A BILL MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FORTIFICATIONS AND Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1916 All 19164 сару з FORTIFICATIONS APPROPRIATION BILL. FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1916. UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met in the committee room, at the Capitol, at 10 o'clock a. m., pursuant to call, Senator Oscar W. Underwood presiding. Present: Senators Underwood (acting chairman), Oliver, Jones, and Townsend. Also present: Brig. Gen. William Crozier, Chief of Ordnance, United States Army. The committee proceeded to consider the bill (H. R. 14303) making appropriations for fortifications and other works of defense, for the armament thereof, for the procurement of heavy ordnance for trial and service, and for other purposes. FORTIFICATIONS AND OTHER WORKS OF DEFENSE. STATEMENT OF BRIG. GEN. WILLIAM CROZIER, CHIEF OF ORDNANCE, UNITED STATES ARMY. Gen. CROZIER. The bill as it passed the House of Representatives appropriates $2,700,000 for the purchase, manufacture, and test of ammunition for mountain, field, and siege cannon, etc., and authorizes obligations to the extent of $1,500,000 in addition, making $4,200,000 in all. The estimates as they were originally submitted, last autumn, related to the War Department's plans of military preparation as they existed at that time, including what has been popularly called the "continental army," and other features. Later on, at the time of my hearing before the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, there was considered a different force. Now, as the national-defense bill has been enacted into law, I compute that the field artillery ammunition still necessary to supply the regular force contemplated by the bill, the reserve for that force, and certain special purposes connected principally with the defense of the outlying possessions of the United States, will cost about $60,000,000. The regular force contemplated would organize into about three active Army corps and three reserve Army corps, and if the total amount of ammunition for the three active Army corps should be supplied in four annual installments, the amount of the first installment should be one-fourth of three-fifths of $60,000,000, or $9,000,000, which is the amount which I think ought to be appropriated in this bill at this time. 3 |