The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-15
Enemy May She'll Wall Street
While Out Of Range Of Forts
New Super-Dreadnoughts Mounting l5-nch Guns Might De-
sroy New York-Hostle Fleet Could Enter Chesapeake
Bay and Establish Base for Expedtionary Army

Queen Elizabeth type being equipped
| with 15-inch 45-calibre guns
Yes"
And Is it not true that the range ex-
ceeds by over four miles the range of
the best guns mounted in the defense of
the United States proper. either on the
Atlantic or the Pacific Coast. cot includ-
ing the Panama Canal?''
1T is true that the range of these guns
mentioned exceed by over four miles the
range of the guns as mounted in the de-
lenses Of the United States proper. but
1t is not true that the range OF the guns
need remain thus restricted, since by a
slight change in the mounting their
range will be practically equal to that OF
the 15-inch 45-caliber guns referred to. -
Including the necessary Notifications
for Chesapeake Bay. there remains about
~. 900 worth of improvements and in
creases to be made to our coast defenses
In the United States proper. according to
visers have placed before him On the
basas of past appropriations for coast
defenses. it will require eighteen years
to complete this work. The plan for
coast defense appropriations. however.
has been made the part of a general pol
icy which looks to well-rounded mill
tary defense for continental United States
at the end of six years. and the appropri-
atoms for coast defenses will be urged on
this plan
The most pressing needs in the line of
extensions involve the emplacement of
one or more sixteen-inch guns before
New York Harbor and the Chesapeake
Bay Notifications. which it is PLANNED
to complete in three years at an expen
diture of approximately 100000. Both
of these projects are declared to be of
paramount Importance In a repo1 which
a special board composed of the chief Of
staff. the assistant chief of staff. and the
chiefs of ordnance and coast artillery,
have laid before the secretary. The view
as to the necessity for the immediate
fertilization of Chesapeake Bay follows:
Commercially and strategically. Ches-
apeake Bay is today as 1t always has
been, of the very first importance. With
the entrance, as 1t is now, unfortified. a
hostile feet. should it gain control OF
the sea- can establish. without coming
under the fire of single gun. base on
its shores, pass in and out at pleasure.
have access to large quantities of valu-
able supplies of all kinds, and paralyze
the great trunk railway lines crossing
the head of the. bay
Would Attack Only One Coast.
Al the present rate OF appropriations
for coast defense ammunition, it would
REQUIRE six years to bring our supply to
100 per cent on the basis of ammunition
for one hour of action for each gun now
The ope-hour basis is promised on the
theory that only one coast would be I'M
der attack at a time and II would DO
possible to draw upon reserves on the
opposite coast for sufficient ammunition
to increase the reserve to two-hour
supply for each gun in action.
There is conflict of opinion in the gen.
eral staff over the amount of reserve am
munition necessary |
Gen. Weaver. former chief of coast
artillery. has commended that II would be |
the part OF wisdom based on past eX-
perience, to have each coast supplied |
with enough ammunition for two hours |
Of action.
He points out that in time of war. a
by few cruisers on the |
coast not subjected to the principal at
tack would be sufficient to prevent any
of the reserve supply for that !.
coast, in view of the pronounced infiu-
ence under our system which local opin- |
ion and political influence would have In |
such a contingency.
Should Gen. Viewers views be adopt |
ed as to the necessity for additional am
reserve, an increase of 100 per
cent would be required for six years to
bring the supply up to par.