Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-19
LARGER GUNS NEEDED
FOR COAST DEFENsES
Is Not Equal to Major Cali
bre Weapons Ahoat.
GARRISON SUBMITS HIS REPORT
Program for Construction, as Out
lined, Would Require Sum Of $40
O0O, O,OOO-Aeroplanes Regarded as
Absolutely Essential for Scouting.

Absolutely Essential for Scouting.
WASHINGTON. February lS.-Guns
OF greater range and power than any
that could be arrayed against them
in an army board report submitted by
Secretary Garrison and made public
to-day by the House Appropriations
Committee. The board advised that the
ARE not equal in range and power to
major cal!bre guns anoat."
Mr.. Garrison recommended the i'm
mediate Improvement OF some OF the
coast dcfenses, so that the range Of
the old twelve inch guns could be In
creased TO 10000 yar.;s. and the board
suggested that wherever II was neces-
sary 10 construct new works the larger
guns should be sixtecn-inch weapons.
CHANGES WILL MAKE
RANGE EFFECTIVE
The boards report said. in part:
After full consideration Of the qucs-
ton presented by the Secretary OF War.
The board finds:
That the old type tweive-inch guns
and mortars are not equal in range and
power 10 major calibre guns afoat.
That h. minor changes in the car
riage OF tho old type twnlvc-inch gun
and by the provision OF certain pro-
portion OF lighter projectilcs. an effcc-
tive range OF about 2o.o0c yards can
be given these guns. and that these
changes should he made.
That the great majority Of our
/ fourtecn-inch guns. with certain slight
changes which have already been or
| dered, and by the supply OF portion
( OF the projectilcs of lighter weight. arc
suitable In power and range TO meet
: any that may nov be brought against
/ them.
That a policy should he adopted o:
providing through annual appropria-
;ions for such modcrnizIng OF fortinca-
tions as will rcsul, in keeping pace
anoat.
where modernizinG involves very ex-
tcnsive changes in impiacemcn,s. gun
carriages. etc. ii Will he the policy 10
construct new works and provide new
armamcnts adequate for the demands
of the. situation.
That tho old works should be held
when practicable and desirable. as a
! secondary line OF defense.
That the mortars to be installed in
future should be of not less than
! twelve Inch calibrc. with a range OF
at least 81 900 yards.
| That this weapon should be the
numerically predondenant type in our
coast defenses. 1T must not. however
at any important point be adopted TO
{, the exclusion OF high power direct fire
guns"
CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM
CALLS FOR s4O.OOO. 900
Secretary Garrison's statement to the
committee reviewed the program for
construction OF coast defenses which.
he said. would require s40,oO0,Ooo.
| THE project, as revised to date" he
said. calls for 1901 guns and mortars
OF calibres from three inch to siXteen-
! inch, inclusive. OF this number, 1.1S4,
/ or 81 per cent. have been provided for,
all of which, except sixteen. are now
mounted in fortifcations. There re-
mains to he appropriated for III guns
and mortars
! For the coast guns. the secretary
! said the allowance OF ammunition was
/ two-hour engagement for half the total
/ number of weapons mounted, and that
! there was OH hand and under manu-
facture probably 73 per cent OF this
allowance. The prescribed allowance
| of ammunition for fortiications of the
| insular possessions and the Panama
Canal he said. was enough ito carry
| the guns through two-hour engage
ment. together with special provision
! In some batteries for land defense
needs"
Approximately II per cent OF the al
lowance has been supplied for the
Hawaiian and Philippine armaments
and IS per cent for Panama.
| OF the total project for field artil-
lery Mr.. Garrison said, it included
1892 guns and howitzers. of which
funds had been provided for the manu-
facture Of $50. Ammunition on hand
for the artillery was 3S per cent of the
amount required for the guns provided
for. and 81 per cent OF the entire pro-
ject.
AEROPLANES ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL FOR SCOUTING:
| Lessons of the European war, Mr..
Garrison added, had demonstrated that
aeroplanes were absolutely essential
for scouting. and that automobiles were
important in transportation.
/ The fortifcation appropriation bill. as
approved by Secretary Garrison. in
cludes the provision proposed by the
War Department to authorize the
Secretary of War to grant to the Nor
folk Southern Railroad q perpetual
right of way through the lands ac-
quired for fortifications at Cape Henry
In exchange for all the company
lands and rights OF way within those
lands, the railroad to be reimbursed
for Its expense in exchanging the loca-
tion OF Its tracks and stations or other