New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-13

ammunition factories, Plus whatever they can pur-
chase in this country, arc rapidly diminishing
their stocks in hand and only replacing small
part of what they eXpend. Nor can their reserve
stocks be very large, owing TO the frequent i'm
rGovemcnts Of firearms and explosives during the
last twenty-five years. nearl every improvement
having involved, "a, matter Of course, the in
validution Of the old ammunition in hand. What
is true Of the allies applies equally TO the German
and Austro hungarian military establishments.
1t may be worth mentioning here that one o.
the main incentives for the taking Of Liege by the
Germans was the existence in that city OF one o.
the largest ammunition factories in Europe WIZ
the Belcians did not destroy it before surrender
ing is a question | cannot solve. But 1t is fact
that this factory is now working day and night
turning out ammunition for the German armies
IT, the field east and west In fact, Germany has
by this oversight Of the Bclgians nearly doubled
Ter productive capacity Of ammunition
How inadequate to the present demand even the
enormous ammunition establishments Of Europe
arc is perhaps best demonstrated by the discov-
cry, less than d year ago, that the great Russian
putiIoF factory was unable 10 keep pace with the
increased demands made upon it by the Russian
authorities, and that It's enlargement was &C.
cjdcd upon This was the occasion when the ne
cotiations for the admittance of German caPltaI
and German manufacturers in the concern gave
rise to lively protest from France, which feared
that its secret processes would thus become enc
property of the Krupps, and through them Of the
German General staff.
MODERN ARNI... AND THEIR ARTILLERY
SUPPORT.
It is certain. then, that the stores of ammuni-
ton Of the different nations at war will be eN-
IL months have claDSeQ, ana
that thereafter il will become question OF caiy
manufacture to supply daily needs-and at rap
idly decreasing ratio
What are the need Of ordnance ammunl-
Il Of these huge armies in the heId! 10 DIP
,wer this question with accuracy would require
knowledge beyond what possess, but ie" -
liable figures may help us IN getting some iu''
OF the magnitude Of the problem and IN reachI"S
the conclusion that the cessation Of the war
through lack Of ammunition is not iantastita'
idea, but we'll within the range OF posSioiiiues
The number placed In The held BY the
warning nations is, at INC lowest estimate 4'oVV
900 men, infantry, cavalry and artillery. we VIII
consider only the ammunition which IS uhder '"'
control of the artillery Small arms ammunition
is beyond computation. Modern military science
has established the principle that for each 'ho"-
sand men in an army there should be three guns
For armies agg-egating 100000 men this would
mean 10000 pieces Of ordnance Of various cali
bres. ranging from 3 20 - inches, from field guns
TO field howitzers, throwing projectles varying
from 10 to 1000 pounds. The smaller caIibre
ordance pieces arc semi-automatic and must
under the manufacturers test fire twenty shots
a minute. The pieces Of larger ordnance fire from
three to ten projectlles n :he same small trac-
,jon Of time The ;hree-in'h field guns always
carry 125 rounds Of ammunition with them 10Y
immediate use This estimate Of three guns &c
zach ! 900 men--l2O TO each army corps-iS me
lowest that can made One Of the nations ~
is war, am informed, has l56 cannon with
each corps.
OF course ;hese 1900 guns. VIII never DC ~
,eton all together. A computation OF their con,
sumption of ammunition IN <ueh hypO'ne''e'i
~