Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-10
56th CONGRESS
Continued from page ~

scandals. AT the same time, he added,
he realized that something had to be
done. In this bill it was proposed to
pay Sf45 per ton for armor, but if the
companies declined to accept that price
n government plant for the manufac-
ture of armor was to be cons tructed.
He believed that when the manufac-
turers found that the government was
in earnest as to the plant they would
accept the price offered. He deemed
it best not to build an armOr plant if
it's construction could be avoided be-
cause the government would not be
able to produce pound of armor under
three years and it might require five
years to get we'll started. Meantime
serious delay would occur in the build
ing of authorized ships.
I'm few words" he concluded. "our
project is to pay $4i5 per ton for armor
or construct a government plant. 1t is
intended to solve this vexed question,
and l think it WILL
Have the aTmOr manufacturers
taken advantage of the governments
necessity" inquired Stewart.
Undoubtedly they have" responded
Hale. AS soon as they get upon their
feet financially they begin 10 put the
knife to us
Then" declared Stewart, I'D make
good deal of a sacrifice to teach them
q lesson
Tillman followed Hale with an ex-
tended speech in support of his pr0pO-
sitiOn. If the prices asked by the man.
ufacturers were paid. he said it would
cost the government $17,000.000 while
at tine price he proposed the necessary
armor would cost only about $4,000, 000
His proposition was to build an armor
plant no matter at what price the man
ufacturers proposed to supply the
armor.
Tillman referred to the recent naval
tests on the penetrability of armor.
He was not convinced that the new
process armor was one whit better than
the old. a 9-inch process plate had
been easily penetrated and who could
say that 14-inch plate would not suf-
| fer similarly.
| Hale interrupted to stated that the only
| significance Of recent experiments was to
show that the best projectiles will pierce
anything, but that the new process has
an impenetrability of y per cent. greater
| than any other. The cap projectiles went
| through the 9-inch and even the 1l-inch
| plates as though they were pine boards
Hale contended that Tillman could moi
| urge this as a new reason for a govern
| ment factory.
Perkins. Cal, joined with Hale and Till
| man in an animated discussion of pater.
| naliSm in connection with the propose
| for a government armor factory.
Stewart said that the government
corporation or combination and it should
| free itself by building a government fac
tory even if a ton of armor was never
| made in it.
Money. Miss, inquired as to the infor
nation available on the soft nose pro
1eCtiles. Hale presented memorandum
from Rear Admiral O'Neil, chief of th'
naval bureau of ordnance, giving thu
latest available information on the sub
ject of armor and particularly on ''sof
nose projectiles;' The memorandum
day, regardless Of its thickness or quail
ity can resist the power Of the moderl
gun at short range. Therefore, the fac
that armor can be readily perforated a
short range. must not be considered al
indication that it is of inferior quality
1t simply means that it is overmatche'
by the gun. Naturally, that which is tn
most difficult to perforate is the most de
. Sirable."
All tests of armor, the memorandum
states are made with uncapped projec
tiles and are exceedingly severe Tn
memorandum adds: 1T is a well-knowl
fact that soft steel cap attached 10 tn
point Of an armor- piercing projectie in
! creases its efficiency to a marked extent
anywhere from Is to 20 and often to
per cent, and all such projectiles of TIL
United States navy are fitted with caps
A few days ago at Indian Head. a G-inc
capped shell was easily driven through l
inches of HarveyiZed armor, and tn
same has been done through inches o
krupp armor:
Money said he would support the propO
sition OF Tillman for government armo
plant.
Chandler earnestly advocated tn
amendment Of Tillman. He pointed on
that the proposition Of the committe
was to pay s4i5 per ton for 5000 tons 0
armor, and if the companies would no
agree to that, to pay S5i5 per ton 70
armor for the three battleships nov
awaiting armor and then proceed t
build an armor plant. The proposition h
favored was to pay S5I5 per ton for armo
for the battleships Maine, Ohio an
Missouri. and build an armor plant a
: | once.
He would venture the assertion. he SAID
| that the United States could build a
armor plant and manufacture armo
cheaper than it could be made by the pri
vate concerns. and we would not have I
pay royalties to anybody. If the Unite
States was to build only the ships no,
authorized, he thought it might be we
to accede TO the demand of the armo
companies, but If we are to become
J world power and build ships for the mex
~ years, it would be far cheaper to max
armor at the governments own plant. II
was satisfied that the government needle