The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-03-14

after each discharge, and found st,ll whole and
entire as before The ship returned to her an-
chorage. Several DAYS afterwards, on Wed
nesday the 2sth February, 1871, the ship made
another excursion down the river--the Presi-
deut OF the United States, aud large parry OF
ladies and gentlemen, invited guests on board
Upon this occasion, my orders from Captain
Stockton were 10 have all in readiness 10 IRE The
bow gun after passing Alexandra short DIS
lance The gun was loaded aud got ready TO
fire, | reported the gun ready, when Captain
Stockton came forward, taking his usual posi-
ton nearest the gun, ordering others away, IL
prevent any accident from recOll OF carriage and
fired the gun.
The gun was examined and found 10 be all
right as before. The gun was fired second
time, under similar circumstances, and as
supposed, for the last Time that day After the
ship had been put about, on her return up The
liver, a request was made by some Of the gen
Ilemen on board that The gun might be fired
again, which request had conveyed TO Captain
Stockton, and received orders from him TO load
the gun as had been done in the two previous
discharges, viz: with 20 pounds Of powder,
aud one shot Of about 2l2 pounds The gun
was reported ready to fire; Captain Stockton
came forward, taking his usual position neares,
the gun, and in the most exposed place, and
with one foot on the bed, gave his usual order
- stand clear Of The gun"-and fired her; al
which fire the gun burst. The gun was loaded
IN this instance in the same manner as before,
VIZ: cartridge containing rs pounds pow
der was placed in the muzzle Of The gun; ram
mer with head nine inches in diameter, made
for the purpose, and marked 10 show when the
cartridge was home, was used TO slide the car
fridge into the after part Of the chamber Of the
gun, MIR. King, rhe gunner, attending with prim-
ing wire TO report il home, which he did in each
instance. wad, ten inches in diameter, by
nine inches long, was then placed on the car
fridge and rammed home, completely filling the
chamber; one round shot, weighing about 2l2
lbs, was then rolled home against the cartridge
wad, with a rammer the head IL inches diane
ter, wad II inches diameter by 6 inches long,
wa, introduced and rammed home, the hammer
marked to show when the charge was home.
This was the manner of loading in each in
stance, with the exception Of The last, myself
having introduced the cartridge into the muzze
OF the gun--the same men employed each time
in loading.
Every thing that was calculated TO secure, so
far as human skill, prudence. and foresight
could secure safety from the firing OF these guns,
was done by Captain Stockton from the com
mencement OF his experiments up 10 this
time.
Question by Jtdge Adrocate. You speak OF
the gun being IN your opinion capable OF bear
ing any quantity Of powder which could lie
burned in her. Do you mean that if there is an
overcharse Of powder, any part OF ii will leave
the gun without exploding?
Ans mean that in such case powder will be
blown from the gun wlhou, being burned.
Question by the Court. At what manufac o.
ry was the pow der made with which the gun
was fired on the several occasions you have
mentioned?
Ans. believe IT was made al DupOnt's man
ufactory, Delaware.
Question by same. Are the wads shown TO
you The same in class and character as you have
spoken of
Ans. Yes.
Cues. What is the composition of them, and
how are they mea, ur,d?
Ans. They are made OF rope-yarn and Junk in
the ordinary way, passed through former, to
be adapted TO the size ofihe chamber OF calibfe
Of the gun, they are not loaded wads.
Question By same. What is the windage Of
the rammeIs2
Ans. The smaller hammer an inch, the larger
half inch the hammer before the Couit is one
OF them.
Ques. by same. VIII you please describe the
size of the cartridge, and wad employed, and
whether they are calculated TO fill the eutire
chamber of the gun
Aus. The size of the cartridge of 25 lbs
powder, by measurement, when settled down in
the qua, is II inches long, and of the diameter
OF the chamber. The wad formed TO cover the
cartridge in the chamber Is nine inches long by
len IN diameter, corresponding with the dame
ter of the chamber. The cartridge and wsd put
in separately when rammed home, extending 10
the Devil OF the chamber about i've nty -one inch
es in length. The shot can then extend about
inches into the chamber; with % or 30 ID.
cartridge the shot would rest against the Devil
OF the chamber, the weight of the shot COM
pressing the wsd and cartridge about two inch
rs beyond what II was before The shot was in
serted In loading the gun il has been our To-
variable rule 10 depre,s the br,ech of the gun
about degrees, and also to feel III at the shot was
fully bom or hear II strike the Devil of the
gun, fore putting in the last wad-
A % or 80 h. caIlrdge with the small wad over
II completely filled the chamber of the gun with
The usual iOIce OF two men TO ram u home.
The ball upon II then COMPRISING It about two
inches. BY measurement on several occasions
the shot was asceralned with such charge lay
ing against the Devil of the chamber. The
powder Is all IN flannel cylinders, each in a sep.
arate copper CANISTER, each canister marked
No. ], Z or 3. No | Is the charge oil 30 lbs. No
of % his, No 3 OF IL lbs; the cartridges in
general Of the two first classes few only OF the
snallrrOr 81 class.
The hammer is graduated aud marked, so as
TO show when each portion Of any and every
charge has attained Us proper position in the
gun.
Qncs. What was the usual position Of the
officer, and crew of the Pr nceton, immediately
concerned in the firing Of the gun, and what was
Their position at The time of the explosion
Ans Ia general the position of the officer,
and crew was at their quarters Ga this occa-
sion Captain Stockton stood behind the gun, the
nearest to II with his foot on tie bed of the gun.
w iiness stood alongside Of Capt. Stockton,
little quarterlng the bre, ch OF the gun. Mr..
King, the gunner on my left near the larboard
runnlon OF the gun. Captain Stockton, Mr..
King and myself, nearer, by several feet, 10 the
gun Than any % her pprsoo