The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-12-16
navy GOOD As ANY
REAR ADMIRAL BADGER SAYS IT
HAT HAVE NO EQUAL
FIELD GUNS ARE good
In Talk Before Congressional Com
mittee Gen. Cro1er Declares Amer
lean Field Guns Are Equal to ANY
in World-Army and Navy Officials
Face Quiz Concerning Defence.

Lessons drawn from the European
war were discussed before the House
military and naval committee Tues
day By Brig. Gen. Crozier, chief o.
ORDINANCES OF the army, and Rear Ad
miral Badger, Of the navy's genera
staff.
Gen. Crozier said the United States
never would need guns similar to the
great German howitzers which de
molished Belgiur's forts, and assert
ed that American field guns were as
good as any in the world.
Ordnance was discussed by Gen
Crozier in connection with his esti
mates for the next fiscal year. Or
this score, he said, 1.-The United
States has no need to feel urcomfort'
able"
Have you seen models Of the ne"
16-inch field guns the Germans are
reported to be using in Europe"
Gen Crozier was asked.
. ''No," replied the general, "and we
do not contemplate experimenting
with these big guns. No one knows
what they may come to, but we must
consider the purpose for which these
guns were used. The French-Bel'
gian border was defended by arnlor'
ed forts and the Germans brought uE
these special guns to demolish them
Now We are not going up against any
thing like that and / ace no reason
why we should need any such guns
ri have understood" said Repre-
sentative Kahn, "that this same gun
which the Germans are using, or one
virtually the same, was invented BY
an American named Gathmann, OF
Chicago, and that it was offered to
the war and navy departments"
There is no ihvehtion about build
ing q big gum" returned Gen Crozier
Anybody can do that. GathtnanFs
gun was a different affair from this
gun. His original model embodied
many new tangled notions. He final.
IL came down to building a ssacoast
defence gIn, using very large pro-
jectile with heavy charge Of gun
cotton. We conducted several expert
ments with funds appropriated by
congress. Finally an 1S-inch gun was
built along the lines suggested by
Gathmann. It was tested out side by
side with a 12-inch service model
gum"
The witness said that the Cath
mann gtih was O. much less efficiency
thar the service gun with an armor
piercing pfojeetile:
Gen. Crozier said the ordauce bu-
reau was experimenting With field
h6witzers Of seven and a half and
nine aid q half-inch calibre. These,
he said, could move with. a mobile
army. At present, he said, the field
artillery is supplied with a 8 and s.
inch guns. OF these, he said, there
are 500 in service or ordered. He
expects to Increase the number to 912
during the next year. and he esti-
mates 1892 guns as the maximum
needed.
eve think Our field guns are as
good as any IN the world said the
general.
II ammunition for field guns, Gen
Crozier said the department had Ss
Der cent. Of the estimated need. re-
serve on hand. This, he said, be hop
ed to increase. The department con
templated supply Of 1900 rounds
for each 3-inch gun. he said, and the
entire reserve would be supplied II
fots- years. IN time Of war, Gen
Crozler estimated, government plants
and private factories could turn out
100000 rounds in six months ane
10000 rounds month thereafter
"If yor. were in war would thai
be enough" asked Representative
Avis.
"Well, the ammunition plants arr
being enlarged right along" sale
Gen. Crozier. ''They are meeting al
increased demand"
"Are they selling through Can
ada?" asked Representative Kahn.
"They are selling to somebdy."
Gen. Crozier said that AUTOMOBILE
manufacturers in this country were
turning out through Canada arnnoret
automobiles "for European powe'
at war"
"What?" queried Representative
Kahn. eve are asked to pray fo
peace and yet We furnish armoret
cars to belligerent to further war;
Admiral Badger told the nava
committee that ship for ship, tn
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