HUGE GUN PROGRAMME

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 36, 10 August 1918, Page 9

HUGE GUN PROGRAMME

AMERICA'S APPROPRIATIONS

PROVISION FOR OPEN WARFARE.

The plans of tho United States War Department for carrying the warfare on the Western front beyond the trench stage by a vast production of heavy mountain, siege, and field guns were made known in Juno through the approval by the House Appropriations Committee of the largest fortifications 1 programme ever submitted by any Government. The Bill carries a. total of £1,090,000,000,nhe principal expenditures being for heavy artillery. Of tho entire' sum, £400,000,000 is asked as a cash appropriation, and the remainder for contract authorisations. Based on an American army of 3,000,000 men, the plans have been approved by the Inter-Allied War council, through General Perching, says the Springfield Republican. While the programme provides for home defences from possible German air raids and for coast defence, the chief concern is for the production of field artillery. The total appropriation for heavy guns is £1246,000,-

The report of thp. committee shows that the new Government plant for production of heavy artillery at Neville Island, in the Ohio River, near Pittsburg. is to equal the famous Krupp plant in Germany. For this plant £8,000,000 is ap propriated. The manufacture of heavy pieces will be carried on also at plants of the Bethlehem and MidvaJe Steel Companies.

Because of the time required for building large guns, the Government is not yet giving extensive concern US the manufacture of the projectiles, although machinery has been or is being established by which ammunition can be supplied in short order. All the new, heavy guns provided for in the bill will be mounted on railway cars or motorised for rapid transportation, showing that the war department, as was recently intimated, is expecting a change from the trench to the open style of warfare.

The report of the committee gives facts obtained from the War Department showing that General Pershing lias been buying field artillery in large quantities from French manufacturers. A part of the total appropriation .will go to pay these concerns^

Need of artillery in France is shown by the statement of the report that, spare guns from the American coast defences are being shipped abroad. It is made clear, however, that none of the important coast defenpes have been dismantled. The navy has supplied the army in France with 159 pieces, ranging from 8-inch to 14-inch.

No appropriation is provided for guns or mortar batteries for the United States 'coast, although an estimate of £66,0C0,----000 was submitted- for that purpose. The committee agrees with representatives of the War Department that such an expenditure of money would be impracticable at this time as well as would a provision for sending a large number of men to Panama "or any of the insular possessions.

The measure, however, carries £1.600,----000' for aerial const defences, a reduction of one-half in the original request. Construction of 4.7-inch guns for home air defence is provided for. They will have a range 50 per cent, longer than any theretofore constructed and a 100 per pent, greater bursting charge. For mobile searchlights, £400,000 is approI priated.

For the production of ammunition, including shrapnel, high explosives, and smokeless powder, the measure carries an appropriation of £760.000,000.