Show ARMOR PLATE FLATE AND SHELL in the struggle between artillery and shipbuilding ship building cannon have been for years made larger and larrer larger and armor plates thicker and thicker lo in order to determine the question whether the thickest practicable plate will be able to resist the heaviest practicable shot bot one of the most interesting D terest te ilIg experiments was made recently by our government and judging by the results obtained the problem would appear practically settled in favor of the armor plate A piece nineteen inches long and eighteen inches thick and costing was exposed t ti the fire of two heavy guns at indian head it was mounted on a backing of solid oak three feet thick there belog twenty six three inch bolts through it the guns were only leet feet distant the first shell hurled burled against this bis target was an pound projectile prole otile driven by pounds of powder with a velocity of 1465 feet a second the enormous instrument of destruction penetrated the plate only six inches causing the surface surrounding the point of contact to blister somewhat but leaving the armor practically without further damage another shell was hurled against the plate witti with a striking energy of tons thle this penetrated ton lien inches but was comale sly ely bat flattened and melted and welded together with the restating resisting metal through the heat beat developed by sudden collision next the target was attacked by the greatest of naval puns hurling a shell weighing 1100 pounds this projectile struck it with a power of tons and was completely pulverized the plate itself remaining practically uninjured although the wooden backing was reduced to splinters the belief is expressed by government officials that a ship protected by such armor would be practically invulnerable to any gun now made and it this view is correct manufacturers of naval ordnance would have to COO still more gigantic engines of destruction or consider themselves outdone by the engineers whose energy and skill are devoted to the defense |