Show HIGH POWER GUNS The Preliminary Report of the Board on Gun Factories Laid Before the Senate WASHINGTON Dec liThe preliminary report of the board on gun factories etc was sent to the Senate today by the secretary secre-tary of war In his letter accompanying the report Secretary Proctor states it may be advisable to establish at no distant day a gun factory at some point on the Pacific coast of sufficient capacity to supply guns required for the armament of that coast Secretary Proctor further says it appears from the report that there is as yet no plant ready on the Pacific coast equal to the manufacture of large gun forgings but capital seems ready to take hold and already has begun to locate iuolf with this object in view at more than one point The commission com-mission appointed by the President consisted con-sisted of three officers of the army and they were directed to inquire into the facil ities for producing steel forgings for high power guns on the Pacific coast and in the vicinity of Indianapolis arsenal Rock Island Isl-and arsenal and some point near the gulf coast and the advisability of erecting gun factories for the assembling of guns for fortification purposes Regarding the Watervliet factory the report states it is believed that the limit of its present capacity is reached and the time required to complete armament either with existing facilities or with those that would be added by the completion of the Watervliet factory is too long A factory should be located on the Pacific coast to furnish the guns required for its defense but the board does not consider it advisable advis-able at this time to recommend the erection of a third factory at Rock Island arsenal at Indianapolis or on or near the gulf coast The board estimates that it will take 349000 to establish a plant on the Pacific coast for the manufacture of high power guns and for machinery and tools 5135200 making a total of 434200 |