Chapter 76. Making appropriations for fortifications and other works of defense, for the armament thereof, for the procurement of heavy ordnance for trial and service, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 76.— An Act Making appropriations for fortifications and other works of defense, for the armament thereof, for the procurement of heavy ordnance for trial and service, and for other purposes. March 3, 1915.[[H. R. 21491](/us/bill/63/hr/21491).][[Public, No. 264](/us/pl/63/264).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That the following sums areSupplies, etc., for electric plants. appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be immediately available and to continue available until expended, namely:
FORTIFICATIONS AND OTHER WORKS OF DEFENSE. engineer department.Engineer Department.Gun and mortar batteries.Cape Henry, Va.Right of way through defenses, granted Norfolk Southern Railroad Company. For construction of gun and mortar batteries, $585,000. The Secretary of War is authorized to grant to the Norfolk Southern Railroad Company, its successors and assigns, a perpetual right of way through the lands which have been or which may be acquired for fortification purposes at Cape Henry, Virginia, on such location as he may approve, in exchange for all of said company’s lands and rights of way lying within the boundaries of the lands acquired or to be acquired for said fortification purposes: *Provided*, That the*Proviso*.Changes of location, etc. said railroad company may be reimbursed from appropriations which may be applicable to the construction of defenses at Cape Henry, Virginia, for the expense which may be imposed upon the said railroad company in changing the location of its tracks, stations, or other buildings and appurtenances from their present location on the said lands and rights of way of the said railroad company to the right of way hereinbefore authorized to be granted to the said company by the Secretary of War.
For modernizing older emplacements, $100,000. Modernizing emplacements.Fire-control stations. For construction of fire-control stations and accessories, including purchase of lands and rights of way, purchase and installation of necessary lines and means of electrical communication, including telephones, dial and other telegraphs, wiring and all special instruments, apparatus, and materials, coast signal apparatus, and salaries of electrical experts, engineers, and other necessary employees connected with the use of coast artillery; purchase, manufacture, andRange finders, etc. test of range finders and other instruments for fire control at the fortifications, and the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $130,000.
For maintenance of Coast Artillery war-instruction matériel atCoast Artillery war instruction. Coast Artillery posts, including necessary material and labor therefor and for extra-duty pay to soldiers necessarily employed for periods not less than ten days, $500. For installation and replacement of electric-light and power plantsElectric plants. at seacoast fortifications, $50,000. For purchase and installation of searchlights for the defenses of ourSearchlights. most important harbors, $150,000.
For protection, preservation, and repair of fortifications for whichPreservation, etc. there may be no special appropriation available, and of structures for the torpedo defense of the United States and for maintaining channels for access to torpedo wharves, $200,000. For preparation of plans for fortifications and other works ofPlans. defense, $10,000. 888 Fortifications appropriations. Sea walls, etc.For maintenance and repair of searchlights and electric-light and power equipment for seacoast fortifications, and for tools, electrical and other supplies, and appliances to be used in their operation, including the purchase of reserve lights, $40,000.
Torpedo structures, etc.For construction of sea walls and embankments, $27,000. Signal Service.For construction of mining casemates, cable galleries, torpedo storehouses, cable tanks, and other structures necessary for the operation, preservation, and care of submarine mines and their accessories, and for providing channels for access to torpedo wharves, $31,000. Fire-control installations.under the chief signal officer. For operation and maintenance of fire-control installations at seacoast defenses, $130,000.
Lieut. Col. Frank Greene.Payment to.The accounting officers of the Treasury are authorized and directed to pay to Lieutenant Colonel Frank Greene, Signal Corps, United States Army, retired, the sum of $138.90. Armament.armament of fortifications. Mountain, field, and siege cannon.For purchase, manufacture, and test of mountain, field, and siege cannon, including their carriages, sights, implements, equipments, and the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals,*Proviso*.Additional contracts authorized. $450,000: *Provided*, That the Chief of Ordnance, United States Army, is authorized to enter into contracts or otherwise incur obligations for the purposes above mentioned not to exceed $300.000 in addition to the appropriations herein and heretofore made.
Ammunition.For purchase, manufacture, and test of ammunition for mountain, field, and siege cannon, including the necessary experiments in connection therewith and the machinery necessary for its manufacture at the arsenals, $1,160,000. Seacoast cannon.For purchase, manufacture, and test of seacoast cannon for coast defense, including their carriages, sights, implements, equipments, and the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $300,000. Ammunition.For purchase, manufacture, and test of ammunition for seacoast cannon, and for modernizing projectiles on hand, including the necessary experiments in connection therewith, and the machinery necessary for its manufacture at the arsenals, $200,000.
Ammunition for seacoast artillery practice.For purchase, manufacture, and test of ammunition, subcaliber guns, and other accessories for seacoast artillery practice, including the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $425,000. Altering mobile artillery, etc.For alteration and maintenance of the mobile artillery, including the purchase and manufacture of machinery, tools, and materials necessary for the work and the expenses of the mechanics engaged thereon, $50,000.
Ammunition for field, etc., artillery practice.For purchase, manufacture, and test of ammunition, subcaliber guns, and other accessories for mountain, field, and siege artillery practice, including the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $135,000. Altering to rapid-fire batteries, etc.For alteration of three and two-tenths inch batteries to rapid-fire field batteries, including sights, implements, equipments, and the materials and machinery necessary for alteration and manufacture at the arsenals, $170,000.
Submarine-mine practice, etc.For purchase, manufacture, and test of submarine-mine matériel, and other accessories for submarine-mine practice, including the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $26,000. Altering, etc., seacoast artillery.For alteration and maintenance of seacoast artillery, including the purchase and manufacture of machinery, tools, materials necessary or the work, anti expenses of civilian mechanics and extra-duty pay of enlisted men engaged thereon, $500,000. proving ground, sandy hook, new jersey.Sandy Hook proving ground.
For current expenses of the ordnance proving ground, SandyExpenses, etc. Hook, New Jersey, comprising the maintenance of rail and water transportation, repairs, alterations, accessories, and service of employees incidental to testing and proving ordnance matériel, hire of assistants for the Ordnance Board, purchase of instruments and articles required for testing and experimental work, building and repairing butts and targets, clearing and grading ranges, $56,200. For necessary expenses of officer’s not occupying public quartersTemporary employment. at the proving ground, while employed on ordnance duty thereat, at the rate of $2.50 per diem while so employed, and the compensation of draftsmen while employed in the Army Ordnance Bureau on*Provisos*.Allowance for quarters elsewhere. ordnance construction, $18,700: *Provided*, That hereafter the occupancy by such officers, providing themselves with quarters elsewhere, of one room in the building at the proving ground locally known as the brick house shall not be construed as occupancy of public quarters within the meaning of this Act and of the law authorizing allowance and commutation of quarters: *Provided further*, That the accountingRefunds to Jay E.
Hoffer and Alfred H. Hobley. officers of the Treasury are directed to reimburse Lieutenant Colonel Jay E. Hoffer, Ordnance Department, United States Army, the sum of $118, and First Lieutenant Alfred H. Hobley, Ordnance Department, United States Army, the sum of $156, refunded by them to the United States on April twenty-second and May twenty-first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, respectively, on account of moneys received by them as commutation of quarters during part of the period June first to October thirty-first, nineteen hundred and thirteen, from the appropriation from which payment was originally made and to which the funds were credited when refunded. submarine mines.Submarine mines.
For purchase of submarine mines and necessary appliances toPurchase, etc. operate them for closing the channels leading to our principal seaports, and for continuing torpedo experiments, $190,000. For maintenance of submarine-mine matériel within the limits ofMaintenance of supplies, etc. continental United States, purchase of necessary machinery, tools, and implements for the repair shop of the torpedo depot at FortFort Totten, N. Y., torpedo depot. Totten, New York, extra-duty pay to soldiers necessarily employed for periods not less than ten days in connection with the issue, receipt, and care of submarine-mining matériel at the torpedo depot, and for torpedo-depot administration, $68,000.
FORTIFICATIONS IN INSULAR POSSESSIONS.Insular possessions. For protection, preservation, and repair of fortifications at theProtection, repair, etc. following localities: In the Hawaiian Islands, $2,000; Hawaiian Islands. In the Philippine Islands, $3,000; Philippine Islands. In all, $5,000. For preservation and repair of structures erected for torpedo defense, and for maintaining channels for access to torpedoTorpedo structures. wharves at the following localities: In the Hawaiian Islands, $1,000;
Hawaiian Islands. In the Philippine Islands, $1,000; Philippine Islands. In all, $2,000. For land defenses in the Hawaiian Islands, including the procurementLand defenses. Hawaiian Islands. and installation of searchlights, and the acquisition of land and rights of way, $150,000. For maintenance and repair of searchlights and electric light andElectric plants. power equipment for seacoast fortifications and for tools, electrical890 and other supplies, and appliances to be used in their operation at the following localities:
Hawaiian Islands.In the Hawaiian Islands, $1,500; Philippine Islands.In the Philippine Islands, $3,000; In all, $4,500. Sea walls, Hawaiian Islands.For construction of sea walls and embankments, Hawaiian Islands, $21,000. Submarine mines, Philippine Islands.For construction of mining casements, cable galleries, torpedo storehouses, cable tanks, and other structures necessary for the operation, preservation, and care of submarine mines and their accessories and for providing channels for access to torpedo wharves at the defenses of the Philippine Islands, $17,000.
Automobile, Hawaiian Islands.For maintenance, repair, and operation of one automobile, expenditures are authorized to an amount not exceeding $500 during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and sixteen, from funds available from appropriations for fortifications in the Hawaiian Islands. Signal Service.under the chief signal officer. Fire-control Installations.For operation and maintenance of fire-control installations at seacoast defenses, $10,000. Armament.ordnance department. Seacoast cannon.For purchase, manufacture, and test of seacoast cannon for coast defenses, including their carriages, sights, implements, equipments, and the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $110,000.
Ammunition.For purchase, manufacture, and test of ammunition for seacoast camion, including the necessary experiments in connection therewith, and the machinery necessary for its manufacture at the arsenals, $400,000. Altering, etc., seacoast artillery.For alteration and maintenance of the seacoast artillery, including the purchase and manufacture of machinery, tools, and materials necessary for the work, and expenses of the civilian mechanics, and extra-duty pay of enlisted men engaged thereon, $60,000.
Submarine mines.For purchase of submarine mines and necessary appliances to operate them for closing the channels leading to seaports in the insular possessions, $40,000. Supplies.For maintenance of the submarine mine matériel in the insular possessions, $7,500. Transfer of mortars, approved.The transfer of four twelve-inch mortars and their carriages and accessories, having an approximate value of $110,000, from fortifications in the United States to the insular possessions, is approved.
Chief of Artillery.under the chief of artillery. Fire-control stations, etc.For construction of fire-control stations and accessories, including purchase of lands and rights of way, purchase and installation of necessary lines and means of electrical communication, including telephones, dial and other telegraphs, wiring and all special instruments, apparatus and materials, coast signal apparatus, and salaries of electrical experts, engineers, and other necessary employees connected with the use of coast artillery; purchase, manufacture, and test ofRange finders. range finders and other instruments for fire control at the fortifications, and the machinery necessary for their manufacture at the arsenals, $15,678. 891 BOARD OF ORDNANCE AND FORTIFICATION.Board of Ordnance and Fortification.
For all needful and proper purchases, experiments, and tests toPurchases tests, etc. ascertain, with a view to their utilization by the Government, the most effective guns, small arms, cartridges, projectiles, fuses, explosives, torpedoes, armor plates, and other implements and engines of war, and to purchase or cause to be manufactured, under authority of the Secretary of War, such guns, carriages, armor plates, and other war material as may, in the judgment of the board, be necessary in the proper discharge of the duty devolved upon it by the ActVol. 25, p. 489. approved September twenty-second, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight; salary of the civilian member of the board and for his necessaryCivilian member. traveling expenses when traveling on duty as provided by the Act of February twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-one;Vol. 26, p. 769. necessary expenses of the board, including rent of offices in the District of Columbia at not exceeding $900 per annum and a perPer diem, etc. diem allowance to each officer detailed to serve thereon, when employed on duty away from his permanent station, of $2.50 a day; test of experimental guns, carriages, and other devices procured inTests, etc. accordance with the recommendation of the board, $15,000, the expenditure of which shall be made by the several bureaus of the War Department heretofore having jurisdiction of the same, or by the board itself, as the Secretary of War may direct: *Prowled*, That*Provisos*.Right to use inventions. before any money shall be expended in the construction or test of any gun, gun carriage, ammunition, or implements under the supervision of the said board, the board shall be satisfied, after due inquiry, that the Government of the United States has a lawful right to use the inventions involved in the construction of such gun, gun carriage, ammunition, or implements, or that the construction or test is made at the request of a person either having such lawful right or authorized to convey the same to the Government: *Provided further*, ThatRent for offices authorized. the payment of rent for offices heretofore leased in the District of Columbia for the Board of Ordnance and Fortification, and the payments heretofore made for rent of such offices, are hereby authorized.
Sec. 2. That all material purchased under the provisions of thisMaterial to be of American manufacture. Act shall be of American manufacture, except in cases when, in the judgment of the Secretary of War, it is to the manifest interest of the United States to make purchases in limited quantities abroad, which material shall be admitted free of duty. Sec. 3. That appropriations in this Act shall not be expended forPrice for powder limited. powder other than small-arms powder at a price in excess of 53 cents a pound.
Sec. 4. That of each of the sums appropriated by this Act, afterRestriction on purchases if articles can be made in arsenals. deducting any amounts required to meet obligations authorized in previous Acts to be entered into by contract, not more than ten per centum may be used to purchase not exceeding ten per centum in quantity or value of any article or material, herein appropriated for, that can be manufactured at the arsenals of the Ordnance Department, except when contract costs are less than arsenal manufacturing costs.
Sec. 5. That the several appropriations herein made and heretoforePer diem for subsistence.*Ante*, p. 680. made in fortification appropriation Acts shall be available for the payment of a per diem allowance in lieu of subsistence to civilian employees when allowed pursuant to section thirteen of the sundry civil appropriation Act approved August first, nineteen hundred and fourteen. Sec. 6. All unexpended balances, amounting to $13,531.51, of theEmery disappearing carriage.All balances covered back into the Treasury. appropriations heretofore at various times made for the development and manufacture of the so-called Emery disappearing gun carriage are hereby covered back into the Treasury of the United States.
Approved, March 3, 1915.