Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-09
Lessons from
 European War
DISCUSSED BEFORE HOUSE MIL
 ITARY AND NAVAL COMMITTEE
NO USE FOR BIG GUNS
Says General cr~zier, Chief of Ord nance of Army-Admiral Badger De- eIares That Ship for Ship, Our Navy is the Equal of Any.

Washington, Dec. S.-Lessons drawn from the European war were discussed before the house military and naval committees today by Brigadier General and Rear Admiral Badger of the navy's general staff.
 General Crozier said that the United States never would have use for guns similar to the great howitzers with which the Germans demolished Bel American field guns were as good as any in the world.
 Admiral Badger Talks.
 Admiral Badger ebld the naval com mittee that ship for ship, the United States navy is equal to. if not better, than that of Germany or any other na- tion." Answering questions. the ad- miraI gave his idea of why the British navy is content to keep the German fleet bottled up'' instead of forcing engagement.
 While these committees were at work the majority members of the rules committee were deciding not to grant the request of Representative Gardner of Massachusetts for a hearing on his resolution to direct a special inquiry into the preparedness of the United States for war. Chairman Henry later addressed a letter to Representative Gardner advising him that his proper lOT d ncttl1ll5 NOO4u bC DCAOAN the regularly constituted committees of the house, which ''are now in daily session, considering matters pertaining to the military and naval strength of the country
 Gardner to Keep Up Fight.
 Notwithstanding the committees at titude. MT. Gardner tonight reiterated his determinatio to keep up the fight for a special investigation. During the day Senator Lodge indicated that he would call up in the senate later his resolution similar to the one introduced in the house by Representative Gard ner.
 General crozier's Views.
 Ordnance, from automatic pistols to General Crozier in connection with his estimates for the next fiscal year. On this score, he said, the United States has no need to feel uncomfortable"
 Have you seen models of the new 16-ineh field guns which the Germans are reported to be using in Europe?' Representative Kahn asked.
 German Guns for Special Purpose. "No," replied General Crozier, ''and we do not contemplate experimenting : with those big guns. No one knows what they may come to, but we must consider the purpose for which these guns were used in Europe.
 1n6 FISnCh-DSlS1du DOEucT WAS oS- tended by armored forts, mounting l three and six-inch guns, to meet such artillery as ordinarily accompany mo- bile armies. The Germans knew these guns were there, and those forts were | there, and brought up those specia guns to demolish them.
 No Gall Here for Big Guns.
 From what 1 understand, it is ar engineering feat to move those 16-incf | field nd fhpU he nSnnTtnf only by rail. Now we are not going up against anything like that and can see no reason why we should neeC any such guns as that"
 T have understood" said Mir. Kahn "that this same gun which the Ger same, was invented by an American named Gathmann, of Chicago, and tha | it was offered to the war departmen | and the navy department" Anyone Can Build Big Gun. There is no invention about build l ing & big gun" returned General Gro zier. Anybody can do that. Gath | mann'S gun was a very different affai | from this gun. His original model em bodied many new-fangled notions. H. | finally came down to building a sea 1 coast defense gun, using very larg projeetile, with heavy charge of gul
 cotton
 How to Detect Submarines.
 The committee listened eagerly t | Admiral Badgers account of test made by the aircraft scouts of the At
 lantic fleet. It was demonstrate, h
 said, in the Caribbean sea and a Guantanamo, that an airship could To
 cate a submarine mine submerged t l a depth of 50 feet. He declared tha l approximately the same results coul
 be obtained anywhere in the ocean O ! where there were no rivers to n1udd'
 the water. The admiral dwelt upol
 the efficiency of the American war l ships. He said that in the Atlanti
 fleet every gun was fired 20 times year in target practice. Personally
 he advocated devoting more time t