Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-12
RUSH ORDERS GIVEN.
Ordnance Department Not to Wait
for the Apportionment of the
Defense Fund.

Washington March n.-Secretary Alger
has authorized. General. Flagler, the chief
of ordnance, to make arrangements at once
for procuring large number of rapid FIRE,
guns for sea cost defenses. This action is
taken without waiting for the allotment
among the various bureaus Of the war and
navy departments of the $4,000, 900 voted
for the national defense. The secretary
felt that there was no reason for further
delaying the necessary steps for the pro-
curement Of these guns. as ii was felt there
would be no trouble in arriving at an
equitable adjustment of the money avail
able.
Ever since the battleshIp Maine was
wrecked in Havana harbor, the ordnance
department has been fastening the delivery
OF guns already finished and making ar
;rangements for the supply of such a num-
Der of additional ones as the officials felt
warranted in ordering without the addi-
tional funds which have since been put at
their disposal. The ordnance bureau will
take all these rapid fire guns that can be
procured within a reasonable time and
they Will be shipped to the seacost fortifi-
cations as rapidly as possible. They con-
.stitute what is known as the auxiliary de-
tense of the Notifications and are a ma
ferial assistance to the big guns, which
necessarily are slower of movement and
firing. ----.-.-...-
Quite a number of establishments
throughout the United States have respond
ed to the department. inquiries as to
whether they can assist in making these
guns They include the army gun factory,
the Bethlehem iron works. the briggs Ord
nance Company and the American Ord
nance Company. The guns are mounted
without much trouble. so that haste in
their manufacture IS the essential in the
present crisis.
1t is now admitted by the ordnance Off
'cials that directions have been given to the
various arsenals and armories controlled
by the government TO increase the work.
lEg force TO the fullest practicable extent.
with a view to hurrying the completion of
existing projects. Likewise. all firms hay-
ing contracts to supply the government
WITH Mish ordnance @ have been REQUIRED to work
the work in hand, and TO arrange their
business with a view to increased orders.
AS to small arms. extra ammunition or
Inion Metallic Cartridge Company, of
Arms Company. of New York
The negotiations for the supply of large
numbers of small arms, army equipments
and accouterments are now in progress
The bureau officials have not yet indicated
the exact number which will be ordered
but that the aggregate will be large Is
shown by the fact that the manufacturers
have been given the cue to make all they
can.
General Greely. chief signal office, has
peen given authority by the secretary lot
war TO proceed without regard TO ordinary
restrictions in establishing rapid telegraph
connections between the sea coast forti.
fcattons. This rather extraordinary author.
fzation was conferred upon General Greely
after a forcible presentation by him to thu
secretary of war of the pressing demand
Tor modern means of communication be-
tween the forts. He showed that even II
New York harbor, where the war depart
ment has devoted its best energies to th,
perfection Of the fortifications. ii require.
three-quHrters of an hour TO pass mes
sage from one battery 10 another. For
McHenry is worse off. while. strange as 4
may seem. the only method of communi
eating between tho national capital ant
its most important defensive work For
: Washington. on the Potomac, is by means
OF messenger.