The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-23
WONDERFUL new SHELL.
No Armor in the World Able to With
stand It.
WILL REVOLUTIONIZE WARSHIPS.

Facts Concerning the Invention OF an
American Naval Onicer Laid Befors
| the Senate in Secret session-Projectile
Fired Through Fourteen Inches OF
Harveylzed Plate-secret ell Guarded
WASHINGTON, D. c. (speciaD. Some facts
almost startling in their importance have
been laid before the Senate in secret leRis-
lative session at the close OF the regular
open session. They related, it Is under
stood, to the invention by Appointment ON,
csr OF the United States Navy OF a shell
superior in every essential quality to any
now in use by this or any other Govern
ment. 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 resistance
to withstand it. ~
with one OF these shells, developed by
the Naval Ordnance Bureau, six-inch
naval rifle plugged clean hole through
plate Of Haryeyized armor fourteen inches
thick, This marvellous achievement was
witnessed by Assistant Secretary Hackeft,
for whom the trial was made at Indian
Head. The gun was charged With smoke
less powder enough to give the she'll We
Ioclty OF $3.50 feet per second. or twenty
five per cent. above ordinary proof Veloc-
ity.
The facts, which were In possession OF
only few Senators, were deemed SO tmes
portant that the Senate decided to cops;
slider them In secret session. Mr.. Tlllman.
asked tor secret session in order that he
might explain to the Senate why he de-
sired the armor plate matter to be dis
cussed In secret. ~ .
When the doors were closed, he explained
that several days ago he had offered q res
olution calling upon the Secretary OF the
Navy to send to the Senate for its informa-
tion the details Of tests, made by the ge'
partment's officials, OF armor plate at-In-
dian Head. No answer to that inquiry has
been received, and In all human probabtl-
lty none will be received.
It seems that Mr.. Tlllman 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 1t 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.
A prominent official OF the Navy Depart
all sorts OF armor, including the Krupp
armor, had been made, with view Of as
certaining their effectiveness against anew
shell that had been invented BY an ofacer
OF the navy. No piece OF armof submitted
to the test, 1t Is understood, wax abletos
withstand the test. The she'll fred from
high:power guns, penetrated the armor at.'
most as bullets fired from a Krag-Jorgen'
sen rife would penetrate green wood, the
difference. being that the armor plates;spllt
from the point OF impact. It Is said this
was true Of the Krupp armor, as well as OF
the other armor tested.
Feeling that more or less Of the matter
concerning the tests recently made by the
Government would be used In the debate
upon the armor question, Mr.. Tllman sug-
gested that 1t would be desirable to con-
slider the subject In secret. The Senate
agreed with him, and the armor-plate mat.
ter was discussed behind closed doors.