The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-11-15
FIGHTING BOB" STATES
POWDER SUPPLY INADEQUAT

Cnder the title of els the United
States Prepared for Warf' in the
November Munsey, Rear-Admiral
Evans produces an array of figures
which cannot but be taken to mean
that emphatically we are not.
"Fighting Bob's" statements must
inevitably cause a sensation in con-
gress, for if it is true that a branch
of the service costing $13S, 100000 a
year is hopelessly inadequate to cope
with a real fighting force, it is only
to be supposed that the matter will be
made a question of congressional in
quiry.
Fighting Bob says, in part:
"The people of the United States
are justly proud of their navy, and of
what it has done, but If they are un-
der the impression that we have a
sufficient force to play peace-maker for
the world, or to have any weight in
such a role, without the assistance of
some frst-class naval power, they are
sadly mistaken.
"No matter how many or how good
our ships may be, and no matter how
many guns of the best quality they
may carry, our fleet will be useless
for war purposes, or as peace-makers
unless it has a bountiful supply of
powder of the most reliable kind
Have we this absolutely necessary
supplyR A little figuring will, I think
surprise the average reader, and give
a rude shock to our dream of security
.The Atlantic fleet, in an engage
ment lasting Que hour, and without
using any except its heaviest guns
might use 5,360,0 900 pounds of powder
This is the expenditure for sixteer
battleships only; no account is taker
of the other battleships that would BIZ
in commission in time of threatened
trouble, or of the many cruisers and
torpedo boats. If to this amount we ado
the powder that will be burned by the
six-ineh, fve-inch and three-ineh guns
we find that the fleet, as at present
constituted, would fire in Que hour 6,
pa, 900 pounds Of powder.
eve must certainly have enough
powder on hand to allow the fleet t.
fight for three hours, and this would
amount to 1929, 900 pounds. If W,
allow an equal amount for the fleet il
reserve, and for all other purposes, we
HBu tHdt We nHbuAG It1uitc ioI uSt IL
a sudden emergency 3~7,45S,000 pound;
of smokeless powder.
"To further illustrate this import
ant subject, let us assume that the ae
tive fleet win be composed of sixteer
battleships-one division of fom
dreadnauts, each carrying twelve incl
guns; one division of four such ships
carrying ten twelve-inch guns; ani
two divisions of four ships each of the
present Atlantic fleet. The fleet thu
constituted would fire IN one hour 7,
03S, 500 pounds of powder, and in tire,
hours, 21,115,S0o pounds. If we allow
the same amount of powder for tn,
reserve feet. and for all other pur
poses, we lind hat the governme1
should have ready for use in 6 sudden
emergency 1921 800 pounds Of smoke
less powder.
Glow long would it take all tbs
powder factories in the country to sup
ply this demand, wen if they WORKED
day and nights
elbow much we actually have OF
hand, and how long it would take Il
secure the amount necessary to max,
up the deficiency, if there is one, ar,
questions which for obvious reasons
cannot answer. 1t is safe, however, Il
say that the answer would startle tn,
people of the United States.'