the result that there has been natural differences of opinion between those whose eyes have been directed upon the target and those who have been concerned as to the proper working of the mechanism as to the manner in which the funds available should be applied, whether in giving a smaller number of full charges and exact service conditions, or a larger number (three or four times as many) of reduced charges and more practice. Under present orders a certain number of full charges and a larger number of reduced charges are prescribed for each company. It is hoped that larger appropriations will cause the question to disappear. 88. The rapid-fire armament is not so well advanced as the heavier, and no diminution of effort is advisable in pushing this element of the defenses. The mobile artillery, that designed for use in connection with the operations of armies and consisting of field, siege, and mountain guns, is now in the most backward state of all of the national armament. In regard to the standard field material the period of design and experiment has been passed; the actual work of construction is just beginning; the funds on hand are enough for a fair start, but they should be immediately supplemented sufficiently to permit a large increase in the rate of production as soon as the manufacture is well under way. In regard to siege material even as satisfactory condition as this does not obtain; the present armament is fairly efficient, but very considerable improvements are in sight, and should be in process of embodiment. 89. Of small arms and equipments the manufacturing facilities are either in a rationally satisfactory condition of capacity or are in process of such augmentation as will soon render them so. MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF THE ARMAMENT OF FORTIFICATIONS. 90. To facilitate the maintenance and care of the armament, the seacoast of the country is divided into four districts, containing as nearly as practicable equal amounts of armament. Each district is in charge. of an ordnance officer with whom, under present regulations, a post ordnance officer may correspond directly concerning work needed on the armament, thus avoiding the annoying delays incident to the forwarding of all such correspondence to this office through the various military channels. The result of this system has been to relieve this office of a large amount of correspondence and to bring the Department into closer touch with the artillery service by having an officer in direct communication with each limited district who by a sufficient number of personal inspections of his district becomes familiar with its needs. 91. As a part of this system it is also planned to install at one or more posts in each artillery district a small machine shop, in which many of the repairs now requiring shipment of parts to an arsenal can be made. 92. It is thought the saving in time and money by this over the old method will be fully appreciated. Up to the present time the results of this system have been sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its extension in a modified way to embrace the field and siege artillery. EXAMINATION AND SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY RETURNS OF THE ORDNANCE OFFICE. 93. The following tabular statement exhibits the condition of the work at present in this division of the Ordnance Office and the amount of work done during the fiscal year: 94. Six-inch rapid-fire guns, model 1897 MI.-Twenty-nine guns of this model which were in progress at the beginning of the year have been finished and shipped to the Sandy Hook Proving Ground. Firing mechanisms adapted to the use of the latest model combination friction and electric primer were provided for each. These firing mechanisms are of the type known as hand ejection of the primer. 95. Six-inch rapid-fire guns, model 1900.-Forty-six of this model are well under way, the type gun being almost completed. A model firing mechanism for use with this gun has been manufactured and is now undergoing test at the proving ground. 96. Ten-inch breech-loading rifles, model 1895 MI.-Satisfactory progress has been made in the work of assembling the 12 guns in hand, but the work on breech mechanisms has not kept pace with the work on the bodies of the guns, as work on 6-inch rapid-fire breech and firing mechanisms and firing mechanisms for 12-inch breech-loading mortars has been given precedence. 97. Ten-inch breech-loading rifles, model 1900.-Forgings for 6 of these rifles of this model have recently been received and work has begun upon them. 98. Ten-inch breech-loading mortar.-The type mortar was completed early in the year and shipped to Sandy Hook Proving Ground. 99. Twelve-inch breech-loading rifles, model 1895 Mr. Of the 18 rifles of this model in hand at the beginning of the year, 11 have been completed, and the others will be completed in a few months. The breech mechanisms of all are nearly completed. 100. Twelve-inch breech-loading rifle, model 1900.-The type gun of this model is nearly completed, while 11 others are in process of manufacture. Two combination friction and electric firing mechanisms for this rifle have been manufactured and tested, one following the design prepared in the Ordnance Office and one according to a modified design prepared at the arsenal. The latter has been adopted. 101. Twelve-inch breech-loading mortars, model 1890 Mг.-Of the 40 mortars of this model which were in hand at the beginning of the year, 29 are practically completed except firing mechanisms. The other 11 are well under way and will be finished within a few months. 102. Combination friction and electric firing mechanisms for all mortars in service are being prepared, and 55 have already been completed and issued, and within three weeks some thirty or more will be fitted to the spindles and ready for the coming practice season. 103. Sixteen-inch breech-loading rifle. All the operations connected with the manufacture of this gun have been described in Ordnance Construction Notes No. 78. As the trunnion hoop developed a defect before being assembled, the Bethlehem Steel Company requested its return, and a second forging was furnished without extra cost for the new material, but the labor expended on the first hoop was lost, and considerable delay, three or four months, was caused in the completion of the gun, the latter being finally finished June 11, 1902. 104. All the operations on this gun have been carried out very successfully, and the finished dimensions of the bore were within onehalf a thousandth of an inch of the prescribed dimensions, where the allowed variation was three thousandths of an inch, and the depth of the rifling throughout agrees with the prescribed depth to within an amount less than can be accurately measured by the star gauge. The gun is now finished and is awaiting the strengthening of the wharf to enable landing it at Sandy Hook for test. 105. Besides this regular work there have been manufactured combination friction and electric firing mechanisms for— 30 6-inch rapid-fire guns, 32 5-inch rapid-fire guns, and 55 12-inch breech-loading mortars. 106. The breech mechanisms of 27 Hotchkiss 2-pounder mountain guns have been altered from friction to percussion firings, and in addition a number of spare parts for breech mechanisms for seacoast rifles have been manufactured and issued. 107. The amount of work done on small parts during the past year has been large-greater than usual-and the capacity of the shop has been tested to its utmost. 108. The installation of new machinery will, it is thought, relieve the large shops of the greater portion of this work and enable it to be carried out without interfering with the work on the large guns. SMALL GUN SHOP. 109. Fifty-four 75-millimeter Vickers-Maxim mountain guns are under manufacture. Work on these and on breechblocks, block carriers, and breech mechanisms is in progress. 110. 3.6-inch field mortars.—Seventeen of these mortars were completed and proved during the year. 111. Five-inch siege rifles, model 1898.-Twenty-seven of these were completed and shipped to Sandy Hook Proving Ground. Ten of the model 1898 MII, having the hinge lug forged solid to jacket, are under manufacture and are completed except assembling. The new model Scott sight bracket with quadrant seat is being manufactured for all model 1898 5-inch siege rifles. A new safety device for firing mechanism has been adopted and manufactured. 112. Seven-inch breech-loading howitzer, model 1898.-Five of these were completed and sent to the Sandy Hook Proving Ground during the year. The remaining 24 under manufacture are completed except assembling. All howitzers are now provided with quadrant seats on rim base. The firing mechanism has been modified and a new safety device supplied. 113. Five-inch rapid-fire guns.-The hand-ejector firing mechanism has been applied to all of these guns. The breech mechanism of the 24 guns manufactured by the Bethlehem Steel Company have been completed here by the addition of the firing mechanism. 114. A large number of spare parts for breech mechanism of field and siege guns are under manufacture. These are all to be turned into store for a reserve supply. ARM CHESTS. 115. Obsolete armament and implement chests have been modified to contain tools, implements, etc., for both gun and carriage, for the 4.7-inch and 6-inch Armstrong guns, and for the 5-inch and 6-inch rapid-fire guns, and for the 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch breech-loading rifles, and the 12-inch breech-loading mortars. 116. A large number of spare parts for breech mechanism of rapidfire and seacoast guns are under manufacture. These also are to be turned into store for a reserve supply. 117. Sight holders for disappearing carriages and sight brackets for standards on barbette carriages have been modified by attaching a sight retainer to hold the telescopic sights so that they may be left in place throughout any series of firings. ADDITIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO POST HOSPITAL. 118. The contagious-disease wards in the annex to the hospital are separated and equipped with all modern appliances and the old hospital has been greatly enlarged. The new hospital equipment is most complete, adequate provision being made for operations for accidents of not infrequent occurrence, and the above changes supply a defect existing at this arsenal for many years. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY. 119. The case-hardening room at the hill shops has been enlarged, in order that new furnaces might be installed to increase its capacity to treat parts for 400 guns per day of eight hours. 120. The fireproof addition to the water shops (257 feet 8 inches by 50 feet), for which an appropriation of $95,598.71 was made, has been completed. The preparation of the foundation for this building was attended with many difficulties. It was not only necessary to extend across the canal three arches, but also to build over made ground, part of which was the original bed of the stream. This necessitated sinking concrete piers, 5 feet by 8 feet, for some distance-some of them to a depth of 36 feet below the level of the ground-to get a solid foundation. The foundation, arches, and pier work were constructed under the special direction of Capt. O. C. Horney, to whom and to Capt. J. T. Thompson, who directed the construction of the superstructure, great credit is due for careful supervision and thorough work. 121. There was appropriated for the purchase of machinery for the hill and water shops $204,119.30, of which amount $49,084.63 has been expended, leaving a balance of $155,034.67 on hand for the purchase of machinery already and yet to be ordered. Contracts have been awarded for most of the machines needed, and as fast as delivered they are being placed in the shops where required. 122. In the new addition at the water shops it is proposed to run the plant by electric motors-four 20-horsepower motors to each floor, WAR 1902-VOL 7- -3 |