The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-29
NOW FOR THE FORTS.
The Guns, Mortnrs, and Carriages Needed
The Time Required for Making Them.


The Guns, Mortars, and Carrinee. Needed
The Time Required for Making Them.
WASHINGTON. March o7.-With the Army
and Navy Appropriation bills out of the way,
the Fortihcations bill Is the only remaining one
of Importance relating to the national defence
for the House to look after. There are, It Is
true. special measures pending, like the reor-
gnnization bills for both services. but these are
not among the necessary annual supply bills.
and may or may not be acted upon before the
summer ad journment,
As to the armament Of the forts. exactly how
much money is still required for II In all Is Diff
cult to ascertain. but among the estimates are
$40. $50, 1888 for heavy Watervliet guns. Sl0,-
2S7,0 900 for carriages. 50. sol 100 for mortars,
S., 600 for mortar carriages. and 81. $50, 1871
for guns under construction at Bethlehem.
But, as a practical fact. even II $50, 900, 900
was all appropriated in one bill for guns, NOR
tars, and carriages. most of 1t would remain
unexpended during the coming year. simply be-
cause the Government shops could not finish
and assemble more than a small part of the
guns and carriages required. Several years ago
Congress was informed that 1t would take from
fifteen TO seventeen years for the Watervliet
factory to supply all the guns needed, and
thereupon 1t ordered 100 guns from the Beth
lehem Iron Company. This was a material help,
and Gen. Flagler now officially estimates that
the guns remaining to be manufactured could
be completed " in about twelve years. and that
the carriages ought to be finished in the same
time. so that what Congress needs to appropriate
for him annually, on account Of seacoast fortif-
cations. is S3,71s,o50. In addition. 1t is ex-
pected that by the end of the next fiscal year the
bethlehem Company will have ready nine ~
inch, nine 1O-inch. and four 12-inch guns. the
cost OF which, with ammunition for proof, will
be S09T. 69l. For this item 5000. o4o has been
heretofores supplied, which leaves a balance of
S497 .449. Thus on this account there would
apparently be needed a total of about 81, 200, 900.
Then their carriages ought to be ready for
them, at any additional cost.
. But in reality the amount provided in the
current bill may be less. for two reasons. One
Is that 1t estimates for 16-inch guns, and of this
calibre not even the type gun has vet been built.
Congress has repeatedly refused to sanction it's
manufacture. evidently regarding the 12-inch
gun as capable, with the advantage of a land
platform. OF defeating any ship. Gen. Flaglcr
has strongly urged the value OF l6-inch guns
in their crushing effect on war vessels. but IL
Congress should not conclude TO authorize them
at this session. his could be materially
reduced. because they are based on buying steel
Capacity ar both for this and for ali other caiibrres.
In addition. Gen. FlaRler estimate upon car
riages for a year beyond the guns. Accordingly
Congress may prefer to make it's estimates for
the carriages for the same length of time as for
the guns. since one is useless without the other.
mates might be diminished' u the other hand and,
there are ways OF increasing them. One is that
OF providing for double work at the Watervliet
factory. that is. with a night as we'll as a day
force; This would be a desirable ar%rangemsRt,
sIiit 9at th"t 'h nnen she Of Fq the t tarr'aee est , TSnl the Ss
are now: They would also apparently be far
sheaa OF the dSs empla ,o nrnrtS. 1t Two would I'D, there he r.
work on the carriages. and, as far as possible, on
the emplacements. until they can eaten up with
the guns.
There are auxiliary needs for the forts, some
OF which are OF interest, One is that of $4,000
hereafter be completed. Another is that OF
$40. $50 for powder and l 1925 for proiectiles.
tbsy el Isem insl afH m sieVey and nSr f ssac Sns. euasi S Srs
necessary, as there, must be some target prac-
tice every year, and there should also be a l:ttle
reserve ammunition for emergencies. One of the
items Is for metallic cartridge cases. rs these
are required, for the field guns using smokeles-
guns. The Ordnance Department has been at
work on the proper form and dimensions of
supply OF them. The provision OF a small quan-
tity OF reserve shrapnel for field service is OBJ
Plainly necessary tens are $4,000 for
powders and proieotiles for proving heavy guns.
since each discharge costs a considerable sum;
73s for shot for heavy guns. These last sums
win purchase 936 shell for l9inch mortar.,
SO that there will be in all about twelve shell
each for the 14O mortars we now have on hand.
That Is certainly not an excessive supply. There
can also be furnished 4O2 shots for the S-Inch,
l22 for the lO-iuch, and 90 for the l2-lnch guns
at tho present contract price of Al cents per
pound. Contracts have already been given TO
the Midvale and Carpenter works for Liza
shot, and those now asked for will make about
twelve rounds each for all our guns likely TO be
mounted on carriages under the provisions of
this estimate.
II may be added that Gen. Flagler's estimates
provide for, twenty-five more of the steel field
pieces used by our artillery. to be added to the
2l5 already made or in construction. 1t Is wise
to add a few each year, so AS to accumulate
II reserve. There are also provisions
for field mortars, for sights, fuses, primers.
and So on. Gen. Flagler's estimates contain
these points:
The original Scott sight purchased by the depart
ment for test cost Slsi delivered free OF duty. These
telescope sights are essential where very accurate
pointing OF 9 cannon Is required and as the disap:
pearing carriages are now arranged, no other form OF
can readily be used witt. them. Tho great cost
Of ammunition In nring a modern seacoast gun justi.
nes the expense OF these telescope sights. The de.
partmcnt Inns already ordered the following numbers
Of open tangent sights, viz, sixty six for sinrh- guns.
at 500 each; ~forty.hve for lOlnch guns, at 500 each, |
for l2tnch guns. at $40 each.
Finally, there are sundry small provisions for
the establishments at Watervliet WATERFOWL, |
and Sandy Hook,