The Washington times., 1901-12-26
DISPUTE MAY GO
TO CONGRESS.
Power Of FOTtifiCatiOnS
Board Questioned.
ER. ROOT DECIDES AGAINST IT.
Exclusive Jurisdiction in Conduct
ing Tests and to Determine Types
of Ordnance and Armament De-
MED The Law Not Positive in
Defining the Duties.

nlOu Inc Law NOI EOSlIlNS All
Defining the Duties.
The recent decision of Secretary Root
that the Board of Ordnance and Fortiica-
tion has not exclusive power to conduct
ordnance tests ard determine types of
ordnance and armament is expected to
bring up the subject Of ordnance work in
Congress this session as in the past.
Members of the Fortifoations Board
are surprised al the decision of the Sec
retary of War, particularly as they have
placed themselves on record at several
sessions as defending the claim 10 eNclu-
slye power to conduct ordnance tests.
Ii is pointed out by some Of the members
Of the board that the majority OF the
members. including General Miles. has
repeatedly brought to the attention OF
Secretary Root the fact that the ord
nance Board at Sandy Hool' has been con-
Quoting tests under no other authority
Than that of the Chief Of the Bureau Of
Ordnance.
The Minority Sustained.
When the matter came before the For
tifications Board. General Crozier, the
Chief Of Ordnance. and General Gillespie.
the Chief OF Engineers, voted against the
stand taken by the other members. The
position of the minority has now been
sustained by Secretary Root.
Secretary Root has not yet placed his
action on record before the Fortifcations
Board but will do SO prior to the re
pf he
probably make the matter the subject OF a
communication to the Military Commit
tees of Congress, recommending further
legislative action He may call upon Con-
sress to more clearly define the duties
of the Board of Ordnance and Fortih-
cations. owing TO the repeatedly arising
questions which the wording of the bH
organizing the beard has made possible
The LAW Not Definite.
Secretary Root does not believe that
the law gives exclusive right to the board
TO conduct tests. and is, furthermore, sat
isfied that ii should not have exclusive
jurisdiction over the investigation OF ord
nance material and armament. He be-
lieves that the Bureau OF Ordnance should
have the right TO make its own investiga-
tions, independently of the Fortihcations
Board.
ON several occasions he has shown
disposition 10 approve the material rec
commended by the Bureau OF Ordnance in-
stead of that adopted by the Fortifcations
Board /; is here that the difficulty has
arisen.
A Conflict of Opinions.
The Fortifcations Board, claiming the
exclusive right to adopt types, deter
..ir.-d upon thorite as the explosive. and
by majority vote adopted it as type
AS the law requires the approval of the
Secretary of War before the action OF the
Fortihcations Board is complete, the mat
ter had to go before Secretary Root.
Meanwhile the Bureau of Ordnance mad
been experimenting independently with
other explosives and laid before the Sec
retary of War the result of its invesuga-
tions. Secretary Root decided 10 purchase
The explosive recommended by the Ord
nance Bureau.
Finni Authority Claimed.
When the work of planning for the last
notable test OF field gun carriages was
begun the Fortifcations Board prepared a
programme and the carriages were sent
to Sandy Hook But the Bureau Of Ord
nance claimed that the test, while it
might be carried out according to the
programme OF the Fortifcations Board,
should be conducted by the Ordnance
Board at Sandy Hook, and under the su-
pervision OF the Chief Of Ordnance.
The FortificationE Board again claimed
exclusive jurisdiction and the right to d.
rect the test according to its programme,
thereby asserting its authority over the
Ordnance Board. This right is denied By
General crozier, who claims that the Ord
nance Board is d creature Of his own de-
partmeut and under his own orders and
direction, and is, in = sense. under the Or
ders OF the Fortifications Board.
To Encourage Inventors.
II has always been the claim Of the ma
iority of the FortiGcations Board that st
encouraged inventors 20 bring before it all
meritorious devices. while the Ordnance
Bureau gave little encouragement to in
yentors and strived TO adopt only those
things which its officers originated. This
claim IL disputed by the Ordnance Bureau,
which points 10 the recent test Of the
Gathmann gun at Sandy Hook as showing
the results ACCOMPLISHED by the Bureau of
Ordinance in perfe-ting a type Of gun. a
fuse and shell, and an explosive which is
yet TO be surpassed in excellence.
Owing TO these questions continually !
arising II is very probable that Secretary
Root VIII take some steps 10 have the mat
ter so determined by Congress that har-
monious action will result, and the matter !
of Jurisdiction settled so that both the
Fortifications Board and the Bureau of
Ordnance can work on independent lines.
No Need for Two Board.
This however. does not meet with the !
approval OF the frirrds of the Fortifica-
tionE Board. who Sc hat there is no nc
cessity for two boards. ard that one must
stand or fall. They declare that the gu-
reau OF Ordnance is trying to eIhasculate J
the FoTtifcations Board and take from IL 1
the work OF determining ordnance types |
for the army.
In support of this assertion they point |
10 the recent action OF General Crozier in /
having an artillery officer detailed to the |
Ordnance Board. This board has always |
4