Norwich bulletin., 1915-10-19

manned coast defenses, equipped with the largest and most powerful guns
 yet built and a, vase reserve of held
 guns, machine guns, howitzers and big
 gun ammunition
 In addition, the enormously in- creased capacity of private munition plants would give assurances of ample
 supplies of small arms and field gun
 ammunition.
 A definite step toward enlarging the | navy was taken today, when contracts were awarded for 22 of the fighting gress. They are six big cruiser des- | troyers, 30-knot boats, each to carry i twelve torpedo tubes four 4-inch guns and two 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and sixteen coast defense submarines, each | displaoing more than $50 tons and
 each equipped with a S-inch disap- bearing rife for surface fighting. The | day set new record for the depart
 ment in the number of contracts | awarded
 | Neither war nor navy department estimates for the coming year have
 been made public as yet in detail It was learned today. however that of
 the SIP, ,000,0 900 increase over last years bill to be asked by the war depart ment. S46. 900, 600 would go towerd re- serve material and coast defense
 works. the, remaining S26.000,000 to be used in building up the new armies, regular and continental. Part of this S46 00O, 900 would go into building and arrning the new. forts which will guard the entrance to Chesapeake bay.
 It is proposed to spend more of the
 money in building new forts to guard New York San Francisco and other great harbors from attack. Gigantic 16-inch rifles will be mounted in all
 the defenses of first class where enemy | craft with modern guns would be dan- | from oraat distance
 Another expenditure contemplated is !, for fitting the present IF and 14-incf
 rifles with carriages that. will give them greater range. Much already ha: ; been accomplished in that way and the work will be carried on. No 16' , inch rifles will be installed in place ot
 smaller guns, however, it is said, be cause to make all the changes in mag azines, hoists, machinery, and the like : would be more expensive and less sat isfactory than t0 build new emplace } ments for these huge weapons.
 The navy department his still t, l award contracts for the major portion
 l of the building program authorized b. s the last congress. Contracts will b !. awarded next month for four fleet sub
 marines. bigger. faster and more pow : erful than any submarine craft eve r designed. The Schley, now building
 will displace thousand tons and mak I ! 20 knots on the surface The ney T boats will displace twelve hundre = tons and make 25 knots. Next mont = also contracts will be let for two S2, g GOO ton super ght ships, whic l. will carry round dozen I9-inch rifle . and each of which win have new pro
 tection against submarine attack, tn s nature of which is being closet
 Of the sss. .ooo. 900 increase to b . asked for the neva next year the bull . would go" into four ships. two super . dreadnaughts and two super -battl : cruisers They would be the first C = the sixteen. capital ships to be lai = down within Ave years. under the ad = ministration program, the last C : which would not be in commission un e til 1925.
 s The building of these four ship : would tax the capacity of America h private yards. There are only .fiv e companies now equipped 10 build sue
 Il vessels, fcEr on the Atlantic coast an e one on the Pacific. The governmer if itself has only one yard, the Brooixly y I navy. yard where -battleshins can b Il constructed. though 1t is planned { y equip the Philadelphia yard also an