Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-01
FIGHTING BoB's WARNING.

Under the title of, rs the United
States Prepared for War;" in tn,
November Munsey, Rear Admira
Evans produces an array of figures
which cannot but be taken to NEAR
that emphatically we are not.
Fighting Bob's' statements mus.
Inevitably cause a sensation in con.
greas, for If 1t Is true that a branch
Of the service costing 1898, 600, 900 q
year is hopelessly inadequate to cope
with a real fighting force. 1t is only
TO be supposed that the matter VIII
be made q question of congressional
inquiry.
Fighting Bob" says in part.
"The people OF the United States
are justly proud Of their navy, and
Of what It has done, but ii they are
under the impression hat we have a
sufficient force to play peacemaker
for the world. or to have any weight
IN such a role, without the assistance
Of some first class naval power, they
are sadly mistaken.
NO matter how many or how
good ships may be, and no mat
ter how many guns of the best quail
ity they may carry, our fleet win be
useless for war purposes, or as
peacemaker, unless Il has n bountiful
supply OF powder of the most reliable
kind. Have we this absolutely nee
essary supply2 A little figuring VIII,
| think, surprise the average reader,
ana give a rude shock to our dream
OF security.
The Atlantic fleet, in an engage
ment lasting one hour, and without
using my except its heaviest guns,
might use $500, 600 pounds OF pow
der. This Is the expenditure for six
teen hdttlcships only; no accoun is
taken OF the other battleships that
would be in commission In time Of
threatened trouble, or OF the nan
cruisers and torpedo boats. 1t to this
amount we add the powder that will
be burned by the siX-inch, five-inch
and three-inch guns, we find hat the
fleet. as nc present constituted, would
fire IA one hour 6,243,0O0 pounds of
powder.
we must certainly have enough
powder on hand TO allow the fleet to
fight for three hours, aud this would
amount TO lS.129,000 pounds, II we
allow an equal amount for the fleet
In reserve, ana for all other purposes,
we find that We should require for
use in "a sudden emergency 37,45S,-
GOO pounds of smokelcss powder.
TO further Illustrate this import
ant subject. let as assume that the
active fleet viii be composed of six
teen battleships-one division of O
Drvadnoughts, each carrying twelve
twclVo-inch guns, one division Of four
ships. carrying ten twelve-lnch
guns. and two divisions of four ships
each of the present Atlantic fleet.
The fleet thus constituted would fire
In one hour 7.03S. coo pounds of BOW
der. and iu three hours, 2i,tl6,SO0
pounds. II We allow the same amount
Of powder for the reserve fleet, and
for an other PURPOSES, We find h a
tho government should have ready
use in "a sudden emergency AZ
23t.600 Mounds of the best grade Of
smokelcss powder.
How Ions would 1t take all the
powder factories in the country TO
supply his demand. even If they
worked day and night9
How much We actually have on
hand. and how long IL would take to
secure the amount necessary To make
up tho deficiency, if there is one. are
questions which for obvious reasons
cannot answer. II Is safe. however,
TO say that the answer would startle
the people of the United states.