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CONCLUSIONS

Paragraph 63 a.-With an adequate air force properly employed, it should be possible to prevent navel targets from approaching within range of seacoast guns. As to how essential seacoast guns are depends on the air force available. It is no believed that the tests as conducted warrant a definite statement that a major caliber coast gun is more accurate than the bomber, except for ranges beyond 25,000 and 30,000 yards.

The statement that seacoast defenses, when properly protected by anti-aircraft artillery, are thoroughly capable of resisting aerial attack, is not concurred in. Primary defense against aircraft rests in aircraft; anti-aircraft artillery is an auxiliary means.

Paragraph 65 b.-The bomber is not only a powerful means of attaching navel targets at relatively great distances from the coast, but at any distance up to its cruising radius. With reference to it vulnerability, attention in invited to paragraph 52, and paragraph 53 d and e, page 6.

Paragraph 63 c.-attention is invited to remarks under "Effectiveness of Anti-aircraft Artillery Against Bombers," page 7.

Paragraph 63 d.-Attention is invited to the last sentence of paragraph, top of page 7.

e. RECOMMENDATIONS.

(1) It is recommended that the conclusions reached by the Molleir [[?]] Board be not accepted. It is believed that the data was inaccurate and improper methods employed, making it impossible to reach definite answers to the questions asked by the War Department.

(2)It is recommended that joint tests by the Coast Artillery and Air Services, similar in nature to those carried out by our bombardment aviation against the ex-German warships in 1921, and the VIRGINIA and NEW JERSEY in 1923, be conducted in order to determine the power and effectiveness of seacoast artillery as compared to bombardment aviation. It is believed that the conduct of such tests is the only method by which an approximate answer could be measured to question 1-a, page 1. 

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