Evening star., 1900-05-09
DISCUSSED IN SECRET
SENATE CONSIDERING TESTS OF
ARMOR PLATE.
Mr. TiIIman Tells About n Remark
able Projectile Which Easily
Pferces Any Defense.

The Senate yesterday concluded consid-
Grafton of the naval appropriation bill, with
the exception of that section relating to
armor and armament. That went over un-
til today. when it will be considered in Sc
cret legislative session
The debate on the naval bill was prac-
tfcaIv confined to the paragraph relating
TO the commissioning of naval cadets The
committees amendment striking out the
proposition in the House bill which sought
to commission the cadets at the expiration
of the four years term at the Naval Acad-
emy abolishing the preliminary two years
at sea was carried after warm debate.
After The Stars report of the proceedings
of the Senate was closed yesterday after
noon the act amending the general pension
laws known as the Grand Army of the Re
public pension bill was laid before the
Senate as it passed the House. and the
House amendments were agreed to without
debate.
The debate on the pending amendment
to the naval bill was closed by Mr.. For
aker, in opposition to the amendment, and
Mr.. Chandler in favor of 1t.
The amendment striking out the House
provision and inserting the Senate COM
mittees paragraph was agreed to, 40 to II.
The detailed vote follows:
Yeas-AHison, Bard, Bate, Berry. Bur
rows, Chandler. Cockrell, Davis. Depew.
Frye. Gallinger, Hale, Hanna, Hansbrough,
Hawley, Hoar, Jones (Ark-) Jones CNevD.
Kean, Lodge, Mcbride. McCumber, Nc
Emery, Martin, Nelson. Penrose. Perkins.
PIatt Comm. Pritchard, Rawlins Ross,
Sewell. Shoup. Simon. Spooner, Teller,
Thurston., Tillman, Vest, Wellington-40
Nays-Caffery, Clay. Deboe. Fairbanks,
Foraker. Kenney. Kyle, Money, Morgan,
Pettus. Stewart. Turley-12-
The reading of the bill was then re-
sumo! and nearly completed. When the
amendments were reached relating to ar
NOR and armament the bill was laid aside
for the day. Mr.. Hale gave notice that he
would call ii up Immediately after routine
business today.
The following measures were passed: A
Joint resolution for the appointment of first
Heutenants of volunteers in the signal corps
Of the army; to provide for the disposal of
the Fort Buford abandoned military reser-
walton in North Dakota and Montana.
In Secret Session.
On motion of Mr.. Tillman the Senate
then, at 4:3O, went into secret session that
he might explain why he desired the armor
plate question to be considered in secret
session.
When the doors closed Mr.. Tillman ex-
planned that several days ago he had
offered a resolution calling upon the Secre-
tary of the Navy to send to the Senate for
its information the details of tests made by
the departments officials Of armor plate
at Indian Head. No answer to that inquiry
has been received. and in all human proba-
bility none Will be received
1t seems that Mr.. Tillman called at the
Navy Department and was informed that 1t
would be unwise al this time to make pub
lie the details Of the tests he had asked
for, as II 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
ONeil, chief Of the bureau of ordnance, had
been conducting for several months a series
OF armor tests at Indian Head the results
of which were very remarkable promi-
nent official Of the Navy Department said
II is understood. that the tests of all sorts
OF arTnor, including the Krupp armor, had
been made with view of ascertainng their
effectiveness against new shell that had
been invented by an officer of the navy. No
piece OF armOr submitted to the test IL is
understood. was able to withstand the test
The shell. fired from high power guns pen
etrdted the armor almost as bullets fired
from krag JOrgensen rife would pepe-
trate green wood. the difference being that
the arInor plates split from the point OF. i'm
pact II iS said this was true of the Krupp
arN6r. as well as of the other arnlor tested
The shell which was so effective was NOT
described: indeed. the Navy Department IS
guarding Jeaiously all details concerning
its construction.
The argument Of Mr. Tillnan is that with
such proje"tile in the possession of the
government. the details Of which sooner or
Iarhr Will become known to other govern
menis, IL would not be the part of wisdom
for the Congress TO enter into contracts To
purchase the high-priCed armOr unless II
cou!d ne So improved as to resist proiectiIes
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 aTmOr question Mr. TiIlman sug-
geSted that II would be desirable to con
slider the subject in secret