The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-08
THE GUNS OF TIE NAVY
REAR ADMIRAL MASON MAKES AN.
 NUAL REPORT.
For First Time Americas Naval 0rs. nance Is on Equality With That of Other Nayies of the
 World.

|
 | Washington, Dec.a7.-Portions of the
 annual report of Rear Admiral Mason
 Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. were made public at the Navy Departmen,
 today. The report. which points ou, that American naval ordnance is or ] equality with foreign ordnance for tn, | first time in years, loses some value from the fact that 1t mas been deemed
 best to suppress much of 1t that treat. of confidential subjects.
 The manufacture of guns, the Ad mfral says, for the new ships of tho navy. has progressed rapidly during tn, year, both at the naval gun factory
 and at the private manufacturing es-
 tablisnments where such work has
 peen undertaken. -ft
 The trouble caused by tho rapid wear
 or erosion of the bores of tho. high-
 powered, large calibre guns has been
 partially remedied by changes in the
 projectile bands, but the Admiral de- clares that 1t will soon be necessary temporarily to withdraw these guns from the service to refine and in order to keep vessels in commission a reserve supply of guns of the larger calibre becomes absolutely necessary. The TO- port records steady progress in the de- sign Of tho new gun mouats embracing Improvements which experience has shown would increase their efficiency.
 For the equipment of the whole naval service with rifles, machine guns and ammunition of the latest type, Admiral Mason urges an appropriation of $1,- IUU.u00. lie says:
 Tt is manifestly dangerous to con tinue the purchasing of two types of rifles and two calibres of machine guns requiring different kinds of ammuni- ton and it will be much more so when the army gun model 1903 is finally adopted. In case of landing force composed of detachments of the army, navy and marine. corps 1t would be possible to find three different types of rifles and machine guns requiring three different kinds of ammunition.
 Regarding armor. the report says the monthly rate of delivery snows a mark ed increase over any previous year; that tho present output has about reached the maximum possible with the exist ing armor making facilities of the country and it's material increase Is not to be looked for, but the Bureau hopes that tho progress of manufacture will be now such that the end of tho call cndar year will find all armor being de- livered as rapidly as contractors de- mands may require.
 Regarding the naval station at Key West the report states: The strategic importance of Key West. in this bu- roau's opinion, renders the considera- tion of the establishment of a torpedo depot at the station very urgent. Elem ing Key belongs to the Navy Depart ment and no use has been made of 1t hitherto. It would form an admirable site for torpedo depot. The two-foot contour line of the key should have q " all which would inclose an area even larger than the naval station at Key West. Dredges could easily and read | fly pump out the deposits to form a | basin to fill 1t. the basin making an | admirable torpedo harbor. The Flor | Ida East Coast Railroad is now being | extended from Miami to Key West and l its terminal will be quite close to | Fleming Key. giving transportation fa- | cilities that will be most valuable.
 Tn case of war command of the sea | for the protection of the Isthmian Ca nal would render the Straits of Florida | and the Yucatan Channel important ] passages to protect and Key West would | be the natural base of operations for torpedo boats Tn those waters"