Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-02-04
.EOSCARCITY OF POWDER.
Secretary Long Correcta a State
ment Of Ex- Minister Woodford.
WERE READY FOR SPANISH WAR.

1t No Time w ere the Vessels of Our
| Navy Short OF Ammunition, and the
Government had Liberal Supply
in Reserve.
| Washington, Jan. 31.-Seeretary Long
has addressed a letter to General Stew
art L. Woodford in which he says: L
find the papers attribute to You GER
| tain statements with regard to the
supply of ammunition In the navy dur
| ing the war which are so erroneous
/! that I cannot believe you have been
| correctly quoted. I have asked the
bureau of ordnance to give me the ex-
act facts and inclose you a copy of the
statement. 1 am sure you will be glad
to read It." Then follows the report
from the ordnance bureau, signed by
| Charles O'-Ieill, chief Of the bureau. 1t
Is as follows:
referring to the reported speech Of
| General Woodford 1T the Army and
Navy club at New York on Saturday
evening last. In which be is quoted as
saying that on Feb. Is. 1898. three
days after the Maine was bic I'D in
| Havana harbor he received ialorrra-
| ton by telegraph that this government
did not possess powder enough to pro-
vide the warships and forts with two
rounds for each gun" so far as relates
to the navy. Is an erre.. as every YES
sci was practically filled up with her
allowance OF ammunition.
1.-The regulations of the department
| prescribe that the reserve ..lnmuni-
ton for guns of the main battery, ex-
cept on monitors and &C defense
vessels, shall not be allowed to fall be-
!, low 40 rounds per gun for six inch
caliber and above, nor below so rounds
| per gun for the rapid fire guns. and no
vessel Of the navy was reduced so low
as this.
I'm addition to the supply of am
| munltlon afloat the navy had a fair
amount in reserve. especially of pro-
1ectiles. There were less rounds OF
powder per gun than Of shell. aid for
| this reason, by direction Of the secre-
tary, an emergency order vas placed
| for powder on Jan. IT,, 1895, just one
| month before the destruction Of the
Maine, and by the 18th of February.
| the date of that catastrophe. the navy
department had about 100000 pounds
| of powder in reserve, and it was being
| turned out In large quantities daily.
| $50 far as relates to he supply OF
ammunition on Deweys ship the fact
Is they never were reduced below the
limit prescribed by the department. and
they could have safely gone into &C
ton without receiving further supply.
| The vessels engaged expended only
about ore-thlrd of their allowance.
"As further showing the state OF the
ammunition supply OF this feet. 1t Is
| remarked that on Nov. 2, 1897, orders
were. Issued by the-bureau Of ordnance
to the Mare Island navy yard to pre-
| pare for the Olympia, Boston and
Petrol q quantity of ammunition which
: would completely I'LL their allowance
and. give them one-quarter target prac-
| tice in addition. This ammunition was
| forwarded as rapidly as possible, thus
| filling up all the vessels Of the Asiatic
fact, but without this they were In
| condition to go into battle.
"As soon as the department learned
| that battle had been fought steps
| were taken TO make further shipments
to the East Indies. These shipments
were made in anticipation of possible
further need of the squadron, and were
sent after the battle Of Manila bay"
cCNATAD4 rADTER'S TGDEAT