New-York tribune., 1907-12-19
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Delay in applying Wre Wound
Principle to Heauy Ordnance.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau.

Washington. December IL
NO WIRE WOUND GUNS YET-There is still
no sign of the application of the wire wound prir-
cple in the construction of heavy ordnance in the
army and navy. This is the most important sub
ject which has recently engaged the attention Of
the ordnance experts of the military establishment
1t means the abandonment OF the built-up system
Of gun construction. There have been extensive
tests covering two three years, at the army
proving ground at Sandy Hook and several boards.
including special one of which Major General
John Z. Story. retired. chief OF artillery OF the
army. the head and the army board OF ord
nance and fOrtifcaton. have been considering the
subject. expected that the announcement
would be made that the Crozier system OF wire
wound gun answered all the purposes This is the
design of the present chief OF ordnance OF the army
The rival system that presented by New York
inventors whose gun fred under the same con-
ditons as the Crozier gun. The only progress
which has been made. or. at least. which has been
announced by the War Department. is the approval
this week of the recommendation OF the several
boards the Brown system, which the rival
the Crozier system. IS considered not adaptable
10 the purpose OF coast defence gun construction.
and of course. the same view must apply TO tho
construction OF naval ordnance The boards have
included naval ordnance experts. with a view TO
ascertaining what extent the system may be OF
advantage in that service II is expected that fur
ther action will be taken in the matter later.
CHAINMAKINCf MACHINES.-The firms which
have been engaged IN making chain for the gov
ernment every year come forward with PROPOSE
tion FOR doing this work under contract instead OF
by hired labor at the government plant at the
Boston Navy Yard. Last year the chief OF the
bureau OF equipment OF the Navy Department.
who has general charge Of this work. was engaged
in something OF a controversy over the situation
which had been described to Congress By certain
disgruntIed contractors. and there was some at
tempt to obtain legislation which would require
the Navy Department TO purchase at least a part
OF the chains used in the naval service under con-
tract. objection to this that the material
was inferior TO that turned out at the plant at
Boston. There will probably be further outcry
during the present session Of Congress by the man
ufacturers when they discover that the bureau OF
equipment is anxious to buy In Europe three chain
making machines which have been brought TO the
favorable attention OF tho Navy Department a~the
best process of constructing chains. II was In
tended to buy machines out OF existing funds
but IL was found that this could not be done
without creating n deficiency IN tho bureau OF
eag!.pnent and the Secretary OF the Navy forbade
this 1t Will require a special appropriation OK
slCo0o and this. 1t is realized. may provoke some
discussion and lead the opposition suggested by
the manufacturers
ARMY ACCOUNTS UNBALANCED.-The Secre-
tary OF War and the Postmaster General have been
IN correspondence for some years concerning bill
OF about 500 representing the value of some arms
and ammunition furnished the postal service for
use in Porto Rico cuba and the philippines when
II va5 COY sdered that the postal employees OF this
country in those places should be armed. This
amount Of War Department property was lost. and
q Was never shown that the loss WAS unavoidable
In fact the suspicion has existed that the disap-
pearance was through the careessness OF those in
trusted with the property. Finally, the War De-
partInent asked the Postmaster General TO include
I'm his estimates of last year amount which
would serve TO reimburse the ordnance department
of the army which had loaned the weapons ana
ammunition The Postofice Department has failed
10 do this Now the Secretary OF War has IN
strcted the chief of ordnance OF the army 70 make
an effort 10 have the item included in the army
appropriation act, that the account may DO
adjusted.
ORDERS IssUED-The following orders nave
been issued
ARMY.
Major RICHMOND McA. scHoFIELp. quar'errnastsr. |
Second Iieutenants EMORY :. ADAMS 18th infantry;
FAX 2ist Infantry. and FRED c. MILLER :3d In !
fantry TO Ieavenworth FOR examination Tor pro
Captain JOSEPH r. DAVIDSON. qrarterrnaster from |
Fort screven to charge OF eonstu1Sn s1 @oTk' FIrt
Mouitrie. relieving Flrst Lieutenant JAMES u fCl-
TON Coast Artillery Corps.
NAVY
Assistant Paymas.er L. y. WERTENBAKER, detached |
Brooklyn; to the FRANKLIN 4
MOVEMENTS OF wARSHIPS-The following |
movements of vessels have been reported TO the |
Navy Department:
ARRIVED.
ss sya%sS "a the the eh6SM 3 % Msri ha Dop
at Washington: tie Glacier. 1t santa Lucia
SAILED
Dec I6.-The Ajax from Norfolk for Rio de Janero:
Dec i7-rhe Eagle from Santiago for survey grounds.
the standish. from Hampton Roads for Annapolis.