The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-11
MACHINE GUNS : FOR U. s. 10 BE
 V|CKERS TYPE
Army Board Urges Immed- fate Purchase of 1000
 Rifles.

Washington, Nov. 1.-The Machine Gun Board recently appointed to make a thorough investigation of machine guns recommends the immediate pur- chase Of 4,6Oo Vickers guns of the present approved type.
 The War Department has $10,000,000 for machine gun equipment. These guns cost about $1,000 each without spare parts. On this basis on outlay of $4,600,000 for machine guns, wnn several hundred thousand adSed for parts, is in immediate prospect. In a preliminary report the board |says:
 "The board considers tie supplying, as promptly as practicable, machine rifles of heavy type to each existing
 regiment of the army and National
 Guard (six rifles per regiment), and the number considered necessary by
 recent General Staff studies for im-
 mediate use for seacGest defense and
 miscellaneous purposes, to be of the greatest practicable importance, as it is one of the vital requisites for pre-
 paredness.''
 The board has much to say in SUD- port of both light and heavy machine
 rifles. It's recommendation of Vickers
 guns is on the ground that the army
 must have a certain proportion of
 heavy guns.
 On the merits of the two types of
 machine guns the board reports: There is known to the board at the present time no rifle, other than | that cooled by water, which answers
 the requirements of the heavy type
 The greater weight and strength, and
 the reduction of heat with water, give
 to the heavy type of machine rifles reliability of function and endurance
 which probably cen never be attained by the lighter air-cooled type "On the other hand, the light rifles
 enable us to effect a great economy
 of infantry in the attack. A captured
 position can be quickly consolidated
 and can be held by a comparatively small number of men armed with light machine rifles. After a success full assault the bulk of the infantry
 can be quickly withdrawn to escape
 the destructive effect of the enemy's artillery fire with measured ranges ~'The respective spheres of useful
 ness of the two types thus seem to be clearly defined.
 wv AAASAAo9 cAAsA OuO ACx1Vy 'The board is of the opinion that in the equipment of the troops of the
 mobile army with machine rifles the proportion should be two of the light to one of the heavy type. ''The board finds that the tests heretofore made show that the Vick- CTS machine rifle fulfills to a high de- gree the requirements of the military service for a machine rifle of the heavy type.
 'The board is not able at this time to recommend a machine rifle that will fulfil the requirements of the military service for a machine rifle of the light type, but it expects the tests, hereafter recommended to be conducted by it, will enable such rec
 concentrations to be made.' Regarding the ultimate needs of the
 army authorized by the National De-
 fense Act, the board figures that "a
 total of S,015 heavy type and 9,26s light type machine rifles will be re- quired for the army and National Guard
 It recommends that appropriations to provide the required supply of this type of fighting machine be secured
 from Congress in four years in order that the machine rifles may be avail able for distribution as the yearly in- crements are raised.
 Tn Case of Emergency l The board was instructed to make recommendations for the purchase of | machine guns required for an emergency. Should limited num- i Der be required before the vickers guns can be obtained, the board states that the source of supply in this country can promptly furnish Lewis, Vickers and Colt rifles that do not use 1 United States ca1ibre 80 ammunition Should the coun Try be plunged sud- denly into war, the board recommends purchase of the entire output of the
 manufacturers of the Vickers, Lewis ! and Colt guns. About 4,500 guns
 could be turned out monthly by ex- 1 isting plants.