The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-08
U. 5. NAVY BUILDS UP EFFICIENCY OF
 ITS I4-INCH GUNS
Ordnance Chief Believes They Equal 15-inch Guns of
 Other NaVieS..

navy will catry 14-inch, fifty can- Der, guns which are believed by ord- nance experts to be the equal of the l15 inch weapons in foreign navies although of lighter weight. In his annual report, made public last night. Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, chief of the navy ordnance bureau, says:
 with the object of keeping pace with the increased range of modern naval warfare the bureau has increas- ed the power of the 14-inch guns Tor the California, Mississippi. and Idaho by increasing the length of the gun to 50 <calibers and enlargfng its cham Der capacity. In order that these lat est additions to the, Navy should car rF the highest type of artillery the bureau took the bold step of order ing their guns without manufacturing a trial gun The bureaus confidence in it's design has been fully justified The first gun proved not only gave the designed velocity and pressure exactly but its additional longitudi- nal strength which has been provided for has resulted in-these guns hay- ing less droop than any guns of large caliber heretofore produced. As 1t stands these guns, although of lesser calfber and weight than the inch guns now mounted abroad are cap- able of penetrating the heaviest side armor at oblique impacts and at the greatest effective battle range, and give us the advantage of flatter tra- Jectory, with greater volume of fire due to. the increased number that we are permitted to mount on any ship of equal displs cement.
 Tn August, 1914, type 16-fnch gun of 5 ca1ibres length was tested. This gun fulfilled the highest expectations of it's design, and the bureau believes 1t to be as powerful a gun as is in existence today"
 The report shows that the navy's armament had been kept we'll up to date, older type 5 inch guns having first line; that anti-aircraft rifles of sizes up to finch rifles have been designed, and that mounts for the disappearing guns for submarines have been built< The latter weapons will be given an increased elevation 50 that they may fire at aerop1anes-
 Difficulty has been encountered in placing contracts for a sufficient mum ber of the new armor piercing proJec- tiles for big guns now being used by the navy. The rise in price due to the war is indicated by the fact that projecti1es were purchased in 1913 at $22Oe each while those contracted for in 915 cost $415. Part of the increas- ed cost, however, is due to the new design Satisfactory 8-inch projec- tiles have been produced at the naval gun factory anad larger shells are now being made there.
 As to the value of arnnor piercing shells the report says experiments during the year have strength ened the view that missiles of this type but carrying high explosives in limited quanties, are superior to high ex- plosive shells that depend wholly up- on the force of oItsi dez explosion to accom- p1ish their mission. A French official report is quoted to show that plain shells carrying high explosive In large quantity were Absolutely power1ess'' against armor of any i'm portance.
 turned out 100000 pounds above it's 1914 output last year a result of improved methods, and with in creases authorized by Congress is ex- pected to make 5,00O,0 pounds in 1s16 and 100000 in 1917, the report states. Tn this connection the report adds:
 lowing to the increase in the out put of the Indian Head Powder fac- tory, contracts for private manufac- greatly reduced, and at the present time there is only one contract out standing, amounting to 790,000 pounds, with the Carneys Point plant Of the Du Pont Co. The facilities for the production of smokeless powder and other explosives in the United States have been enormously increas- ed owing to the demands of the bel lfgerents for these materials. It has taken many months of time ana enor- nous expenditures of money to de- velop these facilities, and their con servation for the benefit of the benefit of the United States govern ment in time of war is a problem which will require the most careful consideration of the department when the European war is over and the present demand from abroad has fceased.''
 Great strides in development of the mine planting equipment of the fleet in the last few months are recorded ] in the report. It says:
 s-The Dubuque has been fitted out aS a mine layer and mine instruction | ship. Six old torpedo vessels are be- ing equipped for sweeping. A mining 7 division has been formed in the fleet All capital ships are being provided with sweeping sets. All destroyers are being fitted for sweeping. A mine-sweeping manual has been pre- pared and submitted to the fleet for comment.
 'A list of steam fishing vessels of over 100 tons has been prepared and their owners communicated with, and arrangements have been made for their inspection with a view to their utilization as mine sweepers in time of war. These vessels are now being inspected. recommendations have been made and approved that six gunboats be fitted for mine sweeping. Portable mine laying tracks have been ordered for one division of des- troyers in each of the fleets These tracks are to be carried in the des- troyer tender, to be shifted to the des- ltroyers when necessity arises. Mine laying tracks have been authorized for II vessels of the cruiser class Dur ing the summer extensive exercises have been conducted in mine laying and sweeping in the fleet, and in gen eraI it may be said that the whole subject has been made active and progressfve.''
 Progress has been made during the year toward gathering smaller navy guns at various yards in reserve for use on merchantmen in time of war, and instructions have been issued to