The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-19
GUNS FOR WAR VESSELS
WORK OF THE NAVAL ORDNANCE
BUREAU DURING THE WAR.
Improved TvveIve-Inch Rifle Superior
to the Thirteen-Inch-Equip
of Auxiliary Cruisers.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1s.--The naval Ord
nance Bureau was one of the busiest
branches of the naval service during and
Immediately preceding the war. and the an
nual report of Captain Charles O'Neill.
chief of ordnance, to the secretary of the
navy recounts the accomplishments of the
bureau in that time. He shows that so far
the naval ordnance factory has turned out
$40 main battery guns. while during the
past year liz guns of calibers from 4 to
IL inches have been completed New de-
signs have been prepared for the guns of
the future, and they will afford a much
higher velocity than the present types The
first of these guns will be placed on the
battle ships Maine, Ohio and Missouri and
on the four harbor defense monitors to be
built. Captain O'Neill says the guns and
mounts in service have been severely tested
during the war. and it is gratifying to
note that their performance has been sat-
isfactory.
The preparations made fer war are de-
scribed by the chief. beginning with the
period when war was regarded as immi-
nent. Orders were given foa. large amounts
of powder, projectiles of all kinds sman
arms and small guns for secondary bat
carry on their work without intermission
and to increase the capacity of their plants.
All vessels of the navy were filed with am
munition, even those on foreign stations,
Ana supply vessels, laden with reserve
supply, were kept in readiness to supply
the fleets. Guncotton mines and launching
outfits were prepared in large numbers, and
the government shops were worked continu~
ously. Batteries were placed on 107 auxil-
larry naval vessels. requiring SIC guns, while
ffty-nine guns were placed on twelve
regular naval vessels. yet more could have
been supplied by the bureau had they been
required
1t is said in the report that electricity
mas demonstrated its superiority to every
other form of power for the manipulation
OF turretS, hosting ammunition and operat-
ing gun machinery The guns so operated
can be more speedily and accurately laid
on the object to be hit. there is no danger
from bursting pipes nor is the temperature
raised as with steam. Altogether the adj
Vantages enumerated in favor of electricity
are regarded as overwhelming, ali demon
strated by the experience of the bureau
with the ships it had already fitted up with
electrical plants for gun work.
The bureau does not consider the one
FOUNDER gun as of any appreciable value in
the economy of battle ship or large cruis-
er, and Will substitute for them torpedo
boats about to be built the three-pounder
seml-automattc guns. When automatic
guns Work Well they are IDEAL but when
anything goes wrong with them the diff
hculty cannot be quickly remedied as a rule.
The bureau is of the opinion that a uniform
caliber and standard small-aTm cartridge
should be adopted for the army, navy and
marine corps and also the militia
AS one of the lessons of the war, Captain
O'Ne1ll says: while heavy guns in tur-
rets must be regarded as one of the chief
characteristics of modern battle ships the
lessons Of the day indicate that the greatest
execution of the day Except against the
heaviest armor) may be expected from a
number OF quick-firing guns of small cali
Der, mounted separately in armoFed case
mates or in a redoubt." He recites the
weight of big guns, making them slow to
fire and aim, the heat and restricted quar-
tiers in turrets and the lack of ventilators
as arguments in favor of the smaller gun,
withstanding these drawbacks heavy guns
in turrets must be regarded as a necessity,
but the question as to the maximum calber
to be employed is subject for serious con-
SideratiOn and one upon which the bureau
has bestowed much thought"
He says that up to this time the 13-inch
gun such as are mounted the Oregon
class, have been regarded as the best
type for a battle ship, but the developmeng
of the Pinch gun has been so great and its
power so much increased that the bureau
the maximum ca1iber, supplemented by an
auxiliary battery Of six and twelve-pound-
erS. The reduction of weight in the 12-inch
guns, as compared with the 13-inch guns
is not great, being only seven and a half
tons, but the reduction in size and conse-
quently in the weight of the turrets, bar
bettes and ammunition is very great.