Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-10-30
NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
The Annual Report of the Chief of the
Ordnance Bureau.


Washington, Oct. .s27. - Admiral
Ordnance, in his annual report, made
public today, says that the Ordnance
Bureau wants Sl3. l82, S06 next year. of
which the sum of $40, 600, 600 is to be
devoted to arms and arma It for new
ships. The gun shop at Washing
ton Navy Yard during tho past year
turned out 234 news guns and prepared
sets of forgings for 14G more, and has
Go in course of manufacture. The
bureau is preparing new type OF
three inch gun, 80 calibres in length, OF
a semi mi-automaJic character, to replace
all guns of this size now in use in the
navy.
Admiral O'Neil says that for the first
time in years the ;panuiaoture of arnor
has progressed ia satisfactory manner.
1872 tons having been delivered at the
various shipyards during the year, with
prospect of largely increasing the de-
liveries. No i'm provement worth speak
ing Of seems to have been made in the
quality of armor plate. Guns, powder
and proiectiles have each made de-
cided advance, rendering it all the
more necessary that there should be an
improvement in the quality of armor,
but none seems to be in sight at
present. Recently the armor manu-
facturers voluntarily made q reduction
of 10 shillings per ton on the royalty
for the krupp process.
With the s1ception Of ignition and
! shell powder, no black or other than
| smokeless poTder has been purchased
or manufactured for the navy since the
| Spanish 4 merican War. All new ships,
l l.oa. > md ON
| tucky, hagc 5sen supplied with outfits
of smoseiess powder, and in addition
80 older yesseis have been thus sup
! piled. The manufacture of smokeless
! powder during tie past year has pro-
/ gressed in satisfactory manner SO far
as quality Is concerned, but not so
much US 10 the amount delivered. a
novel experiment is now under way,
with the purpose of indicating any in
furious change that may take place in
smokeles5 powder by incorporating in
1t fugitive coloring matter, such as
rosaniline.
The most interesting event during
the year in connection with projectiles
is the development of q new type Of
shell, combining tue advantages OF
armor piercing with the common she'll /;
that is, having the psrforating power
of the regular armor piercing projectile
with the capacity for large bursting
charge The requirements for these
shells on test are that ct a prescribed
velocity they shall, nIbroken, com
pletely perforate plate bf hard faced
armor calibre in thickness, and then
bs in condition for effective bursting.
A number of shells of this description
have been ordered, and the first three
lots have successfully met the require
msnts. These shells are fitted with
soft caps.
The use of electric power for handling
guns and turrets is unqualifiedly en-
dorsed as better tan any other system.
There is to be general renovation o.
the batteries of the older ships, and il
is said that new batteries will b,
placed on the Baltimore, New York,
Newark and Albany. 1t is recon
mended that the Philadelphia hs giger
new battery of pinch guns, which
would make her fit for many years NOR,
of service. The bureau is considering
the feasibility of replacing the presen
turrets of the Oregon.