New-York tribune., 1903-11-13
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
GEN. CRozIER ON ARMY ORDNANCE.
Satisfactory Tests of 16-Inch Gun-Defence
Of Tnsular Possessions.

Washington. Nov 12-Brigadier General VIII
lam Crozier Chief Of Ordnance has submitted his
annual report to the Chief of staff Of the Army.
It deals minutely with many experiments 10 I'm
prove the military armament On the subject OF
the United States magazine rife General Crezier
says that the results obtained from the few which
were made by hand were 50 satisfactory as to Sc
cure the approval OF the Secretary Of War Tor
the adoption OF this pattern The reduction IN
the length Of the barrel from thirty to twenty
four inches, General Crozier says met unanimous
approval in all for the service The general
design and ballstic qualities OF this rife. tn
report says, markedly superior to those Of
the present service arm. General Crozier says
that no automatic musket of satisfactory mechanl-
cal action has Yet been presented, nor does ne
think that the experiments with automatic pistols
warrant the abandonment Of the present service
revolver for any ef the types tried.
Experiments conducted with the Is-inch gun,
called for in the report OF the Fortihcations Beard
we're attended with entire success, the re-
port says. At the fourth round. with a charge
Of $40 pounds Of a special snokeless powder and
a 2,40o pound proiectile velocity OF Z'Sl' feet
second, with 4 pressure OF 500 pounds to the
square inch attained That the design anu
construction Of such huge weapon General
Crozier says should be successfully acconlpAsAsu
without a mishap Of any kind, and that the calcu-
lated ballistic results should be so accurately
verified are subjects Of cOugratulatlon.' he aaos
that the Of sInokeless powder IN such 'a1se
charges was beyond the experience OF the world
and the demonstration Inht II "o1i-f '-----
used follow the same law OF burning as Win
charges Ct the size previously employed Is ser
vice TO the art Of construction OF ordnance
Whether this gun will be reproduced IoF use N
seaeoast fortihcations. General Crozier says Is
matter still to be determined. but he says It IS
satisfactory TO know from the results OF actuaI
trial that in considering at any time the deslra-
bfuty OF employing guns Of greater power 1lAll
those of the pinch calibre now constituting our
most novverful weapons the subject neeo Ao' DS
oo77,r7ica+e7 bv the question Of pracucabllty.
The heavy armament Of the seaeeast defences
General Crozier reports to be IN SATISFACTORY s'e
~ advancement but he says that the pracuee
which produces skill in the use Of the armament
has now an importance greater than that OF ne"
installation.
General Crozier dwells on the importance OF
nroDer defence Of insular possessions. saying;
= may be- and probably is. true that permanent
nossession Of the islands could not De la4lL14ne-
c0nfiru011sv against an enemy commanding tIe sea
approaches thereto. but in the Vlcisslt4ueS o. Me
~ conrn geucv must be contemplated OF ten
r,orar1- of power IN parucuaF WaIeis s5l1
~ -,sseassItv recognized for providing against the
ts-vai so that il would seem the part or common
rr1-de-ce 70 provide works which shoulc ehai3le
smaller force 20 hold out against larger one Ao4
time
He saws that a territory as large as thaI colH-
rrised in the Philippine archipelago with the as
bors might be able TO MAINTAIN tselI' even lHSL t
crlt off nv sea during the continuance OF q SICIt
var without fixed defenCes. ne adcs. II WQuIII p
possible for feet 10 occupy naI-i ni - 49, ,gith
its mercy a city, as Gu tle -A--e+-0~-- -- ~
Tba report saws there have been issued 70 The
r-ilira free Of charge So 063 magazine Tes tIu o
eCuiDrnents, aggregating in value &1'-o57ee-