The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-30
MORE men AND\GUNS.
Gen. Story Says Artillery Arm of
Service Is Sadly Neglected.

| Washington, Nov. 30.-Brigadier
General Story, chief of artillery, U. S.
A, in his annual report to General
Chaffee, the chief of staff, dwells upon
what he regards as the most urgent
demands of the coast defenses. He
says that the best and most economical
use of the entire armament for the
coast requires one complete relief to
man each and every element of de-
Tense and adds:
cit is inconceivable that congress
after appropriating millions for ma
tional defense would be willing if its
attention were drawn to the fact, to
leave this defense ineffective for want
of proper organization to man and
conduct it, He says that if torpedoes
are co-operated with proper armament
as at Port Arthur, and V1adivostok,
it is not probable that any enemy,
however enterprising, would attempt
to force their line defense.
ITO secure at the present time" he
continues, the greatest measure of
national safety at the least cost, the
entire torpedo defense of our harbor
should at once be made complete, -
and he adds:
And it would be criminal neglect
If l did not urge, as earnestly as
can, the immediate completion of the
torpedo defense of all our fortified
ports. Today this defense is lament
ably deficient both in material and
personnel" Continuing, General Story
says:
IF we were suddenly confronted by
war no amount of money could pro-
cure submarine mines in time to be of
service for our harbor defense. The
materials for such defense are made
only to fill orders and their delivery
would occupy many months and only
utilized for an early attack
Inc report further saws that even
with complete material for torpedo de-
fense, 1t is practically valueless without
a trained personnel carefully instructed
now to operate it and that today we are
substantially without such a force On
~ 4o0 men can be assigned, he says,
Tor a service requiring about 5000 It
to attempt to provide a personnel for
the submarine defense from the present
force of coast artillery since there are
today only one-half of the number of
odnoers and men required to man and
serve the armament already provided.
General Story says there has been
developed in our coast artillery a sys-
tenn or fire action which as far as he
can ascertain is not eQualled in the
world, but it's accomplishment, he saws
depends upon a standard equipment
which is not completely installed in any
OF our harbors. He says that they have
to 1mprovise in many harbors means OF
position finding in order to conduct ar
tillery practice.
THE poor showing made by the Rus
sian coast artillery at Port Arthur
against the Japanese fleet has caused
surprise" the report recites, "but the
explanation is that the artillery there
when the ranges are 10000 to $4,000
metres does not shoot at all or shoots
without results
The report adds:
1T would be impossible if we have
our position finding equipment COM
pletely installed for hostile vessels to
remain 10000 or 1900 metres from our
batteries of IL inch guns or mortars for
two or three hours and not be destroy
ed. I regret, however to have to say
that even at this day most of our for
titled harbors are not better supplied
with a position finding equipment than
apparently is Port Arthur. If a war
were to break out we would not have
the trained force required to serve our
guns effectively. However good our guns
are, yet one-half of them would not be
of much more use than so many tons
of inert metal
General Story is of opinion that the
field artillery falls Is batteries short of
the number tactically needed for the
present infantry and cavalry organiza-
tions and in this connection says:
There is no first class power which
has SO systematically neglected its field
artillery as the United States"
In his judgment the experience of the
eign practice of having usually about
the one proposed for our service.