
most as bullets fired from a Kfag-Jor-
gensen rifle would penetrate green
wood, the difference being that the ar 4
NOR plates split from the points Of inn
pact. 1t is said that this was true Of
the Krupp arnor as well as the other
armor tested.
The she'll which was so effective was
not described indeed the navy depart-
ment is guarding jealousy all details
It's construction. The argu-
ment of Mr.. Tillman Is that with such
a projectle in the possession of the
government the details of which sooner
or later will become known to other
governments, it would not be part Of
wisdom for congress to enter into con-
tracts to purchased the high priced ar
NOR unless it could be improved to re-
sst projectiles Of the kind used at In
dian Head Feeeling that more or less
Of the matter concerning the tests re-
Gently made by the government would
be used in the debate upon the armor
lustion, Mr. Tillman suggested that it
would be desirable to consider the SUBJ
iect in secret The senate agreed with
MIN and tomorrow the armor plate
matter will be discussed behind closed
doors.