The Van Buren press., 1900-05-12
SHELLS THAT PENETRATE.
Imnortnrt Invention of Naval "a.
acer submitted for the Consid-
Grafton of Congress.

Washington, May 9.-Some facts al.
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.
tion of a shell by prominent officer
of the United States navy, shell su. +,
! erior in every essential quality to any
now in use, either by this or by any
other government. The quality Of
penetration possessed by the shell is
said 70 be so great that no armor now
manufactured in the United States or
abroad has sufficient resistance to
withstand it.
The facts. which were in possession
of only IL few senators, were deeIued
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.. Til.
man asked for a secret session, in or.
der that he might explain to the sen.
ate why he desired the armor plate
matter to be discussed in secret.
When the doors were closed he ex
plained 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 departments OFF,
cials Of armor plate at Indian Head.
No answer to that inquiry had been re.
ceved, and in all human probability
none will be received.
1t seems that Mr. Tillman called at
the navy department and was Informed
that il would be unwise at this time TO
make public the details of the tests he
had asked for as il would place in the
hands, not only of the senate, but Of
representatives of foreign govern.
ments, information that properly be.
longed exclusively to the United States.
He was informed that Admiral
ONiel, chief of the bureau Of ordnance,
| had been conducting. for several
months, a series of armor tests at In.
dian Head, the results of which were
very remarkable. \ prominent official
1f the navy department said, II Is un.
| derstood, that the tests of all sorts OF
armor, including tie Krupp armor, had
| been made, with view of ascertaining
theireilectiyeness against the new shell
that had been invented by an officer Of
the navy. No piece of arpnor submit.
ted, it is understood, was able to with.
stand the test
The shell, fired from high.power
guns, penetrated the armor almost as
bullets fired from Krag-Jorgensen
rifle would penetrate green wood, the
difference being the ormor plates split
from the point of impact, II is said
this was true Of the Krupp armor as
well as of the other armor tested.
The shell which was so effective
was not described; indeed, the navy de.
partmcnt is guarding jealously all de-
tails concerning its construction.
The argument of Mr.. rillman is that
with such n proicctile in the posses.
sion of the government, the details Of
which, sooner or later, will become
known TO other governments, IT would
not be the part of wisdom for the cop'
press TO enter into contracts to pur'
chase the high-priccd armor unless II
could be so improved us to resist pro
jcctles of the kind used at Indian
Head,
Feeling that more or less OF the mat
ter concerning the tests recently mad,
by the government would be used IN
the debate upon the armor question
Mr.. Tillman suggested that IL would
be desirable to consider the subject IN
secret, The senate agreed with him.