The Washington herald., 1915-09-05

OF the Panama Canal. to be equipped
with the larger ordnance will be the de-
lenses proposed for Cape Henry. Va. to
guard the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.
Work of incI easing the limit of eleva1
ton of Installed Finch guns is progress
ing satisfactorily. and when the modifi-
cations are made those guns will be sus-
ceptive of such elevation as will enable
them to be used as howitzers The range
Of the installed 1i-inch guns will be in
creased by modification of the powder
chamber to permit them to take a larger
powder charge. II also is the intention
to install larger howitzers and mortars
in fortifications as the pieces OF those
types in the older fortifications need re-
placement and as new fortifcations are
established. Probably howitzers as large
as l4-inch and mortars as large as.ls-inch
will be adopted.
The American merchant marine has
been building up rapidly since the out
break OF the present war in Europe The
flag of the United States now flies on
more vessels than AT any time since 1853
Edwin +. Sweet. Assistant Secretary of
Commerce. has made public figures for
the fiscal year ended June 81 showing
that on that date there were 27ss ships,
with gross tonnage of 1sI31I5, under
American register in the foreign trade.
This is an increase of 3sS ships. with a
gross tonnage of 137 .s23, for the year. Mr..
Sweet regards the increase as due to the
new American registry law.
The naval surgeons are expressing in
their reports the view that there is a
pronounced deterioration OF a mans
mental and physical powers after Pc
riod of six months in a tropical climate
Officers and men," says one report be
come nervous. irritable. and moody
They lose their snap and vim. The con-
hnement on board ship, the lack OF
amusement on some ships. the deadly,
monotonous grind get on ones nerves
The terrific heat causes sleepless nights
All this and many other trivial things
are factors which influence unfavorably
man on tropical duty and cause him
to age prematureIy and deteriorate men
tally and phySiCdlly.''
This. moreover. is borne out by the
statistics contained in the medical re-
ports from ships in tropical waters. On
one ship during the first quarter the
daily average OF patients was Is. and
the percentage OF sick was IL: during
the second quarter the daily average of
patients was is. and the percentage of
sick was 90: during the third quarter the
daily average OF patients was -. and ,
the percentage Of sick was is, while iu~
the fourth quarter the daily average u
patients was 80. and the percentage of
sick was "a.
When bids are opened by the Navy
Department for the construction of the
submarines authorized al the last session
of Congress. the department will be in
receipt. also. of estimates on this work
from at least three of the navy yards-t
those at Norfolk. Portsmouth and Puget
Sound. Mr.. Daniels adheres to his de-
to have much new con-
carried on at navy yards as
possible. and he is desirous that at least
one. if not more OF the new submarines
shall he built at a government plant
turning the remainder over to the ship I
builders, of whom there will be a larger
representation than usual in the next
for these contracts.