The evening times., 1899-03-13
DEWEY NOT SHORT oF SHOT.
Efd Net Stop the Manila Rcy Fight
for Lack of, Ammunition.

for Lack of AmmunitiOn.
Statements attributing lack Of ammuni-
ton in the magazines of the Olympia and
other vessels OF Admiral Dewey's squadron
at the battle of Manila Bay as the reason
for drawing Off for breakfast after the
fight had been waged for two hours are
emphatically denied by officers of the Ma
val Ordnance Bureau. A table has been
prepared under the direction of Captain
O'Neill. showing that not cnly had the
Olympia and every other vessel an ample
ammunition supply when the Spanish adj
miral surrendered, but there was sufh-
cient shot and shell left to have fought
three more battles of equal length.
The Navy Department table shows that
of the 3iS S-inch shells on the Olympia,
only 36 were expended in battle: of the
$50 5-inch only Isl. or less than one half;
of the 1889 6-pounder shells but LOCO were
used, and of the 1890 1-pounders only
361. The little Petrol fired 116 of her 800
6-inch shells; 313 of her LOSS 3-pounders,
and expended none of her 1-pounders. the
Raleigh, which was in the fight from start
to finish. used % of her 139 6-inch shells.
341 Of 800 5-inch, 137 of 1000 6-pounders
and only 100 of her 1-pounder supply OF
1857.
The Boston's firing record shows that
4S S-inch prOjectiles were used and 13S
were left after the battle. This vessel also
fired i62 6-inCh shells and had 24S left
| when the smoke cleared away. OF 116S
6-pounders only 220 were used, and of the
S-pounders only 256 out OF 2,3S7. OF her
| 1-pounders 400 were thrown at the enemy
] leaving LIP in her shot lockers when th 2
| fight was over.
| Next TO the Olympia more shells were
| thrown by the Baltimore than any other
| ship in the squadron. During the fight she
! expended 73 S-inch projectiles and had 211
| remaining. OF 6-inch projectiles she fired
! l22 and had 454 remaining, and of the g.
| Founders she used SAT and had on hand
| 1919 at the end of the battle. Not one OF
her 3-pounders was used during the entire
| engagement, and but 692 1-pounders OF the
| APO on board.
The Concord's percentage of ammuni-
tion expended was less than that of sons
OF the other ships. Her largest guns were
6inch and during the whole period they
were being operated but 49, Of these
! projectiles were loaded. leaving in hel
ammunition magazines 255. Her 6-pound
ers were kept going at more lively rate
and 220 shots were fired from the 80;
| rounds on board and 120 of the 934 g.
Founders. The total number Of rounds Of
| ammunition On the squadron was 80. S04 OF
which scarcely one-fourth of any class was
| used in the battle
In the entire fire il is shown in Captain
O'Neill's table that but 15T 8-inch projec-
tiles were used out of the SIS carried by
| the squadron. OF the 1.952 6-iGch projec-
tiles en- the six ships, there were fired only
$50. while of the ,495 5-inch. but go Were
Used. The number of G-pOunder pTojectile.
fred is considered to be large. but this
"as due, il IS said, 10 the fact that toward
the close OF the fight the American ships
/ closed in SO near the enemy that the
smaller guns could be worked 10 great
value. With a large number Of these
guns working on each snip, there were ex-
pended 2,124 6-pounder prOjeCtiIes. ont o.
the l4,s6i on al the ships The 3-pound-
eTs were used in about the same ratio 10
the number Gn hand. 6S9 being expended
out Of 537a.
When the ships went into action 10 77-
1-pounders were in the magazines and
when the fight was over IA 139 remained
Just $500 projectiles Of all classes were
used during the entire fight. or less than
I 10 per cent of the total supply.
4 little more than year ago there were
/ few rapiditre 6-inch guns on shipboaId
/ compared to the number afloat Since
! then rapid strides have been made in con-
verting these pieces from slow-fire 10 rap
/ idtire weapons. until now every battles IL
! has been equipped and number OF the
! cruisers il commission. Nearly all ships
| on the North Atlantic squadron roy
mount rapidfre guns, and those that dc
not will be supplied on their return home
Many vessels with Admiral Dzwey's fee
are also well fitted with the new mechan-
, ism that almost doubles the rapidly OF
FIRE. and ali ships that have recently de-
parted from San Francisco for Mani a and
| Guam are also fitted with them. One ex-
ception, however, is the PHILADELPHIA. ha--
ship OF Admiral KaUtZ, which is now Cu
her way to Samoa. Every one of her guns
| is of the sloWf fire patterns.
| Mr.. Roosevelt when Assistant Seer targ
of the Navy was first TO direct att5n ioa
TO the advisability of fitting all batteries
of 6-inch guns viii the new rapid-fir
| equipment. He pointed out that ar the
time the Philadelphia was at Homo u-u q
Japanese warship was also there. whose
| battery was infinitely superior ewing ia
| its quick-tire equipment At that me
! there was some possibility OF japan inter-
| fering in Hawaiian affairs on account OF
| alleged discrimination against its sub
| jects. Since then the gun facto in Wash
| iGgtOn has been busiiy engaged in con-
yerting all 6-inch guns of the old pattern
into quickfre pieces and rendering tn IN
as effective as any rifles Of their ca ib-e
| in use.