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

Washington, May S.-Some facts al
most startling in their Importance
were laid before the senate today in
executive session. They related, it is
understood, to the invention of a shell
by a prominent officer of the United
States nayy-a shell superior in every
essential quality to any now in use by
this or other governments. 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 sufficient resist
ance to withstand it,
The facts. which were In possession
OF a rev senators, were deemed so i'm
portant that the senate decided to
consider them in secret session.
Ioday, after the naval bill had been
laid aside for the day, Senator Tillman
asked for a secret session in order that
De might explain to the senate 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 a resolution calling on the sec
Rotary of the navy to end to the SEN
ate for its information the details of
tests made by the departments Off
Gals OF armor plate at Indian Head.
No answer to that inquiry has yet
been received, and in all human prob
ability none will be received.
1t seems that Senator Tillman called
at the navy department and was in
formed that it would be unwise at
this time to make public the details
or 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 exclusively to the
United States. He was informed that
Admiral O'Neil, chief of the bureau of
ordnance, had been conducting for
several months a series of armor tests
at Indian Head, the results of which
We're very remarkable.
a prominent official of the navy de-
partment said, it is understood. that
the tests of all sorts of armor, -includ-
ing the krupp armor, had been made
with a view to ascertaining their eff
~fectlveness 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 it. The shell fred from
h~igh-power gun penetrated the ar
NOR almost as bullets fired from a
Krag-JOrgensen rifle would penetrate
green wood. the difference being that
the armor plates split from the point
of impact. 1t is said this vas true of
the Krupp rmo as we'll as of the
other armOr tested.
The shell which was SO effective was
not described: indeed. the navy de-
partment is guarding jealousy all de-
tails concerning its construction.
The argument of senator Tillman is
that with such a prOjectile in the pos
session of the government. the details
of which will sooner or later become
known to other governments, it would
not be the part Of wisdom for the
congress to enter into contracts to
purchase the high priced armor, un-
less it could be so improved as to re-
sist projectiles of the kind used at In
dian Head.
Feeling that more or less of the matt
ter concerning the tests recently made
by the government would be used in
the debate upon the armor question
Senator Tilman sugg -sted that II
would be desirable to consider the sub.
ject in secret.
The senate agreed with him. and
tomorrow the armor plate matter will
be discussed behind closed doors.