The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-23
UNCLE SANS NAVY
OF THE BUREAU OF
ORDNANCE
LIMIT OF SIZE IN CANNON
Guns Are as Large Now as Practical
ble-Use of Torpedoes on
Large Vessels Is
Abandoned.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22-Increased eff
flclency in our big naval guns must be
looked for from the use of heavier
projectiles and the production of powder
possessing high ballistic qualities rather
than from an increase in the weight and
dimensions of the guns themselves, says
Rear Admiral Charles O'Neil, chief Of
the naval bureau of ordnance, in his an
NAL report. The latest types of guns are
Sc heavy, he says, that it is inadvisable
to make an increase in either respect,
and the bureau now will cOnfine itself
to developing weightier projectiles and
powder of greater energy. The only ma
terial change in the system of gun con-
struction last year was provision that
guns of and above six inches in caliber,
for greater safety, shall have an inner
and outer tube, instead of solid forging,
as heretofore. Admiral O'NeiI believes
that the ordnance equipment of United
States naval vessels is fully up to the
highest standard maintained abroad for
vessels of corresponding age and class,
and says he knows of no guns af1oat or
soon to be put afloat, equal in energy to
those manufacturing for the United
States navy. The manufacture of gun
mounts and other fittings for the vessels
OF the navy, he says, is well in hand, and
he has every reason to believe that the
ready to receive them. During the past
fiscal year 14S guns for the navy were
completed and 256 are now partially fin
ished.
In regard to smokeless powder Admit
raj O'Neil says there is no doubt that the
grade of this powder made today is con-
erably superior to that of year ago,
due to a natural process of development,
not to the inferiority in the powder for
merly manufactured. The ordnance bu-
reau considers the powder question in a
very satisfactory state at the present
time
The admiral believes. that the subject
of submarine boats is being given undue
prominence. If these boats are shown
to have any value, he says, it will be as
an adjunct to the system of coast de-
Tense. They cannot and will not, he
continues take the place of naval vessels
of regular type, or render a less num-
Der necessary. Submarine boats, says
the admiral, have not yet emerged from
the experimental stage.
The use of torpedoes on large vessels
has been practically discontinued, no
provision having been made for them in
the latest battleships and cruisers. Like
the other bureaus of the navy depart
ment, the ordnance bureau also has suf-
fered much delay in getting steel castings
for gun carriages. New carriages for her
ffve-inch guns were supplied the Brook
Ign, as a number of these mounts were
considerably injured at the battle of San
tiago. Experiments at Indian Head with
a three-inch gun have shown that firing
at the rate of IL shots per minute, such
guns are rapidly loaded, though this rate
is below that required in battle. Admi-
raj O,Neil says that the latest armor
contracts are extremely advantageous to
the government; the price being lower
than that paid abroad and the armor be-
ing the best that can be produced. AS
president Of the board on construction,
he gives out at length the details of the
plans for the new battleships and cruisers
called for by congress and heretofore
made public. Incidentally, Admiral O'Neil
says the real issue in the board was not
double VS.. single turrets, but seven-inch
VS.. eight and six-inch guns, and he ar
CUES strongly in favor of the seven-ineh
weapon.
The estimates accompanying the report
aggregate $10,902, 900, the largest items be-
ing for armor and armament, sc, 0OO, O0O
and navy yard plants and ammunition,
$2,42 900. There also are items for re-
placing the present foreign-made guns
on the New Orleans and Albany and for
a new battery for the Newark