The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-12-12
NAVY IS WELL EQUIPPED.
HAS NO SUPERIOR AND PRUH-
ABLY NO EQUAL SAYS AD-
MIRAL BADGER,
on'ccrs Tell House Naval and Military
Committee Of Condition of Unitcl
Statcs Arms-ticld Guns VIII Give
ms Good Service n Amy I'm World
says Gen. Croxicr.

washington. Dec. S.-Lessons drawn
from the European war were discuss
ed before the no, ,se military and ma
val committee today by Brig Gen.
Crozier. chief of ordnance of the army.
and Rear Admiral Badger. of the
navy's general staff.
Gen Crozier said the United States
never would need guns similar to the
great German howitzers which demol-
ished Belgium's fort' and asserted
that American field guns were as good
as any I'm the world.
Admiral Badger told the naval COM
mittee that snip for ship. the United
states navy Is equal to. II not better,
than that of Germany or any other
nation"
While these committees were at
work. 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 special in
Guiry into the preparedness of the
United States for war. Chairman
Henry later addressed letter to Rep
rescntative Gardner advising him that
MS request for hearing should be
placed before regularly constituted
committees of the house. which
are now I'm daily session considering
matters pertaining to the military
and naval strength of the country"
Notwithstanding the committees at
utude Mr.. Gardner tonight reiterated
his determination to continue his
hight for special investigation. Dur
= ing the day Senator Lodge indicated
that he would call UP I'm the senate
later his resolution similar to the one
introduced in the house by Represen.
taiive Gardner.
Ordnance was discussed by Gen.
Crozier I'm connection with his esti-
mates fo- 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-inch field guns the Germans are
reported to be using In Europe?" Gen.
Crozier was asked.
NO." replied che 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 Belgian
border was defended by armored forts !
oud he Germans brought up these
special guns TO demolish them. Now
We are not going up against anything
like that and I see no reason why we
should need any sucn guns"
Il 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 thar it was offered to the
war and navy departments"
There Is no invention about build
Ing a big gum" returned Gen. Crozier
Anybody can do that. Gathmann's
gun was a different affair from this
gun. His original model embodied
many new tangled notions. He final
ly came down To building "a seacoast
defense gun, using very large pro-
tectile with a heavy charge of gun
cotton. We conducted several expert
ments with funds appropriated by
congrcrs. Finally an 1S-inch gun was
built Hlcns the lines suggested by
Cat. mgrn. J.; vas tested out side by
side win i..!uch service model
gur."
Tho I!.re.; sad tiat the Gathmann
gun W. & "a. I l'ss efficiency than
the SCI g. &un y'itn an armor pierre
Ing pr gtH!-.
Gen. 60 e &id ;he ordnance bu
reau a. 'VrcgiuI- nt;ns with field
howi;@r os ..,cr ard u half anu
nine ;.nO o.. h; h-ii. n ,.iibre These.
he said -OL.i Vc With mobile
army. u pr, ~. ho said. the field
artillery - sui Ice wi Pa and G-inch
guns. &c these, hc said. there are
SEQ I'm service or ordered. Hc expects
to increase the number To- -. during
the next year. and ne estimates IT,
s52 guns as the maximum needed.
we think our field guus are as
good as any In the world" said the
general.
In ammunition for field guns. Gcu.
Crozicr said the department had -
per cent. of the estimated need re-
serve on hand. This. ne said, Ia
hoped to Increase. Tho department
contemplated "a supply or 500 round
for each 3-inch gun. M said. and the
entire reserve would Lc supplied iu