The Washington herald., 1917-06-12

| Inc toiiowing Is the nrst Of q series
Of sketches. to be published from
time to time In this column. regard.
ing high ofiicers In the military serv-
ice whose names constantly are be-
fore the public:
Brig. Gen. william Crozier.
s(chief Of the Bureau Of ordnance).
Born In Ohio. February u. Is6S was
admitted to the Military Academy
on September /. 1871. He was nrst
commissioned second lieutenant in
the Fourth Artillery, and ave years
later was made a frst lieutenant Of
ordinances. He was made q major
Of volunteers In lses, In the course
Of the spanish-American war, and
was appointed an inspeetor-EeneraL
In the latter part OF that year he
! returned to the regular service. and
In 1901 was made a brigadier-generaI
and appointed 10 the post which he
now holds.
Gen. Crozier is recognized both in
this country and abroad as being one
Of the leading ordnance experts OF
this branch and aside from directing
the work Of his bureau, is continually
making researches in the field Of high
explosives and protectiles. Several or
his inventions. and improvements Of
others inventions, have been given
TO the army.
On half a dozen occasions during
his experiments he has met with seri-
Gus accidents, and II was as many
times feared that his days of use
fulness were ended, but each time
he has recovered and returned to duty
better ht and more determined to i'm
prove his art OF making death-deal-
ing appliances.
As chief Of the Bureau of Ordnance
Gen. Crozler is specifically charged
with the duty OF procuring. by pur-
chase or manufacture, and diEtribut-
ing the necessary ordnance and ord
nance stores for the great armies
which this country will send to the
European theater of war.
In the past TIN annual expenditures
OF this bureau have been few mil
lions Of dollars. With the United
States entering the world war these
| expenditures took a sudden bound
past the billion dollar mark for the
regular army, National Guard and the
nrst IS,tL increment i OF draft Of $4,000 men.
With the money available the prob
| lem which confronted Gen. Crozier
was where to spend it A survey OF
the manufacturing capacities Of the
various munitions concerns of the
country always at hand revealed the
fact that supplies according to United
States army specifications were not
equal to the emergency.
To overcome this dificulty Gen.
Crozier and his assistants made a sur
yey of the munitions plants manufac-
turing supplies for the other warning
nations. The fact was developed that
with few minor changes the Enfield
| lBritish) service rife could be adapted
TO use the Springfield type OF ammu-
milton. the arsensls OF the country
having large stores OF the latter on
hand and facilities for its speedy
manufacture. His recommendation
for the emergency adoption of this
War
Next came heavy ordnance. The
United States had comparatively few
OF these pieces. Large quantities OF
these guns were being manufactured
In this country for both France and
Great Britain. He recommended the
adoption Of the French type Of gun
which accommodation was also ap-
proved by the Secretary OF War ana
another ditnculty was overcome.
Col. Samuel W. Miller, OF the infan-
try arm, has been relieved from duty
! as director Of civilian Workmanship to
return to duty in the line, and he has
been succeeded by Mai. Edwin v
Bookmiller. L. g. A. retired, who has
oeen placed on active military duty.