The sun., 1903-12-18
PRACTICAL ARMOR TESTS.
Tho Firing Against tho Turret OF the
French Eattleship sunren.

| The results OF the experimental firing on
| the forward turret Of the French battleship
Sufrren, which took place at Brest recently,
and was described in THE SUN at the time'
have Just been made public, and are ap-
parently very satisfactory to the French
naval const ructors. They are certainly OF
great interest to all naval powers.
This test was made at the instigation OF
the Minister of Marine, NJ. Pelletan, to
decide some very important questions OF
naval construction. 1t appears that an
artillery officer of high rank had expressed
a grave doubt as to whether the system OF
turret construction adopted would answer
it's purpose in war and meet all require
ments; while, on the other hand, the naval
constructors claimed that the material
was excellent and the system had come up
to every test.
To avoid all discussion, NJ. Pelletan de-
cided to make practical test which would
definitely settle the question. 1t may also
be noted in passing that the Minister mad
expressed himself AS opposed to battleships
and in favor Of fast cruisers; consequently.
1t is possible he may have expected some re-
suits confirming his views in this respect.
The firing test was TO determine primarily
whether the turret was still capable OF being
turned after receiving square hit by
projectile OF large calibre and moving with
high velocity, or whether it would become
jammed and no longer be capable OF being
traversed. Secondarily. the test was also ex-
pected to etermne the effect of the shock
OF heavy projectile striking normally to
the surface OF the turret, not only on the
two guns and their ammunition installed IN
IT, but also on The elect rical telephonic and
hydraulic means of sending orders, on the
system of communication in general on
tho b,n &c tho chin and the structural CON-
..;an " ~ all, ~ ~ o,.,,,, ;t.alf
heT,io'is' ~, anu ,',ia.y u. Wv .I So. ,;,,,
The forward turret of the Suhren, which
was selected for this test, contains two l2-
inch breech-loading rifles and it's armor has
a tb;cLneys ~ ,ol/ ;nchee In order to nre
VI W '" -:
vent this arfnor from peihg niJureu' .ae
turret was covered on the starboard slde
with an unhardened steel plate, about
feet inches high 8 feet inch wide and PIG
inches thick weighing 30 tons. Over this
piece of canvas was stretched to serve as q
target. Arrangements were also made to
prevent fragments and splinters from flying
about and irliurine the vessel
One of the Pinch gums In the trrret was
loaded with a service charge. but the projec-
tile received only it's fuse-not it's bursting
charge. Another shell was placed on the
loading trav to see II the shock OF impact on
the turret would knock it of. and number
Of others were placed in the ammunition
hoist in order TO determine whether It would
be possible a break the cable or other parts
of fha hoist tbus droppine the proiectiles
into The mspazine below: there were six
nroianti,os IL ail In tho turret
Tue cvlind ricai shells were specially CON-
str,,ct ed and o;ven the weiuht of the service
nro;eo,;le ahont 7so nounds corrrsnondino
70 tbe haa VEST nro;ecti lie used bv the French
novw No we "T Tha napw1sr charge was sixty-sir
roryn,s &c s,,pL eless nowder
P For ihe trial the S,ffren and the Massena
h.b;nh ''ie iettar was 70 40 the firin~I Were
y" monrat, ,r, n he Raw os Roscanyel at Brest at
n dietsnna 90 of aho,;t Sas feat anart The sIiffren
'.s ni,ed a. S;stance ~ ahomt lo0 feet Nv
n Man 1siand ,uh;oh t,ao 20 serva ea = Sntt
~ natoh .ha nro isntilas Tornedo boats Kant
~ ea,um ,ne nG 80 oisar - hosts or snacO
tnt W.. fu I;af.noa a. ~ sHa vards "
'eio.S 40. 20 the ~ f,rnc ali th. sorva,a
iot ~, W o.Is ~. ,'n tha = on omnAra dynomo
which worked the electrical turbines for