Evening star., 1924-09-28
Army andNavy News
Bv NJ. H. Mcintyre.
Arn1 v.

which command the entrance of New
York Harbor at Rockaway Point.
These are the largest seacoast de-
fense guns built in this country and
they are mounted on model 1919
Barbette carriage. Among those who
witnessed the firings were Brig. Gen.
johnson Hagood, L. S. A: Col. E. A.
Martindale, who is in charge of the
coast defenSes of New York Harbor,
and Col T. l.. Ames, ordnance officer
of the I'd Corps area, who was in
charge of the firings. Lieut.. William
+. O'Connell, c. A. C, was in command
of the gun crews.
The equipment of this new giant
ordnance creation consists of electric
motors operating through speed gears
for traversing. elevating and loading,
and an electrically driven air COM
pressor for operating the breech
block and purging the bore. The car
riage is also provided with four recoil
cylinders and two air recuperating
cylinders, the latter having an initial
air pressure of 1,7T0 pounds per
square inch.
The complete unit as set on the en-
placement weighs 100000 pounds.
while the weight of the gun. including
the breech mechanism, is 3S5,S47
pounds An idea of the giant dimen-
SionS of this gun can be realized in
the measurement of the gun barrel,
which has total length of 20 feet.
'Ihe velocity of rotation of the pro-
jectile is 1850 revolutions per minute.
maximum elevation of 65 degrees is
obtainable, which can be depressed to
degrees below horizontal, the
traverse being $50 degrees. The
maximum range is secured a approx
mately 40 degrees. Relative to the
life of the gun. this has been much
mooted question, but from reliable
is hat Of
ordnance material is capable of firing
100 rounds. upon the completion of
which the gun would have to be re-
lined.
The War Department has six of
this type of gun, two of which are
emplaced in the Hawaiian Islands.
Two more have been installed at
Fort Tilden. y. Y. which have just
satisfactorily completed their proof
nrlng. The other two pieces are in
course of installation at Boston and
they will be completed before jan
uary !. The military authorities are
hopeful that Congress will appropri-
ate sufficient funds that this type
OF gun may be emplaced at both ends
OF the Panama Canal and also at
commanding points on both the At
lantic and Pacific coasts.
board will shortly be convened
In Washington which will make a
study of communications between the
ground and aircraft. Upon the COM
pletion of this study the board will
render report which will include
recommendations for this form of
communications. The board will be
composed of the following: Lieut.
Col. Alvin G. Eoris. chief of the per-
Sonnel division, office of the chief
signal officer; Maj. Joseph F. Cot
trell, c. A. c.. on duty in the office
of the chief, of Coast Artillery: Maj
kenna q. Eastman. Cavalry, office of
the chief of Cavalry; Capt. Erwin c.
w. Davis, +. A; Capt. Donald will
son, \. S, and Capt. Percy w. Clark
son. Infantry. who is on duty in the
office of the chief of Infantry.
Thirty-Six commissioned officers
four warrant officers and nine nom
commissioned officers are enrolled in
the l924-1925 class of the Quarter
master Corps School, Philadelphia
Pa, which opened on September Is,
and was marked by the presence of
Maj. Gen w. H. Hart. quartermaster
general, who delivered the principal
address. This is the second class
since the reorganization of the
school.
Twenty -caliber so anti-aircraft
machine guns and 50-calber so air
craft machine guns have just been
completed for the Ordnance Depart
ment The anti-aircraft machine
guns will be sent out for service test,
while the aircraft machine guns are
for issue to the Air Service. Five of
the anti-aircraft machine guns were
made for the Navy.
Interest is being eyinced by Army
officers in the service mounts which
will compete in the Eastern endur-
ance ride, which will be held in the
vicinity of Warrenton. Va, from
October 90 to 26. The Cavalry school,
Fort Riley. kans, shipped six horses
to Fort Myer. Va, where they
are now in training. The Cavalry
school string 81 composed of the fol-
lowing animals: Wineglass, Sub
marine. Aline, Baby of Mine, Edomala
and Rob Roy Accompanying this
Holt, team captain; Capt H. L.
Earnest, and Lieut.. II. B. Wadden all
Cavalry officers, who will ride the
Cavalry school horses in this ride.
Other service entries who will par
ticipate in the Warrenton ride are,
Mai. G. l.. Scott, Remount Service,
Q. NJ. c., who will ride Pathfinder,
which made such a splendid record in
the recent Paris equestrian games;
Maj kenna G.. Eastman, Cavalry, who
IS on duty in the office of the chief
of Cavalry; several entries from Fort
Myer, Va, and it is understood that
the 9Th Cavalry, Fort OglethorTe,
Ga, will be represented in the ride.
Maj. Eastman has not yet selected
his mount.
NAVY.
That Rear Admiral Edward R. Stitt,
surgeon general of the Navy, has no
desire to be rendered second ap-
pointment on the expiration of his
present term on November 80, was
communicated to Secretary of Navy
Wilbur on his return to Washington
from his Western trip. Admiral Stitt
has been one of the most popular
heads of the Bureau Of Medicine and
Surgery, and his declaration not to
accept a reappointment. was a sur
prise not only to othe Secretary but
to the service as well.
Four names are now being con-
sidered in connection with this pros
pective vacancy as follows: Capt.
Charles H. T Lowndes, who is in COM
mand of the Naval Hospital, WASH
ington, d. c.; Capt. Norman ]. Black
wood, commanding che Naval Hos
pital New York, n. Y; Capt. Robert
NJ. Kennedy, in command of the Naval
Hospital, Annapolis, Md. and Capt.
Frank l.. Pleadwell assistant chief of
the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery,
Navy Department. Although all four
of the above mentioned officers will
that Capt. Kennedy is the most likely
successor of Admiral Stitt
Announcement has been made by