The Arkansas banner., 1846-04-29
NATIONAL FOUNDERS.

VI titS 'VPoit VI tue i1on. A ell, l rom the committee on Militay Affairs, in 1 relation 10 the establishment of National | Foundries, and intended at some convenient -Ime, when our space would allow us, to make extracts from it., so as to enable us to present a synopsis of 1t 10 our readers. But not having the opportunity to do so until now, we avail ourself of one already pre- pared, which we copy from the New York Daily Dispatch.
 read the other day, with great deal of interest, rtme,le by Mr. Y ell of Arkan- sas, of the Committee on Military Affairs on the subject of establishing National Foun- dres, for the manufacture of, arms. In that report, the committee state extraordinary iacts. They are thus set forth:
 ''The primary object sought to be attained, by means of a national foundry is improve ment in the quality and strength of cannon. Ii Is we'll known to Congress-the fact has frequently been reported 10 Us from the exec utlve departments-Ihat the cannon now in possession of the government, both for land and sea service, is defective much of it IS good, undoubtedly, but much of il also, is as certainly unfit for service, and dangerous to those who use it. Congress has received from the Secretary of the Navy. i'll an official report to the President, the shocking and astounding intelligence, Hat ia our late tear iCtM Gredt Britain aedrlg ds many of our galiaat scaaaen aocre killed by Inc 6,uSting of oHr o1ra guns as by He fire of the enemy. We shall incur the iustest condemnation il we receive such information with indifler- ence, and refuse to provide reasonable and proper security against such terrible ac- cidents hereafter In the land service, too, of the cannon procured for the tortiications, not an inconsderahle proportion of the whole IS found to be of such uncertain and dangerous character that it ought to be con demned and rejected from service. The ordnance department of the army have made repeated complaints to Congress on this head. The letter of Colonel Talcott to this committee, accompanying this report, shows the condition, in this respect, of some of our most important Notifications. The announce ment ol facts of such moment as these cannot ial to arrest the attention of Con gross and the executive departments at least acquit themselves of their duty and respon- slblllty when they lay them before Congress and suggest the proper remedyo
 The following is an extract from the letter of Col. Talcott, of the ordnance department, referred to in MT. Yell's Report; and the facts disclosed in il, will amaze the reader, while it should teach the country, that some change in the mode of manufacturing arms for the na- tonal defence, should be had without delay.
 ''1'he necessity of deyising means to i'm prove the quality of our iron guns will ap- pear to you very clearly from statement of the character of the cannon we have hereto fore been able to procure. My annual report of this year, (which has been presen- ted to Congress, states the measures which are now in progress tn test the heavy ord nance at the various forts. The report ol the officer engaged in this scrutiny, shows that of the heavy guns in Fort Monroe, lamp lon Roads, Virginia, 571 in number, the quality IS as follows
 42 pndr 23 pndr 24 pndr Good 10 l60 71 Doubtful 7 I50 3l Bad, unfit for use 22 l04 l6
 Making per centage as follows Of al calibers, good 42 per cent bad or doubtful 58 per cent And this is fortress of the first class and of the highest importance.
 advert, in this conneXon, to the lamen- table fact, officially ascertained and brought to the attention of Congress in report from the Secretary of the Navy, that in our last war with Great Britain more of our men were killed aboard our ships of war by the bursting of our own guns than by the fire of the enemy.
 Another report from the officer before re- ferred io, received at this office since my annual report was submitted, states the re- suit of trials and tests made upon heavy guns iu the Notifications of .New York harbor = These last guns were cast at different foun- dry from those at Fort Monroe, and, indeed, at one of our oldest and best conducted pri- vate establishments, and where as much skill and care Is eXerted as can be expected from private founders. under such circum- stances. The examination embraces 57l pieces of heavy ordnance, and the officer classfes them as follows =
 Of those cast between the years 1926 and 1894, 65 per cent exhibit strength of metal which may be relied on ill service; while 35 per cent are doubtful and unsafe. Of the cannon cast between 1891 and lS40, the officer considers that of the 24 and 42 poun- ders none are good and safe, 37 per cent. are doubtful, and 63 per cent certainly unfit for service. Of the S-ineh seacoast howitzers cast in that period, he considers 3 per cent good, 8 per cent doubtful, and per cent unfit for service. Since l840, he finds all cast at that foundery good and servicable.
 This uncertainty and irregularity, which in the present state of the art attends the operations of private founders, is one of tho essential reasons for the establishment of { national foundery"
 'Fhe country is indebted to MT. Yell, o Arkansas, for the attention he has paid to this subject; and, it is to be hoped that Il will be promptly acted upon by Congress- I am very weary of Washington; have been here many years, but never witnessed so dull a session of Congress. An adjourn ment of that body ought to take place as carly as the lst of May, but, IsnpPose thai the eight dollar day men, will protest il till August. ours,
 \ ,txz h