The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-05-12
SELLS THAT PENETRATE.
6cer Submitted for the COnsid-
Grafton of Congress.

most startling in their Importance.
were laid before the senate Yesterday,
in secret Legislative session, at the
conclusion of the open session. They
related. it is understood. to the inven-
ton of a shell by 4 prominent officer
Of the United States navy. a shell SD
Ierior in every essential quality to any
now in use. either by this or by any
ether government. The quality of
penetration possessed by the shell is
manufactured in the United States or
abroad has sufficient resistance tn
withstand it.
The facts. which were in possession
Of only Il few senators. were deemed
SO important that the senate decided
to consider them in secret session.
Yesterday, after the naval bill had
been laid aside for the day. Mr.. I'LL
man asked for a secret session. in or
der hat he might explain To the SEN
ate why ne desired the armor plate
matter to he discussed in secret.
When the doors were closed me ex.
planned that Several DAYS q ne had
offered Il resolution calling upon the
secretary Of the navy TO send 10 the
senate for its information the details
of tests made by the departments Off
cialS of rmo plate at Indian Head.
No answer to that inquiry bad been re-
reived. and in all human probability
none will he received.
1t seems tha- Mr.. TiIlman called ut
the navy department and WAS informed
that it wculd be- unwiSc 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 foreign govern
mentS. information that properly be-
longcd exclusively to theUnited States.
He WAS informed that Admiral
DNiel. chief of the bureau Of ordnance,
had been conducting. for several
months. Il series of armor tests at In
dian Head. the results OF which were
IF the navy department said, il is TN
der>tCod. that the tests of all sorts of
nrmor, including TIE Erupp drmor. had
been made. with Il view of aScertaining
their effectiveness against the new shell
that had been invented by an officer of
the navy. No piece of arnIor submit
ted. it is understood. was able to With
stand the test.
The shell. fired from high-pcwer
guns. penetrated the arnicc almost as
bullets fired from a Krag-Jorgcnsen
rifle would penetrate green wood. the
difference being the armor plates split
from the point of impact. 1t is said
this was true of the Krupp arinor as
we'll as of the other armor tested.
"hc shell which was so effective
was not described; indeed. the navy de
partnicnt is guarding jeaiously all de-
tails concerning its construction.
The argument of Mr.. rillman is that
with such a ~proicctile in the posses
sion OF the government. the details Of
which. sooner or later. will become
known TO ether governments. it would
not be the part of wisdom fvr The con-
press 10 enter into contracts TO pr.-
chase the hieh-priccd armGr unless it
could be so improved rs to resist pro-
~iectiles of the kind used at Indian
Head.
Feeling that more or less q: the mat
ter concerning the tests recently made
br the government would he used in
the debate upon the armCr question.
Mr.. 1illnian suggested that it would
lac desirable to consider the subject in
secret. The senate agreed with him.