New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-14
GEN. FLAGLER'S REPORT.
lmEF OF THE oRDNA3 cE BUREAU ON
ARMY EQUIPMENT.
ANS FOR INCREASING COAST DErENcEs-
sMOKELESs POWDER MANUFACTURE

.n-ual report 10 tho SECRETARY Of War 1t shows
there was expended durirE the fiscal year ending
,une So 1896 s7.3iS75. AMI that there stl remains
~ The appropriations made for the Ordnance Blu
,esu ya-.sS $50 This la~fa sum is derived from the
sppropriauons for the fiscal year which were made
.o- war purposes. amounting to s2l.5O45e2
REGARDING the equipment OF volunteers the
General thinks IL would be well to have the
Co-ernmen. equip them instead OF their bringing
their State arms into service saying that It could
he done as quickly. owing TO the condition OF the
arms q State troops. He speaks I'm terms of praise
CT the manner in which work has been performed
~ arsenas and ordnance factories in the rush that
was made IN putting the country on a footing for
war with Spain. As 10 the equipment OF an army
Ne says:
So long the principal dependence in this coun-
try in time OF Nar is large volunteer force newly
.yrp..cs o. cavalry. artillery and horse equipments
Is these in the coarse of few years viii not only
deteriorate IN; Will have to be materially modified
10 keep pace with improvements. The major part
az such material can, by taking advantage o; the
and the numerous private establishments capable
q producing r. he supplied as rapidly as troops can
10 raised mustered INTO the service and prepared
for campaign. There should however. be on hand
e S e scs rcou T o @ asa gS DI
guns and carriages cannot be turned out in large
work ''''''''' '''''
For eqgprng an army with a supply OF small
arms he thinks There should be a supply OF 10000
on hand OF any arm. and the arsenals kept In
condition 10 produce $50 day.
PROVISION FOR COAST DEFENCE.
An interesting part O: the report is that which
greats O; coast defence. The General says:
Attention is especially invited TO The experience
@, re last few months in attempting TO provide
quickly a coast defence, i is believed 70 be i'm.
20 rely b P0k T4 Fair ha o efe honsh not
n the way ~ complaint that this mas been urged
upon Congress each year FOR the last ten years
,5S o Sroyd ny ~ opmpee 6o as h dsncd
with The present facilities OF the Department this
work can Doe carried on economically and in the
mos; efficient manner in such way TO COM
Ie;e the present plan in about seven wears Esti-
q ihe wo5k The facilities FOR ts production will
nue. Of he Wo7k can be- provided for each year
consistently with the resources Of the country but
,9e TsN p GRhe raster 'nan Inc appro
II is probable mat there must be added to plans
and estimates for the coast defence provision
FOR the defence Of added possessions.
SMALL ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
General Facler does not claim for the .45-calibre
Springfield rifle equality with the new .30-calibre
magazine rife OF the Army. but says that II IS
very good arm and possesses many merits. This
feature has heretofore been commented upon in
discussion % small used in the The
machinery for me manufacture % smal-arm am
uunition was none Of the best. Yet the Department;
turned out 9aODtnO0 rounds for the war. For
Years past the report states. appropriations for
equipments OF infantry. cavalry artillery and horse
have been barely sufficient 10 meet the consump
ton 81 the Regular Army. and although there were
buildings there not machinery with which 10
I'll acquisitions for the volunteer troops.
The following statement as TO powders is made:
For several years this Department had been
guns and had completed the determination OF the
specifications and requirements for the smokeless
lars some Of the powder manufacturers that had
mental powders had small plants for their produc-
tion II was impossible however. 10 produce the
powders fast enough meet the emergency. and
in some cases experience IN ll|lr use was ntCeS-
sary for adapting them To all the requirements OF
ready at once to take up the manufacture of the
We're simpler they could expand their plants Tor
this production more rapidly For time THIS De
procuring sufficient supply Of The carbon pow
facture changed 10 smokeless powders
BLACK POWDER IN THE WAR.
It should be stated. however that smokeess
powder only was manufactured for 1eld and siege
artillery TIE that the field and siege artillery
was 20 be employed not determined until about
the time that war declared. and there were no
funds available for procuring ammunition for these
guns bcfors that time The preparation OF smoke
less powder ammunition for the guns commenced
~ once but as batteries that first sent 10 the
rent Were equipped win CHARCOAL powder am ls
Or charcoal powder ammunition was generally used
IN actual service against the enemy.
The furnishing Of siege and field guns and am
fngnition for the war encountered the same diff
culties as IN other ranches Of the ordnance equip
nent vet the Bureau furnished such guns FOR the
Manila and Porto Rican expeditions The artillery
was not used az Santiago TO any extent. OF siege
g-rs twenty-five were taken for seacoast defences
al the beginning of the wa
sANTIAGO's HARBOR BATTERIES.
General Flagler quotes the following from the
port Of Lieutenant Colonel II. D. Borup, chief ord
nance officer AZ Santiago TO the defences OF
Santiago Har0cr.
Before the outbreak q hosulites the port de-
fences of Santiago consisted OF four anuQuaied
forts or batteries ~ which one. s. Catalina was
abandoned. and second Punta Blanca from IT'S
position useless. or the other two Moro
finer one. The armament Of the former consisted
o. frr ancient Iu0r-arS and TWO siege guns. and
the later 90 two obsolete cast iron hOwltzers, all
q ie'ole power
Atter war was declared four batteries ha Silly
Improved all weak. including all forts and bat
ier;'f. tho number % guns may thus be stated.
OBSOLETE
r7-1zs u.-z4.a-i. atirg smooth bore
o.ncn
M,lf1:s.
so-as
M.r1 --oat -g converted rie-s
ON. :se guns.
e,i'.- s' l.aifzars 7
MODERN
68-incn s'ee' t-eAr oa8ing rifles Observation-Disclosures.
t-irr trn1e .flal!ng hoVz@rs
l-'rot cannon
-- i'. 'e r-es..