The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-19

shore. There are no serious obstacles to
this. The materials and the WOrkmen
are abundant. The Pacific States, being
separated from the Atlantic by wide ex-
panse Oh Intervening mountains and deserts,
constitute social, commercial and indus
trial system by themselves, and this
physical system is a strong reason for pro-
noting a work which may contribute to
their industrial independence. The inc0n-
venience, expense and risk of Transporting
heavy guns across the continent or around
Cape Horn are not only manifest but ap-
pears to be more Objectionable the more it
is considered.
The board has acquired much valuable in
formation about the capabilities of the diff
ferent localities to produce steel forgings.
but postpones discussion of this question till
later report. but the board unanimously
and as strongly as possible recommends the
erection on the Pacific Coast of a gun
foundry of sufficient capacity to have guns
ready tor the defense Of the Pacific Coast at
least as soon as those for the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts are ready.
The board does rot consider it advisable
at this time to recommend the erection Of q
tn lrd factory at the Rock Island Arsenal.
the INDIANAPOLIS Arsenal or at some point
on the Gull Coast but if Congress should
deem otherwise the foundry should be az
Baton Rouge, La.
.. y Inc board concludes its report as follows:
I'VE understand that the location of a
factory on the Pacific Coast is fixed at
Benicia by law and submit an estimate of
the cost thereof, based upon actual expert
ence in preparation of the site and the cree
tion OF existing buildings at Watervliet and
plant and south wing" The estimates for
building a gun-fnishing shop and plant ut
BenIcla Arsenal California, for the con-
struction of No. 8, 10, II or 16 high-power
guns OF capacity sufficient to arm the Pa
clnc Coast in the same time that the Atlantic
Coast LIE armed hu tho Wator,yliaf Az
senal gun plant-that is to say. for an out
put OF tWenty-Seven guns yearly, ten S-incll,
seven 10-inch and ten 12-inch, or equivalent
to 16-lnch-for plans. uperntendence,
preparation and gradings of site excavations
and foundations for machine tools, crane,
bridges, shrlnkage, pit, etc., railroad termi-
nals, sldlngs, switches, and turu-table and
shop complete, with crane-ways, lining and
heating plants and all convenIences, are
SS49,OO0: For machine tools complete in
place, boilers, pumps, ETC., heating fur
naces, smiths fires, blowers. etc., travelling
cranes, light cranes and h0iSts, constituting
complete plant, S1.135, 200; the total for
building and plant complete, 81, ,4S4, 200.
The report is signed by William L. Craig
hill. Chairman of the board
Inc entire California delegation will try
10 10 nave the Senate appropriate about $780,
GOO to begin on.
Had the board submitted its report
promptly an appropriation sufficient to be-
gin this enterprise could have been secured
In the. Fortificat0ns Appropriation Bill
which passed the House several days ago.
However, Messrs. Morrow and McKenna
nave strong hopes of securing the appro-
prlatlon on the Senate side. Senators Hearst
and Stanford will use their utmost efforts In
this direction.
In transmitting the report to President
Harrison. Secretary Proctor says: 1T may
be advisable to establish at no distant day a
gun factory on the Pacific Coast of sufficient
capacity to supply guns required for the
armament of that coast Whether the INSTALL
alton OF such plant shall proceed or go on
coneurrent!y with the development of the
steel industry, by which gun forgings are to
pa suppiled IN that section Of the country, is
Tor Congress to determine. The board
states that the evidence is very strong
as TO the near existence at more
than one point-of ali the materials
necessary for the production of the best
steel, but the DEVELOPMENT of those natural
resources is still incomplete. 1t further ap-
pears from the report that there is as yet no
plant ready on the Pacific Coast equal to the
manufacture Of large gun forgings, but that
capital seems ready to take hold, and has
already begun to locate itself definitely with
TINS object in view at more than one point
BY the terms OF the act the commission was
restricted Ill its inquiries as to the advisa-
blllty OF erecting a gun factory ON the Pa
cifc Coast to the location of the Benicia
Arsenal, while in their inquiries into facil-
ities for the producing Of steel forgings for
hlSll-power guns they were restricted as to
locality. In my opinion, if gun foundry
Is to be established on that coast its location
may depend largely upon its proximity to,
or convenience OF communication with es-
adjustments producing steel forgings, and,
therefore. the location should not be def
lnitely decided upon until the production of
forgingS can be settled"