The piece employed was a 6 in. gun, 35
calibers in length. The distance of its muzzle from the plates
attacked was 28 ft.
[Illustration]
The charge was 44 lb. of brown prismatic powder. The projectile was a
100 lb. Holtzer shell. Under these circumstances, the initial velocity
was 2,074 ft. and the energy at the impact was 9,970,396 ft. lb.
A beginning was made by firing four shots at each plate in the
bisectrix of the corners. Then the 6 in. gun was replaced by an 8 in.
one, throwing a 209 lb. Firth projectile, with an energy at the impact
of 20,795,000 ft. lb.
Each of the plates then received in its center a final blow from this
projectile.
Our engraving represents the state of the plates after this last shot.
[Illustration: ARMORED PLATE TESTS AT ANNAPOLIS]
There is no need of being a great expert in questions of artillery to
discover on what side the superiority is found, and to see that the
Cammell plate, almost entirely in fragments, is absolutely incapable
of protection, while its two competitors are still in a state to
resist.
In one of our engravings may be seen, too, the state of the shells
after each of the three shots.
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