The Washington times., 1902-07-23
Merits of Barbette and
Disappearing Types
in Question.
PROVIDED FOR BY co. .GREES
Officers Going to Fort Monroe This
Afternoon War Department At
taches Great Importance to Result of
Experiments at Five Forts.

! The special board of officers selected
/ by Secretary Root to make compara-
! tive test Of disappearing gun carriages
| and barbettc mounts met yesterday at
/ the War Department and completed the
arrangements for their work, which is
| to begin tomorrow at Fort Monroe.
This test is regarded by the War De-
partment as of the greatest Importance
to this country, involving, as it does,
/ the question OF whether the big guns
used for seacoast defense shall be
mounted on carriages which permit Of
their disappearing behind the earth en-
/ placements or remain on stationary
mounts in full view of an enemy's ap-
preaching ships.
Congress. in adopting a Notifications
bill, provided for special test of two
systems before making an appropTia-
tion for either. with the understanding
that no more money is to be expended
On the disappearing carriages until a
beard of experts had thoroughly in
yestigated the subject.
General Crozier. Chief of Ordnance,
and one of the inventors of the Bufiing-
| tonCrozier disappearing gun carriage,
is very enthusiastic over the prospect
of comparative test of the two sys-
TENS. as the attack upon his nomina-
| tion. led by Senator Proctor. brought
out a number of criticisms of the dis
appearing carriage which was first op-
posed in the Board OF Ordnance and
FOrtifcations by Lieutenant General
Miles. The opponents Of the Crozer
system claimed that in actual service
the disappearing carriage would be found
unsatisfactory. and the opinion of sew
eral Senators was that it would not
stand the severe strain Of service con-
diticns as well as the harbette mount.
Question of Exposure.
One objection was that in the former
more delicate parts of mechanism are .ex-
posed to an enemy's fire than in the lat
ter This is denied by the friends of the
Crozier type. WHO point out in reply that
by thu use Of a disappearing carriage the
enemy is unaware where the gun Is To-
Gated until it is fired. and, that in firing
it is exposed for such a short tine that it
presents target for the enemy for only
a few seconds.
Every disappearing carriage now in
service has had a preliminary test, and
they are all known 10 be in perfect con-
dition for service work At Fort Sump-
ter. South Carolina. President Roosevelt
was shown how the big gun rises on its
carriage until the muzZle is in position
to fire and ii took hlit a few minutes 10
force It up and let it drop back into po-
sition behind the emplacement
Regular Service Tests.
4 regular service test was made Of one
of these carriages at Fort Washington
several months ago, in the presence OF
the Secretary Of War. Colonel Wallace
Randolph. Chief OF Artillery. and a num-
Der Of Senators and Representatives 1t
was the opinion Of all the ofiic'"ls that
the carriage worked perfectly. N re-
markably short time the gun ascended
into position and Immediately upon being
fired it dropped back. So quickly did it
return to place that 1t had the appear
ance of being drawn down by the same
pull of the lanyard which caused the
gun to fire.
1t is now proposed 10 conduct tests at
five Of the most important posts where
both barbette and disappearing carriages
are mounted. The points selected are
Fort Monroe. Va; Fort DUPONT, Del.
Fort WadswOrth. y. Y: Fort Wright.
y. Y, and Sandy Hook. y. j.
The board will leave Washington this
evening for Fort Monroe and will prob
ably not conclude It's worl, until late
next week.