REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE

AND FORTIFICATION.

The SECRETARY OF WAR.

WASHINGTON, D. C., September 9, 1920. ·

SIR: Under the provisions of the act approved February 24, 1891, the Board of Ordnance and Fortification has the honor to submit, for transmission to Congress, its thirtieth annual report, covering the fiscal year from July 1, 1919, to June 30, 1920.

PERSONNEL.

Changes in the personnel of the board occurred through the operation of the following orders:

The board on June 30, 1920 consisted of the following members: Gen. Peyton C. March, Chief of Staff, president; Maj. Gen. Lansing H. Beach, Chief of Engineers; Maj. Gen. Frank W. Coe, Chief of Coast Artillery; Maj. Gen. Clarence C. Williams, Chief of Ordnance; Maj. Claude E. Brigham, Coast Artillery Corps; and Hon. Fred T. Dubois, civilian member; with Capt. W. F. Tompkins, Corps of Engineers, recorder.

LEGISLATION.

The only special legislation affecting the board is contained in the fortification appropriation act approved May 21, 1920. Section 8 provides that $230,000 of the unexpended balances of appropriations for the Board of Ordnance and Fortification shall be carried to the surplus fund and covered into the Treasury immediately upon the approval of the act.

GENERAL OPERATIONS.

As mentioned in last year's report the requirement that all inventions received in the War Department be henceforward referred to the Inventions Section, War Plans Division, General Staff, for pre

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