Waterbury Democrat., 1902-11-10
HE IMPROVED hUSKET.
Chief Cpozier Says That it is a
 Big improvement

The Rod Bayonet in the New Musket
 Is a Good Feature-The New Field
 Gun Was Also Tested and Proved
 To Be an Improvement Over the
 Old Kind.
 Washington, Nov 1O.-General Will liam Crozier, chief of the bureau Of ordnance, in his annual report. to the secretary of war says the improved musket nas been completed and tired with very satisfactory results, the Va rlous charges not only improving the weapon but cheapening ana acceierat- ing the production. The rod Dayonet is q feature of the new rifle. It's al- vantage is said to lie in the fact that it lightens the weight of the gun and dispenses with the bayonet and bay onet scabberd, now in use, and n the place of which intrenching tools may be carried by the soldier.
 General Crozier says the bureau is proceeding with the manufacture of field material from desigps which 1t has prepared concurrently with the de- velopment of knowledge by tests. Gen orally speaking the new field gun will have a calibre of three inches and will fire a projectile weighing fifteen pounds with an initial velocity of 1,700 feet per second
 Speaking of mountain guns and ear riages, General Crozier says none of those tested have been found superior to the type now in use.
 Attention is called to the desirabili- ty of attaching electric motors 10 the disappearing gun carriages. Refer ence is made to the discussion that has been had relative to the use of the dis appearing gun carriages and to the ac- ton of congress and the determination of the matter by the war department after tests by an army board, which recorded it's opinion that tlla mnchan- ical principles involved in the chief elements of movements of the Bnf- Gngton-C -Crozier disaDpaici carriages were admirably adapted to their nur- poses 7
 One chapter deals with the recent army and navy maneuvers. It Was developed that one months time was not sufficient. with the ,ppiuS, fa- rilities at hand, to supply by ordinary means of transportation such large amount of projectilns aid alnmuni- tion as were required by the coast for tiications. It is suggested that spe- cial means must Dc provided in future for getting aminnn;ticn 10 the co:iss batteries.
 The efforts to secure mechanics un- der the provision of law for service with artillery companies have not proven success and it is recommend ed that the pay of such mechanics should be increased even if it be ne cessary to reduce the number to one for each company instead of two as now provided, and further that ma chinist sergeants be provided the same as electric sergeants are authorized.
 Attention is called to the fact that the expense of the maneuvers was not great, the total value of the powder shipped to all the posts being only $5, ,963.
 With reference to the personnel of the ordnance corps General Crozier sys the effort to supply the ordnance department with proper officers under existing law has failed and something else must be tried.
 Results have demonstrated, the re- port recites, that it is practicable with | the use of new explosives employed to fire through hardened plate of F 1 inches in thickness without exploding the charge until after the plate has been entirely perforated; i'll other l words, that the charge can be deton- ated within 8 ships body after pene- trating the armor.