Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-14

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA new pro-
gram for increasing the coast defense
ana the mobile arms or the United states
TO their maximum efficiency, at a cost Of
slO0, coo, has been completed by the
War Department
The plan was developed after a thor.
ough survey OF the present defenses
The program has been laid before the
Appropriation Committee of the House
for use in the preparation OF the fort-
fications appropriation bill
Philadelphia will he guarded by new
fort at Lewes. Del.
II ir proposed to mount in the forts
guarding lrst-class cities li-iucu guns
now held as reserve. such guns will be
placed on the forts In the Delaware River.
The plan calls for as it's chief features:
The exclusive use OF i5-nch guns in all
new coast defenses; development of
semimobile 15-inch howit2er to be trans
ported by railroad or by motor tractors
and to be the greatest arm of modern
times. and the accumulation OF reserve
ammunition that will allow each gun in
the coast defenses as many rounds as
may be fired during the life of the gun.
The immediate mounting OF q 12-inch
guns. now held as a reserve on new
carriages that will give them an in
creased range that will allow them to
stand off any modern battleship, has
been decided upon. These guns are to
be mounted at once to guard drst-class
cities. while the l6-inch guns plan is being
carried out.
PLAN OF EXPENDITURES.
The plan contemplates any expendl-
ture OF more than 100000 over a period
of four or five yeara. or this amount
about Sl,0OO,0O0 would be spent on de-
fenses in the United States proper, Sl1,-
100000 on defenses in the insular pos
sessions, and nearly Sl4,0OO.O0O on defenses
for the Panama Canal. A material fac
tor in the increased money demanded is
the new plan to build up an ammunition
reserve. Heretofore the coast defenses
have been provided with ammunition on
the theoretical basis of two hours con-
tinuous firing, and about Si6,O0O,O00 of the |
total expenditures on the program will !
go TO furnishing the guns all the ammu
milton they can shoot. This increase is !
explained by the increased volume of |
fire at the command Of modern warships. |
'If this plan is carried out reasonably |
and sanely." said Representative Shirley,
chairman of the committee which handles |
the Notifications bill, today the coast |
defenses of the United States will be ade- |
quate to perform the military functions |
for which they Were created. ''
THE ARTILLERY ARMS.
The War Department is at work de-
veloping three new artillery arms which /
are embraced in the new plan. They are /
the semi-mobiie lG-inch howItzers, and |
approximately ll-lnch howtzers for use |
Of the mobile artillery and the anti-air-
craft gun.
The 16-inch howitzers are designed to
be shipped by railroad or by motortruck |
and to be fired from specially built en- ,
placements or from special railroad cars,
Where railroad lines run along the sea- |
coast IL is planned to run from the main |
rack series of curved spurs, from which |
the big guns could fire at any seaward |
angle in line with the tracks. In this !
he tremendous recOlI of the big guns /
could be taken up not only by recoIl /
springs but by allowing the car to roll |
under the force Of the explo-
sion. The War Department is now expert
menting along these lines.
AS an immediate additional protection /
for New York and other large cities in
the present seacoast fortiheations, pend
Ing the building Of l6-inch guns and l6-
Inch mortsrs. 12-inch guns with an ex-
tended angle of elevation and increased |
range will be provided at once. The ex-
Derts believe that these guns, with their /
increased range, will protect our coast 1
iefenses from the most extreme long
-ange battleship fire.
Work will be started at once on the
New York defenses, and the Pinch guns /
will be installed as rapidly as conditions
permit. The complete plans call for new
iefenses at New York mounting 10 l6- |
nch guns, four of the new l2-inch guns /
Ind "A l6-inch mortars. J.
A new fertilization is planned at Cape
Henry 10 guard the entrance TO Chesa-
oeake Bay, and it will be started at once, 1
according to the program. 1t will mount
,our l6-ineh guns and eight 16-lnch NOR
ars.