The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-03-15


JUDGE ADVOCATE,
RICHARD S. COKE
The precept having been read, and all the
members of the Court being present the oath
prescribed by law was duly administered TO the
President and members by the Judge Advocate,
and in like manner the oath, as prescribed by
law was duly administered by the President &c
the Judge Advocate.
| The Court adjourned TO meet tomorrow
morning al II O'Clock at Fuller's Hotel, in the
city of Washington.
! FRIDAY, March 9Th.
| The Court met pursuant to the adjournment
of yesterday-present, all the members of the
Court and the Judge Advocate. The proceed
| ings Of yesterday were read.
| The Judge Advocate having requested an OPP
portunity of comforting with the Secretary OF
the Navy on the subject of the Court, proceed
ings were suspended for two hours-and, on the
return of the Judge Advocate, the Court adj
journed until tomorrow at 10 o'clock, A. NJ
a, the same place.
SATURDAY MORNING March 9Th, 1874
The Court met pursuant to the adjournment
Of yesterday-present as before
| The Judge Advocate presented TO the Court
a note addressed by HIM TO Captain Stockton
read and ordered to be annexed TO the record
marked B. Also, Captain Stockton's reply,
which, with the enclosed letter from Colonel
George Bomford, of the Ordnance Department,
was also read aud ordered 10 be annexed to the
record G and u.
| Francis D. Ogden, witness produced by
the Judge Advocate being duly sworn deposes
and says
/ recollect sometime III the year 1899 to have
had a conversation with Captain Stockton, then
in London on the practicabillty of manutactur-
| ing large guns Of wrought lron-that William
Young, then manager the W est Point Found
~, and Captain Ericsson were also present, and
all agreed that, if so large mass of iron as would
be required could be perfectly welded, a gun
so constructed, from the superior strength OF
the material, would possess advantages that
could be obtained IN bother manner The OBJ
servations ! had made on the progress of the
manufacture of large shafts for steamers and
of the great perfection 10 which il had been car
RED. (such masses of wrought-iron having ne
yer before been welded together) induced me
TO believe that the junction could be made per-
feet, and ! had no reason to suspect that the
iron would not retain all It's original tenacity-
such also was the opinion Of Mr.. Young and OF
Captain Ericsson. After much deliberation,
and several consultations, with accurate cdica-
lations before him of the relative strength of
different materials, Captain Stockton eventual
! ly commissioned me TO have wrought-ron
gun forged and bored out TO carry shot twelve
inches IN diameter-such dimensions having
been agreed on as we were all satisfied would
afford sufficient strength, namely, twenty-four
inches abaft the uunnions, and lapering thence
TO eighteen at The muzze.
contracted with the proprietors of the Mer-
sey works for such shaft, to be forged Of the
best Y orkshire iron, they warranting il to be
perfectly welded and without flaw or crack, in
side out. On strict examination was sat
isfed with the work, and shipped it, unfinished
except in The bore, to n. York, whence under
stood II was sent to Philadelphia, to have the
trunnlons shrunk on, and to be otherwise fitted
for service. | afterwards learned that, being
proved, 1t showed some symptoms of weakness
which induced Captain Stockton TO have other
bands, II inches in thickness shrunk on the
{ alter part, from the lruDnlon to the breecb In
this state the experiments that have been made
public were made with it al Sandy Hook and
was informed that final trial was made bv
firing it with charge Of 25 lbs of powder and
shot weighing 2l2 lbs, forty -four times in one
day, the longitudinal crack abdft the truonions
being so open as TO admit the escape Of smoke
from the burnt powder at each discharge. and
even suffering water 10 leak through IT, Wub
these facts before me-that he gun had on.ned
longiIudinaly, and Of course had lost all tenaci-
ty Ia that part OF ITS original structure, and af-
} forwards depended alone on the bands, 3 1-2
inches thick, J was confirmed 10 my opinion.
that wroughl-lron might be split, but could ne
yer be rent asunder, and 1-2 inches of metal
having stood such severe trials, that the new
gun, with these bands uelded upon two inches
!, greater diameter than the first one measured
would be perfectly safe under any trial ] saw
the process Of boring the new gun in New York.
and frequently, IN company with Capt. Ercs-
son, examined the sbavngs that were cut out
: of it; they appeared TO be tough, and of iron
oftbe best quality, and so satisfied were we with
the work, ~ every particular, that we neither
lof us entertained the least doubt Of It's
standing any proof ii coull be subjected
to- was further confirmed in my con
6dence by the severe proof II underwent in
New York with 40 10 lbs. Of powder, aud in
Witnessing its discharge twice on the day the
Princeton was first visited by the President.
| stood Immediately behind il without the least
apprehension of danger.
1t has been said that such guns have been