Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-12-20
ARTILLERYISWEIAKI|I
Gen. Murry, Chief Of That Branch
Of the Service, Makes a
Gloomy Report.
BOTH THEC0lsT AND FIELD
vOt Even in Condition for Proper
Instruction in Time Of Peace
I Betterment a Work Of Years
and Many Dollars.

/
| Washington. Dec. 17-"Both the
coast and the field artillery are badly
deficient in both personnel and ma
terial; neither Is in even approx
mately proper condition for instruc-
ton in time Of peace much less in
condition for reasonably efficient SER
vice In war, and the time necessary
to put either in the latter condition
is not matter Of days or weeks, but
Of years.
Brig. Gen. Arthur Murray, chief OF
artillery, thus summed the condition
Of his arm of the service In his an
nual report made public Sunday and
In which he says 1t cannot be too
strongly urged that appropriate legis'
lation be obtained to make good the
deficiencies to correct the defects re-
ferred to.
The total cost of the present sys-
tenn of coast defense of the United
States to February II last, General
Murray says, was $72,750,S53, and the
estimated cost to complete the de-
Tense Of the United States, including
estimate for ammunition and cost OF
sites, is $5O,s79,SS9. The deduction
is made that considerably more than
half the work of coast defense has
been completed. The three elements
of defense most needed and which
will secure the greatest measure OF
public safety at the least cost gen.
eral Murray says, are the completion
of the installation Of the approved
system of range and position finding
for all guns and mortars mounted.
The providing of necessary search
lights for harbor defense at night and
the completion of the submarine mines
equipment of all fortified harbors.
The proper defense Of insular ports
and the entrances to the Panama
canal 1t is estimated will cost $19,-
S73,895 in the case of the former and
| 81 1927 ,6S2 for the latter.
The value of submarine mines as
an element of harbor defense, Gen.
eral Murray says, has been demon
strated and he maintains the view
that the system adopted by the Unit
ed States army is practically perfect
as war weapon. Being under COM
plete electrical control from the shore,
he says, line of mines may be rem
| dered instantly destructive to an,
enemy or harmless to passing friend
" vessels. Therefore he adds, hav-
ing so many guns and mortars al
ready mounted in the United States,
1t is believed that the greatest amount
of harbor defense at the least cost
can be procured by the completion OF
the mine defense Of all fortified har-
bors of the United States. I'VE can
not afford however," General Murray
further states, ito wait for war be-
fore completing our mine defense,
but must be prepared before hand"
But even then, he says, complete
equipment would be of no use unless
there were trained personnel to
plant the mines, maintain them IN
tact and explode them at the proper
instant in action.
The desirability Of separation Of
coast and field artillery, General Muir
ray says. is apparent On this sub
ject he says:
"The combination Of the coast and
field artillery into a corps as is now
done is not only unsound as mill
tary principle, but the frequent inter.
change of officers between these tao
ticaily unrelated arms is considered
to be detrimental to the efficiency OF |
both" II a reasonable standard of
efficiency, he says, is to be maintain
ed by the artillery, 1t will be necess-
airy to provide additional officers and
men for the purpose Of manning the
submarine defense. He contends that
regimental organiEationt should be
provided for the field artillery, and
finally that certain new grades
should be provided with appropriate
pay connected herewith for expert
enlisted men Of coast artillery.
Previous recommendations for
boats for artillery work exclusively /
are renewed.