Evening star., 1928-10-05
ORDNANCE SUPPLY
. HELD BIG PROBLEM
Aberdeen Proving Ground Is
Scene of Spectacular
Defense Exhibition.
By a stan Correspondent Of The Star.

BY StaH Correspondent of The star.
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND.
Md October 5.-The provision of ade
quate ordnance supplies in time of war
constitutes the greatest problem of ma
tional defense, Col James l.. Walsh,
chairman of the national defense di-
vision of the American Society of Me-
chanical Engineers, told members OF the
Army Ordnance Association and allied
organizations at the tenth annual
meeting of the association here yester-
day afternoon. An all.day demonstra-
ton of the latest weapons Of offense
and defense, lasting until long after
darkness, provided many thrills for the
5000 visitors.
Aviation formerly shared with ord
nance supply position as the greatest
problem facing the country's military
leaders, Col. Walsh said The problem
of providing aircraft, however, is now
well on its way toward solution" he
said, as result of the stimulation OF
aviation interest in the country. The
recommendations of the Morrow boar
appointed to study the military air
needs of the country, now being follow
ed in equipping the air services, also
constitutes a big step, he said.
Col. Walsh cenSured the Treasury De-
partment for refusal to cooperate with
the War Department in building UP
commercial plants to handle the supply
of ordnance in time of emergency. He
charged that, after the War Department
had prevailed upon manufacturers, as a
matter of patriotism to maintain huge
lathes upon which guns could be turned
In case of need, the Treasury Depart
ment had insisted that those manufac-
turers either pay tax on the 1athes OF
scrap them. though they we're not suit
ed for commercial use and could not be
used in peace time.
Benedict Crowell, president of the
Army Ordnance Association and Assist
ant Secretary of War during the World
War, presided and reviewed the history
and present status of the association
which he said now numbers $500 mem
bers.
Discusses Mechanical Advances.
Mai. Gen. c. C. williams, chief OF
ordnance of the Army, discussed the
mechanical advances made by the Army
during the past year, declaring that one
of the most important recent devel-
opments is the perfection of anti-air-
craft fire control devices for increasing
the accuracy of fire by 3-inch and sc
and SO caliber anti-aircraft guns against
airplanes.
Control apparatus of this type fur
nished one of the outstanding spectacles
of the demonstrations at the proving
ground yesterday. With sleeve feet
in diameter and 81 feet long towed
behind an airplane as target, gunners
of the 62d Coast Artillery Regiment
Fort Totten. N. Y, conducted day and
night anti-aircraft firing with the three
types of guns, automatically controlled
The accuracy of the mechanical gun
pointer, pointing not single gun, but a
whole battery, was attested by number
of holes in the sleeve target when 1t
was brought back to earth.
The military demonstrations yesterday
were in many instances spectacular, in
cluding demonstrations of every type oil
gun now in use by the Army, and ma
neuvers by every type of tank, field cal
and truck. and airplane battle flying.
machine cunning Of ground targets and
bombing.
The demonstration opened with single
shots from huge 16-inch coast defense
gun, the largest in this country. and a
l2-inch railway gun, followed by the
daylight anti-aircraft firing from 3-inch
guns and 80 and so caliber Browning
machine guns. A bombing plane then
dropped two 600-pound demolition
bombs, one with instantaneous fuse and
one with delayed fuse. The delayed fuse
type is used against battleships, designed
to explode below the surface so as tC
obtain mining action.
At the Aberdeen aviation field there
was an exhibition of foreign bombs
used during the World War, as con-
trasted with American bombs of recent
development. Pursuit. bombing and
observation airplaneS of the Army All
Corps were shown.
Luncheon was served by the Army
Quartermaster Corps and was followed
by striking demonstration Of the
Army's automotive equipment, includ-
ing tanks ranging in size from huge
Acton Mark VIII, carrying IL men anc
guns, to a little Ford tank, weighing
ga tons and carrying one machine
gun. Army tractors of various types
including 10 different models now ir
use, and fast field cars, either un-
armored or carrying machine guns, fol
use in reconnaissance work, also were
seen in action.
An attack with service ammunition
was made on group of obsolete French
Renault tanks by armored cars with
machine guns, old experimental tanks
firing machine guns and light tank
guns, a platoon of medium tanks and a
heavy tank equipped with 6-poundel
gun and machine guns. At the conclu-
sion one Of the target tanks was afire
and grass and brush. lighted by in
cendiary bullets, was blazing. A 6-ton
tank then laid a smoke screen over the
field. When the wind had cleared the
smoke away a Field Artillery demon
stration was held to demonstrate the
occupation of position. opening of fire
and subsequent movement of a bat
terry of horSe-drawn artillery, as con-
trasted with the. new tractor drawn bat
terry.
The opening attack was made by
Battery D, 9Th Field Artillery. horse
drawn, which made a thrilling and
picturesque demonstration of the order
which Is passing. A more business
like and mechanical attack then was
made by Battery B. 9Th Artillery, using
entirely mechanical equipment.
A newly developed 4.2-inch chemica
mortar was used to lay a barrage oi
smoke and gas shells, and while the
haze was clearing infantrymen demon.
strated the firing of the .30-calibel
Springfield rifle. Browning automatic
rifle and Browning machine gun.
Methods Of aerial attack on ground
targets were shown by the End Bonn
bardment Group from Langley Field
Va. and the 1st Pursuit Group, Selfridgt
Field, Mich. Machine gun attacks or
ground targets and bombing of ground
targets with 300-pound bombs were
shown