The Detroit times., 1910-10-17
Monday. October IL.
1910
THE GOVERNMENT AT WORK
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIM
HE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

with which the American warship r.
equipped. Tht big 12-inch guns are
30 accurately made that the Ameri-
can sailor has been able to dre nve
rounds with the mat q distance OF
ten miles, all ave Of the shots hitting
within field OF 100 yards long. IN
the Santiago battle. Admiral Evans
estimates only per cent Of the ahots
hit. In recent naval practice the Am
erican gunner has hit from 90 70 80
per cent and Admiral Evans thinks
that 40 Der cent Of hits would bo
of the Connecticut shoot ave TINES
at Santiago, and Fighting Bob 0guroe
would hurl $4,000 pounds oe otoel
the Oregon landed only 100 poondA
North Dakota and her sister-shipA.
The newest guns in the navy are,
to use 1%-inch projectiles. weighlngi
1.400 pounds, and their reooil WI b
equivalent to $1,000 foot-tons. The,
guns are made Of nickel steel. and are
rified to make them shoot straight
The rifing consists Of grooves which !
start straight at the breech. but turn
once every twenty-five feet In . II,
inch gun. There IL q copper band
soldered fast to the shell. which ntD
in the riding groove. and a. the shen.
speeds onward It - made to turn
around once for every twenty-five test
1t moves. The ordnance department,
also is engaged In providing Q supply
Of torpedoes for use In the event q
war. The head OF these are prepared
to be filled with gun cotton, the cen
ter contains q chamber for sufncient
compressed air to drive the torpedo
1000 yards. and the rear end has
compressed air engine, two propel
lers. and gyroscope. The compress-
ed air drives the floating thunderbolt
and the gyroscops steers Il horison-
tally. through ruddsrs. by maintain
Ing itself parallel to the intended line
Of flight ct al times. Another iustru-
ment registers the pressure Of the wa-
ter, and 10 connected with other ru6
ders which prevent the torpedo from
going too deep into the water or too
far out Of It.
The bureau Of construction end ~
pair 10 responsible for the structural
strength and stability Of naval vssssla,
and designs and superintends the
building. fitting and repairing Of the
ships Of the navy. The bureau OF
steam engineering supervises all ma
chinery details Of the navy except In
the case Of electrical apparatus The
bureau Of medicine and surgery looks
after the health of the men who con-
stttute the naval service.
The task Of supplying the ratious
OF the navy and all things which do
not strictly pertain to the equipment
OF war vessels comes under the 1uris-
diction of the bureau Of supplies and
accounts. The singe item Of coal costs
100000, and . years supply would
require four hundred 60-car trains to
transport It. each car carrying nifty
tons.
The hydrographic once has charge
of all work Of surveying the harbors
and coasts Of this country, not In
cluded In the continental shore line;
the collection Of foreign Surveys for
the information of American naval
and merchant marine omcials: the
publication and supply of charts, sail
ing directions. and nautical works;
and the dissemination Of nautical and
hydrographic information. Il keeps
track Of all derelicts floating on the
high seas. BY having bottles thrown
overheard containing requests for
their return. Il investigates the cur
rents Of the sea. Il has more than q
million dollars worth Of plates 0pr
printing nautical charts.
The naval observatory looks eetoP
the question Of time on ship board,
furnishing al navigating onlcsrs with
full equipment Of astronomical charts
and other Information 10 enable them
safely to navigate the seas under Ill
sorts and conditions Of weather. All
chfonometers and compasoes are test
ed ct the observatory. The variation
OF q single second In the time Of .
chronometsr would throw the cal
culation of ships position . full mile
out Of kilter, and this might decado
battle or turn the tide af war.
The Navy department 10 the world's
greatest user Of wireless telegraphy,
having q half million dollars invested
In wireless equipment. This amuout
wfll be doubled within . few yeArs-
The instruments are 90 tuned up that
outside instruments cannot gather II
messages unless they come within }
per cent Of having the same numbG
Of vibrations per second. II n the m
tention Of the Department ultimately
to have four big wireless towerA with
q range Of 5000 miles. Ono of theeo
will Be located at Washington, another
at Panama. another ct Honolulu, aod
the fourth on the western coast of The
United States. This would enable NJ
Navy department to keep In t0ach
with it, vessels In all parts q th0
world at an times. II 10 Intended.
furthermore, to equip two or three o.
the large scout cruisers with similar
wireless outfits, 90 that on land ana
sea the United States will have eno
greatest system Of wireless tslsgra0hy
IN the world.
Tomorrow - Department - ~