Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-10
ny Major Leroy Hodges.
Ordinance Department. Virgin


National Guard.
Editors Note: This Is the second
number in the series of articles on
postwar ordinance DEVELOPMENT
written by Major Hodges. and which
are being published by The Times
Dispatch i'm the hope Of arousinr
deeper public interest in tho maintc-
nnncc Of an efficient National Guard
in Virginia.
WhiIr these articles have been
written primarily for the information
ana instruction of the members of
the Virginia National Guard, IL IL
thought that they vii be OF general
interest as showing the Tremendous
strides which are being made by TIE
thitcd states since the Armistic. in
making more deadly the implements
OF war.
Relieving AS do" Major Hodges
Says. I'm Il balanced budget proyid-
ing for adequate national defense.
ana In proper participation by
The United states In world affairs.
l think our people should know just
how well prepared we are TO arm our
soldiers in case 81 need. for the pos
session OF superior arms is one OF
the most fundamental requisites Of
any scheme OF adequate national de-
Tense"
Among the notable postwar
achicv cmcnts or the Ordinance De
pariment Of the United states Army.
none OF them has more fur-reachin,;
possibilities than the perfection of
our new hashlcss smokelcss semi-
noiselcss powder for use in night fir
Ing.
Soldiers who served overseas will
recall the binding blast OF artillery
at night. which not only blinded and
handicapped the men serving the
guns. but. worse st!ll, enabled .thc
enemy easily TO dctcc. the exact
positions Of The guns engaged The
fash from the seventy Nv.-rnm and
!d5-inm guns fired at might with. the
S"rNic" chnrS" Is almost binding and
* so brilliant that IL Is visible for
miles across country as w.I as a
complete Eivc-away to prowiln:
aircraft. American ordinance officers
have successfully overcome this hy
III" production Of a nashlcss-snolto-
less and all-but- noiscless powder
which has boon successfully tested
and convinc!ngiy demonstrated at
tn" Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1921
caiihcrS. including the seven.y- fves
ana 1855
FINISH From Artillery.
The flash from 4 piece OF artillery.
as is we'll known. liz causcd bv the
inilamabic gases issuing from the
muzzl. of the gun AT q very high
teinpcraturc and igritinu Immediate
l. upon contact with tho oxygen Of
tho air. To get "A nashless powder
II has been necessary TO cool the
gases Of explosion to such tenn
p"rature that they viii no; ignite
when they come into contac; with
tho air at the muzzlc Of the gun. BY
adding various substances to tho
sinokcleSs powder. this has becn nc-
complishcd In the new American
rhshl"ss powder, Will. the noise
from the discharge also has been
greatly reduced.
Ia the service. ,ha term charge.
nr"pcllant' Is used to distinguish
pronclling charge OF smokclcss or
Hashicss- smokclcss powder from the
explosive chnrGes used in projcc,iI>i
The function OF Ia. propc1iing
charge is TO drive the projectllc
fro mthc gum with sufficient velocity
to reach the target. and has nothing
g do With the bursting Of theproj,c-
,!io.
Propcllant charges may be con.
sidered in thrc" forms: G) In fixed
ammunition. such as used in the
thirty seven MN. Scvcnty.fyc-,n,n
and i1-inch guns, wher. the propcl-
ldut charge is contained inside the
cartridge case constituting "a part
II 'he iiNcd and complete round as
issued; CD IN separate loading am
muniti"n. such as used in all %. our
Guns SiN-inch caliher or greater. be-
ing divided into two. three or four