The Arkansas banner., 1844-04-24
From the Natioaal h3ielligeacer. REPORT OF THE NAVAL COURT OF
 TNOTJpV

following copy of the Report of the Naval Court of Inquiry into the conduct ot Capaln Stockton and Officers, &c., which we lose no time in laying before our readers
 REPORT.
 The Naval Court of Inquiry, convened by order of the Secretary of the Navy, by pre- cept under his hand bearing date the 9th day of March instant, for the purpose ofmquiring into the conduct of Captain Robert r. Stock ton and officers in relation to the experiments and proofs which preceded the construction, and the proof and subsequent explosion of one of the great guns of the Princeton, occa- sioning the awful and distressing catastrophe which has recently occurred on board the said ship, and to. report the opinion ot the said Court on the matters thus referred to It, respectfully submit to the consideration ot the Honorable the Secretary of the Navy the evidence which has been laid before 1t in re- lation to the premises
 In further performance of the duty imposed on 1t, the Court further respectfully report:
 That in pursuing the investigation with which 1t has been charged, tho Court was limited to the facts on circumstances connect ed with the captain and officers of the Prince ton, anterior and immediately attending the explosion of one of the large guns on board that vessel on the 18th February last. The investigation has satisfied the Count
 l. That, in the year 1899, Captain Stock ton being in England, his attention was at tracted to the extraordinary and important improvements which had recently been in- troduced into the manufacture of large mas ct iron, for objects which required a combina- ton of strength and adhesiveness or tough ness. Large shafts for steam-engines had been thus fabricated, which experience had demonstrated 10 be superior in those quail ties winch were desirable to the same arti- cles manufactured of cast iron
 The circumstances appear to have led Capt Stockton to consider the question how far the 1 same material might be employed in the con- struetion of cannon of a large caliber He appears to have been animated by motives the most patriotic, stimulated by the lauda- ble desire of being himself instrumental in promoting the honor of his country, and of eleyating that branch of the service with which he was personally connected. To what extent his inquiries were carried, the Court has not been advised; but it is in evil dence that he did advise and consult with three gentlemen, possessing, from their sci entifc requirements and practical experience on such subjects, very superior qualifications in questions of this character, and whose opinions were entitled to high respect Mr. ] Wm. ! oung, Capt Ericson, and F. B. Og- den, Esquire, are the gentlemen to whom allusions is made. After much dcliberation and several consultations, with calculations furnished from the same quarter, Capt. Stock ton determined upon the construction of a gun of the proposed dimensions, for the pur- pose of testing the opinions of scientific men 1 by the results of experience. A cannon was accordingly made at the Mersey works, of Y Yorkshire iron, which being approved of, was shipped 10 the United States. Having been properly prepared for the purpose, this gun was carried to Sandy hook and subject ed to what was deemed the proper test. Af- ter the first firing preparations were made to mount the gun. In doing this crack was l perceived opposite the chamber which in- dueed Captain Stockton to have the breech strengthened by putting bands around it. | These bands are representedas being three and ahalfinches in thickness. With this addition al strength given to the defective part of the gun, the experiments were renewed, and the result was a decided conviction upon the minds of all connected with them that in general the antieipatons of Capt Stockton were perfectly realized and secondly, that If gun of this construction should yield to the force of the trial, it would be by a sim pie opening, and not, as in cast iron, vio- lent disruption and scattering of the frag- ments.
 The success of these experiments was such as to decide Capt. Stockton forthwith to direct the construction of fanother gun of a similar character, to be made of American iron, which is usually regarded as superior in strength and tenacity to the English iron, ! This second gun the same which exploded on board the Princeton was constructed with a chamber similar to that of; the first gun, with an additional thickness of twelve inches at the breech-a difference, even if the met tai were only of equal goodness, far more than sufficient io compensate for the bands 1 by which the frstha been fortified.
 Application was made to Col. Bomford, oi the Ordnance department of the Army, who it is well known, has been professionally oc- cupied in experimenting upon guns of large caliber, and his opinion requested as to the proper proof to which such gun ought to be subjected.-The proof suggested by Col Bomford as a suitable one will be found in his letter of Nov. 25, l840, appended to the record. The new gun constructed by order of Capt Stockton exceeded in dimension and weight, consequently should also have sur passed ill strength, that contemplated by Col. Bomford, they being of the same caliber, and the proof to which this cannon was subject ed was much more severe than what was proposed as sufficient by that experienced officer.
 In view of all the circumstances thus brief ly adverted to, but'minutely detailed in the evidence which is spread upon the record, the Court entertains distinct and confident | oD;pio,, tba+ in oririna1ly fornoin0 inc rlan