The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-11
SENATE

| SENATE
Washington, May 9.-The naval bill
was called up at the conclusion OF rou-
tine business.
Senator Hale, of Maine, evidently
referring to the publication of yes
terday's secret session proceedings
said he left it to Senator Tillman
whether it was wise or desirable to
proceed with the measure in secret ses-
sion.
Senator Tillman replied that he was
persuaded 'ft would be almost impos-
sible to prevent the newspapers from
getting the information. although they
did publish more than occurred in the
| senate and -
Senator Vest: Il think the senate
would better go into secret session"
Senator Tillman: II hope the senator
will permit me to complete my obser-
| vations."
| Senator Vest: 81 make the motion for
a secret. session. The senator's remarks
&, are proving the accuracy Of the news
paper reports"
Senator Chandler, of New Hamp-
| shire, seconded Senator Vests motion,
and at 1910 o'clock p. m. the senate's
doors were closed.
|
| sideration of the bill in open session.
| The pending question was upon the
committee amendment to the house bill
| with respect to armor for war vessels.
Senator Tillman offered an amend
| ment, in effect, limiting the price to
be paid for armor to $500 per ton, and
| if it could not be procured for that
price, authorizing the secretary of the
navy to construct a government armor
| plate plant a cost of not e--ceeding
s4,O0G,000.
Senator Hale, in charge of the bill,
| explained the committee amendment.
| He said the committee had sought. to
| relieve the country from the embar-
rassment that was irksome to almost
everybody. Right in the midst Of our
remarkable advance in the construc-
ton of naval ships" said Senator Hale,
I'VE were arrested by this controversy
over the price of armor plate. I believe
the armor plants put their heads to-
gether and put UP prices Of armOr
Of course this created resentment. and
I am not surprised at the action and
feeling of the senator from South Car
olina (Senator Tillman), who is acting
entirely conscientiously in the matter
! Senator Hale explained that the av-
erage price for several years paid by
the government was about $3.50 per ton
For the armor of 1897, SAP per ton was
paid
LAS it was seen," continuer Senator
Hale, that we had ships which Ree6o6
armor the companies again raised theil
price to s545 per ton When last yeal
congress fixed a price Of $500 per ton
the navy department could not get the
armor at that price. 1t was the opin-
ion of the committee that the govern
ment could get better armor from nri
vate concerns than it could make itsel
and avoid any Of the possible attend
ant cSandalS."
At the same time, he added, it wa:
realized that something had to be done
Under this bill, if the companies de
clined to accept $445 per ton, gov
ernment plant for the manufacture O.
armor was to be constructed. He be
lieved the manufacturers thus woult
accept. The government would not b.
able to produce pound of armor un
der three years and it might reQuir
: five years TO get well started. Mean
time serious delay would occur in th'
building of authorized ships. He saiC
that as soon as armor manufacturer
| got upon their feet financially, "the.
began to put the knife to u.s.
Senator Tillman said the prices aske'
by the manufacturers would cost tn
l government $1,000, 900, while his pro
posed price would cost but abou
$3,OOO,0OO. His proposition was to bull
an armor plant regardless of manu-
4
wonder Mr.. Carnegie could go to Scot
land and buy game preserves and bar
onieS and that sort OF thing.
Senator Tillman referred to the re
cent naval tests on the penetrabiiit
. or armor. He was not convinced tina
the new process armor was any bette
| than the old kind. A 9-inch new pro
. cess plate had been easily penetrated
and who could say that 14-inch plat
would not suffer similarly.
Senator Hale interrupted to stat
that the only significance of recent ex
periments was to show that the bes
projectiles will pierce anything, bu
that the new process armor has an i'm
penetrability of rs per cent. create
than any other. The Capital projecti
went through the 9-inch plate and eve
the 11-inch plates, as though they wer
d pine boards.
Senator Hale presented a memo
randum from Rear Admiral O'Nei
s chief of the naval bureau OF ordnanc
a on the subject Of armor and partict
larly ON soft nose projectileS. II
:, memorandum stated in part:
mo armor that exists today regart
less OF its thickness or quality can n
- sist the power Of the modern gun ;
short range. Therefore, the fact ths
: : armor can readily be perforated
short range must not be considered
indication that it is of inferior Qualit
g 1t simply means that it Is over -matche
y by the gun. Naturally, that which
the most difficult to perferate Is II
most desirable"
!. All tests OF armor, the memoranda
states, are made with uncapped proje'
tiles and are exceedingly severe. tt
e memorandum adds:
If TT is a well known fact that q so
If steel cap attached to the point Of q
g armor- piercing projectile increases
e efficiency to q marked extent, an.
e where from 10 to 20, and often to
g. per cent, and all such projectiles 4,
the United States navy are fitted wi,
e caps. A few days ago at Indian Hes
E, e-inch capped shell was easily drive
II through fourteen inches Of Harveyizs
I. armor and the same has been dol
through eight inchs OF Krupp armor