The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-03-12
OFFICIAL.
REPORT.

the conduct oil captain ROBERT y. otockton anu
officers, in relation to the experiments and
proofs which preceded the construction, aud the
proof and subsequent explosion OF one oil The
great guns of the Princeton, occasionlng the
awful aud distressing catastrophe which has re-
Gently occurred on board the said ship, and toI
report the opinion of said Court on the matters
thus referred 10 il, respectfully submit 10 the
consideration of the Honorable the Secretary of
the Navy the evidence which has been laid be-
fore il in relation 10 the premises.
In further performance of the duty imposed
omit, the Court would respectfully report
That in pursuing the investigation with which
il has been charged, the Court was limited 10
the facts and circumstances immediately con
nected with the Captain and officers Of the
Princeton anterior 10, and Immediately attending,
the explosion of one of the large guns on board
that vessel, on the 2Slh February last This in
vestigaiion has satisfied the Court
That, in the year 1882 Captain Stockton be
ing in Eng and, his attention was attracted TO
the extraordinary and important improvements
which had recently been introduced into the
manufacture of large masses Of wrought iron. as
a substitute for cast iron, for objects which re-
CURED combination Of strength aud adhesive
ness or toughness. Large shafts Tor steam en-
ones had been thus fabricated, which expert
ence had demonstrated to be superior in those
qualities, which were desirable, 10 the same ar
tices manufactured OF cast IRON
These circumstances appear to have led
Capt Stockton 10 consider the question how
far the same material might be employed in the
construction Of cannon of large call5re. de
apI ears to have been animated by motives the
most patriotic, stimulated by the laudabe desire
of being himself instrumental in promoting the
honor of his country, and Of elevatng that
branch of the service with which he was per
sonally connected. To what extent his inqui
ries were carried, The Court has not been adj
vsed-but il is in evidence that he did advise
and consult with three gentlemen possessing,
from their scientific requirements and practical
experience on such subjects, very superior quail
hcatons 10 questions OF this character, and
whose opinions were entitled TO high respect:
Mr. William Young, Capt. Ericsson, and Fran
els Is. Ogden, Esqulres, the gentlemen to
whom allusion is made. After much delibera-
ton, and several installations, with calcula-
tons furnished from The same quarter, Captain
Stockton determined upon the construction OF a
gun of the proposed dimensions, for the purpose
of testing the opinions OF scientific men by the
results of experience. cannon was accord
lngly made al the Mersey works, OF 4orkshTe
iron, which being approved OF, was shipped TO
Cd Hav,pn hppp nrnppr rio prp
pared for the purpose, this gun was carried
to Sandy Hook, and subjected 10 what was
deemed the proper test After the first firing
preparations were made to mount the gun. In
doing this crack was perceived opposite the
chamber, which induced Capt. Stockton to have
the breech enlightened by putting bands
around it. These bands are represented as be-
! ing l-2 inches in thickness. With this addi-
tional strength given TO the defective part OF the
gun, the experiments were received, and the re-
suit was decided conviction upon the minds
of all connected with them, that, in general, the
anticipations of Capt. Stockton were perfectly
realised and, secondly, that if a gun OF this
construction should yield to the force of the
tIia, il would be by simple opening, and not
as in cast iron, violent disruption and scatter
ing Of the fragments.
The success of these experiments was sucl
as to decide Capt. Stockton forthwith to dlrec
the construction of another gun Of 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 Prince
ton, was constructed with a chamber similar &c
that Of the first gun, with an additional thickness
Of twelve inches a, the breech-a difference,
even if The metal were only of equal goodness,
far more than sufficiently 10 compensate for the
bands by which the first had been fortified.
Application was made 10 Col. Bomiord Of the
Ordnance Department Of the Army, who, it is
well known, has been professionally occupied in
experimenting upon guns ola large calibre, and
his opinion requested as 10 the proper proof To
which sCch gun ought to be subjected. The
proof suggested by Col. Bomford as suit
able one, will be found il his letter Of
Nov. 25tb, 1910, appended 10 the record. The
new gun constructed by order Of Captain Stock
ton, exceeded in dimensions and weight, conse-
quently should also have surpassed in strength
that contemplated by Col. Bomford, they being
of The same cabre, and the proof TO which
this cannon was subjected, was much more Sc.
we're than what proposed as sufficient by
that experienced officer.
In view of all the circum tances thus briefly
advered to- but infinitely detailed in the evi.
dence which 10 spread upon the record, the
Court entertains distinct and confident OPT
MON, that in originally forming the plan for the
construction Of large guns, Capt Stockton pro
. coodad an ,upll a.tablisb "A nractic,I C,ct.