The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-09
POWERFUL new SHELL
No ArmOr is Able to Stand
Against 1t.

Washington, May 9.-Some facts ea1-
most startling in their Importance were
laid before the senate yesterday in
secret legislative session at the con-
clusion of the regular open session. They
related, it is understood, to the invention
of a shell by prominent officer of the
United States navy, a shell superior in
every essential duality to any now in
use either by this or by any other gov
eminent. The quality of penetration
possessed by the shell is said to be so
great that no armor now manufactured
in the United States or abroad has suffi-
eient resistance to Withstand it
The facts, which were in possession of
only a few senators, were deemed so
important that the senate decided to
consider them in secret session.
After the naval bill had been laid
aside for the day Mr.. Tillman asked for
a secret session in order that he might
explain to the senate why he desired the
armor plate matter to be discussed in
secret.
When the doors were closed, he ex-
planned that several days ago he had
offered a resolution calling up the secre-
tary of the navy to send to the senate
for it's information the details of tests
made by the department officials of
armor plate at Indian Head. No answer
to that inquiry had been received and
in all human probability none will be
received.
It seems that Mr.. Tfllman called at
the navy department and was informed
that it 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 foreign governments,
information that properly belonged ex-
clusively to the United States. He was
informed that Admiral O'Neil chief of
the bureau of ordnance, had been con-
Quoting for several months a series of
arnIor tests at Indian Head, the results
of which were very remarkable. A prom
inent official of the navy department
said it is understood that the tests of
all sorts of armor, including the Krupp
armor had been made with view of
ascertaining their effectiveness against
a new shell that had been invented by
an officer of the navy. No piece of armor
submitted to the test, it is understood,
was able to Withstand the test.
The shell fired from high power guns
| penetrated the armor almost as bullets
fred from a Krag- Jorgensen rifle would
penetrate green wood. the difference be-
| ing that the armor plates split from the
| point of impact. It is said this was true
| of the Krupp arn1or as we'll as of the
| other arrnor tested.
The shell which was so effective was
/ not described; indeed the navy depart
ment is guarding jealousy all details
/ concerning its construction.
The argument of Mr. Tillman is that
with such a projectile in the possession
/ 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 congress to enter in
| to contracts to purchase the high priced
aTmor unless 1t could be so improved
as to resist projectiles of the kind used
| at Indian Head. Feeling that more or
less of the matter concerning the tests
| recently made by the government would
| be used in the debate upon the arnoT
| question, Mr.. Tillman suggested that ii