The Washington times., 1902-05-15
Mr.. Proctor Calls Ordnance
Board a Close Cor
poration.
OPPOSES DISAPPEARING GUN
Introduces Amendment Providing That
None of Appropriation Be Expended
for Carriage Invented by Captain
Crozier.

The Senate yesterday took up the forti-
6cations appropriation bill. As passed by
tho House 1t appropriated s6.562.iSS. and
as reported from the Senate Committee
on Appropriations the amount is Increased
to s7.s46.4s1. being s5S2.47o more than the
appropriations for the current fiscal year
and 81 .o60.717 less than the estimates
During the consideration of the bill the
case Of Captain Crozier. the inventor OF
the Croker Burlington disappearing gun
carriage. was taken up indirectly.
Senator Proctor. who is opposed to the
nomination OF Captain Crozier as CHIEF
OF the bureau of ordnance. introduced an
amendment to the bill providing that no
money appropriated by the measure shall
be used in the purchase of the Croker
type OF gun carriage.
Views of Army Officers Cited.
The views of various officers concern
Eng the carriage were read by Senator
Proctor, and he then made an exhaustive
speech against the use of the carriage,
and incidentally several times brought in
the name of Captain Crozier in a man
ncr not entirely complimentary.
In beginning his speech, Mr.. Proctor
charged that the ordnance board was a
close corporation, and that instead of the
purchasing power being exercised in the
board 1t was vested in the chief OF the
bureau. who is Captain Crozier. the pat
entee OF the carriage In question.
He said that about 100000 had al
ready been expended upon the Crozier
carriage. and that the aggregate appro-
priations, direct and indirect, would reach
10000, COO. He said that he regarded it as
an act OF folly 10 expend any more money
On disappearing gun carriages until tests
had been made by board Of officers and
experts, with full service" charges under
all the conditions that would exist in war
Up to the present time. he said. no such
tests had been made. and many army Of
hcers did not believe in the invention.
In reply to questions by Mr.. Mallory,
lir. Proctor said that If the system OF
disappearing gun carriages had TO be aban-
iored. that fact would necessitate addi
lional expenditures on the Notifications.
AS to its use abroad. about which inquiries
were also made, Mr. Proctor said that 1t
WIS not used in Germany or France. and
only in a modified form in England.
England" il was remarked by Mr..
Warren, who fayors the system, sis as
much behind in that matter as she is in
keeping up with the march of industrial
precedence throughout the world
England's Vain Efforts.
England" Mr.. Harris broke in. has
expended an enormous amount of time
and money in attempting to perfect a dis
appearing gun carriage. which is lifted
up and down by hydraulic pressure: but
she has not made a success of that form |
of disappearing carriages
Mr.. Proctor ended his argument by say
ing that the disappearing gun carriage |
had not been subjected to the test Of war
and that when IL was. il would be found 1
to be a lamentable failure.
Mr.. Perkins (Rep.. CALI. in charge of the |
bill, opposed the amendment and made an
argument in reply to that made by Mr. |
Proctor. He was asked by Mr. Pettus
whether the board of ordnance and forti- |
disappearing gun carriage; and he re-
piled that IL certainly did.
II understand IL exactly the other way" |
Mr.. Pettus put in. Mr.. Perkins repeated |
his Statement and went on with his argu- |
ment against the amendment. |
Mr.. Proctor INTERCEPTED that until re-
Gently the board had been opposed to the |
carriage, but that within a few weeks OPP |
ponents of the invention have been dis |
placed and the board filed for the benefit |
of the carriage.
Mr.. Perkins yielded before he had fin |
ishe1 bis speech TO allow the union sta
t5a blil q re taken up.
Tn=uerfion Trim for Senators