Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-03-21

cavalry.
Everything else being "qnaI, The army
with four guns pc" thousand is bound
10 triumph. III England the rcsula-
tions call for approximately! sis guns
per thousand in Germany 40, IN
France 4.2u, and in the United States
3.i". Not only do our regulations call
for fewer guns than any Of these other
nations, hut we nave actually failed to
SIMPLY our forces. now organized &C
cccd;ny to our regulations, by "a
p+t >ent.
Ihe war strength Of our regular in
1sI!ly and cavalry combined is G5, 10,
AID that Of our organized militia for
tile same branches 227, 900. Total war
strength Ut infantry and cavalry of
both regular army and militia is 293, 1l5
men. Accordingly, to protect and sup.
port this army will! the necessary field
artillery we must supply them 1T the
rate Of 3.16 guns per thousand men, and
| we must also provide extra guns TO the
number OF 81 to be included in the field
ammunition trains. These extra guns
are to be used in replacing those put
out OF action. We need 800 guns for the
existing regular and militia mobile
army at war strength. The number OF
guns of approved types now on hand is
$50, or about 66 per cent. Of the guam
tity actually needed ut ace
The above figures are startling
enough, but when we take Tito consid-
Grafton that in the event Of actual
hostilities with a tirst.c!ass power it
would be absolutely necessary to rush
into the field a large force, and at the
some time call for from 100000 to 200,-
600 volunteers, our position as regards
artillery is clearly shown. Field guns,
carriages, caissons, "ad limbers cannot
be thrown together oTcr night. 1t is.
cSllAiilSu Luitl InS "UlctNAiCl hAoe1AoA
ut Watervliet, \. T., can turn out $50
guns in Il year, running twenty-four
hours a day. 1t is also estimated that
the Rock Island Arjehal at Rock Isl
and, ILL.,, can turn out carriages, Gals.
sons, and limbers at. the rate Of nine
teen batteries Il year. running twenty
four hours Il day. This would provide
enough carriages, NC, for ~seyenty-six
guns, there being four guns to a bat
terry. Inasmuch IS field guns are
worthless without .un2ing gear, am
mNnition chests, and tue various other
accessories supplied by the Rock Island
Arsenal, we find that our tctal yearly
product Of complete guns, carriages,
limhcrs, and c~aissons would be seventy
six. Outside of the &rsenals there are
two or three private manufacturers
Qualiied to produce gun carriages,
caissons, and limbefs; but it is prob
able ,hat some months would elapse
before they, c".lll get together the nee.
es.,fy materials with which to ever
start work.
In the event Of srI!. trouble as would
require an army OF ~. 900, plus volun.
tecrs to the extent Of 100000 or 100000,
I've field guns needed 10 proDer'!Jy pro.
tect and support this force, with a.
small percentage II, reserve, would be
! ,29:3. OF this nybll err we still have
but 63322, and at the rate these can be
manufactured with our preser.., facili.
ties it will be easily seen that a mum,
be- Of years would he consumed to ac.
Quiring q proper supply.
Il. compiling these data, reference to
models other than the latest approved
S-inch field gun has purposely been
omitted. Among the omitted types are
the 3-inch mountain howitzer, 3.S-inch
field howitzer, .4.7-inch field howitzer.
4.7-inch field gun, and the G-inch field
howitzer. If we wee to attempt to
bring our artillery up to the 1,oo92-gun
mark, each of thes types would be in.
cluded in proportion, and the rapidly
Of manufacture would be lessened ma
terially.