LIGHTER WARSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1707, 26 March 1913, Page 8

LIGHTER WARSHIPS.

TOUNG ENGINEER'S DISCOVERT. A process that may conceivably bring about a revolution in armaments is believed to have been discovered by a young Sheffield engineer, Mr. Willi""' H<<nley Worrall. Briefly put, it is .to increase the resistance of armour-plate,; while at the same time reducing its/ weight by from JO to 20 per cent: Mr. Worrall, whc-11 interviewed by a "Daily Mail" repiesentative, was very modest about his achievement, and not inclined to anticipatv the tremendous consequences which must follow if. his process fulfils wliat is expected of it. Tho invention has been tested up to a point, and is at present being further experimented with by »• private firm. Tho results of these tests will determine tho future lino of action. He l\t\s already approached the Admiralty, but was disinclined to state how far tho negotiatibns had progressed. An 8-inch. plate, mado by Mr. Worrall's process lias, it is stated, resisted a 1-1-inch shell that would have pierced .ordinary armour «f :tho same thickness. ■ ,

The invention consists of a modification of the whole process of making nnnourplato, commencing with the inirot, which goes through modifications in tho rolling mills and then requires different heat treatment from that provided in the existing furnaces. The ordinary-armour-plate has a hardened hack aud front and asoft. core. Mr. Worrall's plate consists of a number of small plates hardened and bonded together so that the coro of the plato contains layers of steel as hard as the surface.' The saving in thickness on a heavy plate he claims to he 20 per cent, and oil a small plato 10 per cent., and when the plate is in position on a battleship there will lie » net weight saving of 15 per cent. This would mean an appreciable increase in battleship speed with the same engine power. Mr. Worrell has been at work for nearly a year on his invention. ■