The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-11-09
NAVAL ORDNANCE.
lAnual Report of the cilet of tho Ord
nn,ce ItMrenu.

| kanua Report OF the Ciilet OF rho Oru-
nance Bureau.
Washington, Nov. ~2.-Captain Samp.
son, chief of the ordnance, has submit
led his annual report to the secretary
of the navy. He submits estimates for
the next fiscal year a~ggregating $6,437,-
eS4, the principal items being A,259, 66G
Tor material and labor for a modern bat
terry for the historic Hartford, for re-
serve guns and torpedoes, and 81, 300, 204
for the armament of vessels now auth
oriZed. He also renews last years esti-
mate of s500,G COO for guns for the au&il-
larry navy. He says that of the $50
breech loading rifles of all calibers-
from 4 to Is inrh-thus far ordered 379
have been completed and sos are now
af1oat. No change is recommended In
the system of gun construction. Al
though the English are said to nave put
into service a wire wound 12-inch gun
of higher power and lighter han the
old model, Captain Sampson says the
advantages claimed for it are not suftl-
Client to warrant the substitution of this
or any other system for our built up
guns, particularly in view OF the many
mechanical difficulties n the long and
expensive experimentation necessary
to a change.
The wisdom of the departments deci-
sion in favor OF 13-inch guns for the new
battle ships is said to have been demon-
strated by a test at Indian Head, where
one of the Iowa side plates, which had
proved more than a match for the r.
inch guns, was perforated by a projec-
tile from a 13-inc:s gun Captain Samp-
son says no argument Is needed In sup
port Of the statement that a first class
battle shop should carry guns able al
least under favorable conditions to
pierce the armof of an opponent OF
equal size. All Of the Iowa's 12-inch
guns are practically completed. leaving
no more of this caliber to be made.
All of the 10-inch guns authorized have
been finished. The S-inch guns for the
Iowa and the Brooklyn have been de-
layed by failure to secure proper forg-
tngs. The S-inch nickel steel gun Is also
delayed by a stuck jacket, awaiting a
change in the heating furnace. Captain
Sampson says he Hurst method has
been tested and found practically worth
less. 1t is proposed to convert all of the
6-inch guns in service into rapid fire
guns as soon as possible. Attention ID
again called to the necessity of having
a reserve supply of guns of all calibers.
II it is recommended that their num-
Der be at least 10 per cent of those
already authorized.
Success HI ving attended the effort to
procure S-inch forged steel shells, 1t is
proposed to develop q similar. type of
semiarmor piercing shells for each cali
Der. and If Il ara three powder steel
shells can be procured, tt is proposed to
entirely abandon the use of cast iron
projectiles.
During the year 5.111 tons of armor,
1851 tons being H~arveyi2ed, We're deliv-
cred, and that remaining, though the
most difficult and tedious to manufac-
ture, will be assuredly delivered by the
C%arnegies before February l next, and
by the Bethlehem company early in
July next, dependent only upon the
speed with which the plans are supplied
by the ship builders.
With increased plants under way and
improved processes of manufacture,
the $500 tons of armor required for the
new battle ships 5 and 6 can be up
piled in less than one year after receipt
of plans. Unde his head Captain
Sampson points to he fact that. though
the number of ship building firms in
this country is now large, the armor
plant factories are limited. and, tic pro-
vide against the emergency of war, he
strongly urges that the authorization of
new ships be regular and continuous.
A strong argument Is also made against
h proposition tS allow ship builders
to contract for supplying ships with
their armor, on the ground tina it
would tend to break down the armor
makers and place them at the mercy OF
the ship builders.