The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1917-05-31
notes.. Id. w.


American shell fired from the vessel upon
which they were travelling, as Red Cross
nurses, to aid the sick and I'M ured IN France.
According to the official report given out
by the Navy Department, these Shells were
Of an ancient make-they were not the first of
the same out of date shells to cause accident
which is shown by the following report Of
Rear Admiral Earle.
Fearing that drastic Censorship bill may
pass through Congress before this reaches our
readers, we quote Rear Admiral Sarle verba-
tim:
THE first American liner to be armed was the
steamship Manchuria March 10, 1917. The
arming Of other large liners followed Immediately
The guns used were of the best type known at
the present date and were nearly all absolutely
new having fired but the rounds necessary to
test them for strength before permitting them to
be used with service charges.
Tests Were All Right.
THE ammunition for these guns was assembled
according to standard methods, in December
1916. The usual thorough tests of all this ammu-
milton were made at the navy proving ground,
and all tests resulted in perfect performances.
THE armed liner st. Louis her first trip
to Liverpool where she arrived about March 26,
1917, fired forty-fve service shells at an iceberg
for target. This firing held in accordance
with the instructions Of the bureau in order to
test the mounts, guns, ammunition and to train
the gun crews. Several shells burst prematurely,
some inside the bore Of the guns, others before
striking the target. The damage to the bore Of
the guns caused thereby was sufficient to necess-
tate their being refined.
Upon her return to New York the suns and
shells Immediately removed and new guns,
with supply of shells issued to the ship.
Later one other shell exploded prematurely, as
well one Of the same calibre on both the Mag
nolia and the st. Paul. IN none of these cases
the gun damaged beyond remedy by rclin-
ing which refining has been done
Tried Them on Proving Grounds
"Eighty-nine rounds of this ammunition
fired at the proving ground Immediately follow
ing the premature bursts in effort to develop
a for such incidents. These rounds were
fred nearly all, at higher chamber pressures than
were the service rounds fired on board these
sells. In eighty-seven rounds both the she'll and
the fuses functioned perfectly. One shell broke
up Investigation showing that it had been made
prior to 800, but had been accepted a suitable
6-inch shell and the second one was shell that
had been examined prior to firing and found to
have been a little thinner walled than the latest
design in use.
"The conclusion reached is that all 6-inch shells
and fuses manufactured since the year 1900 are
satisfactory and that the premature bursts, so
unfortunately occurring on our armed liners, may
be attributed to shells made prior to 1900 and
made possibly with slightly thinner walls than
the latest type of shells.
"On the return Of the St. Louis from her first
trip about April 8, 1917, all such shells were
removed and no such shells afoat now on
armed liners. This procedure was also adopted
at once in the case of all 6-inch ammunition for
vessels of the navy.
Prior to this happening the Bureau of Ord
nance had every reason to expect that every shell
in it's magazines of 6-inch calibre a salts
factory she'll"
This report, virtually admitting gross negli-
gence on the part of our Navy officials brought
forth caustc comment from the American
newspapers, who wanted their readers to
know the truth regardless of who it hit, and
by editorial comment on report that the
Navy Department itself had made public, the
Washington Herald came near being run
IN, -