The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-11
TRIAL OF BREEH-LOADING CARBINEs.
REPORT or THE BOARD CONVENED AT WEST
POINT, NJ ", JULY IL, 1858.

HEfOHl OF The DOHHD tUNF AZ WEOl'
POINT, NJ r., JULY IL, 1883.
u -~--- tS#
WEST PolSr N ", July 81 1858.
Ba The board appointed by your letter of June 10th,
1885, met at this place. agreeably to your Instructions
the 18th instant and having performed the duty
signed them have the honor to trarsit tho following
report !.
la--The Journal ef Proceedings
5aF Wksr PoINr, N. Y, July IS, 1853.
4 The board met at 9 O'Clock present Major A. Nor
decai, Capt T. :. Rodman and Brevet Major T. T. s.
Iaidlcy, Ordnance Department
After discussion of the preliminary trials to which
al the should be subjected the board determined
upon the following programme, and adjourned to give
notice Of the same to persons interested.
Programme of the trials to be made with all pre-
sented
The guns shall all be presented to the board with
hundred rounds Of ammunition and with such written
description setting forth the advantages of the arm &c.
as the presenter may deem proper.
Each gun shall be fired FIRST forty rounds by the per-
son presenting to determine s safety the working Of
tho parts and the apidy of fire second. twenty rounds
at 100 yards third twenty rounds at 800 yards fourth,
twenty rounds at GOO yards to determine the accuracy of
fire At those distances.
When this series Of rings has been gone through with,
such additional ammunition shall he provided as the
board may fit TO order, and such additional tests be
made as they may regard necessary.
July l4.--The board met at o. clock all the mem
bers present Examined Burnsides Sharpes, Starr's,
Maynard and Merrill carbnes, and took the principal
dimensions and weights of guns and ammunition Adj
journed till tomorrow
July Is The board met at 81 o'clock a M; all the
members present. Examined Smiths gun, and fired
Burnsidcs Shapes, and Maynards guns forty rounds
each for rapdity Of fire. and twenty rounds each at the
target of 100 yards. Adjourned at la, p.
Board met at 2, p m, and examined Colts, Gbbs's,
and Symmess guns and fired Stars for rapidity At
the eleventh fire of the parts broke and the firing
could not be continued. Adjourned at 6, p. IN.
July l6-Thc board met at s, a. M; oil the members
present Examined Morses and Wellss guns, and fired
Gbbss for rapdy and at the target of 100 yards, and
Shapes at the target of 500 yards Adjourned at l23
p. M
Board met at g. p. M. and fired Colt for rapidy and
at the 100 yards target and Maynads and Burnside at
600 yards target Adjourned at 6, p. m.
members present Fired Morse Gibbss, Colts, and
Smiths at the coo yards target At l21 p m no other
guns being ready for firing. the board adjourned until
Monday, the 10th. July l9th.--The board met at 8
o'clock, a m. All the members present Fired Burn
sides Moses and Smith ut 800 yards target Adjourned
at IL, The board met at o'clock p. M, and fired
Merrs for rapdity, and Gibbss, Merrill and Maynards
at 200 yards target. Adjourned at O o'clock D. m
July 20--Ihe board met at clock, q. M All the
members present. Examined Symmes' ammunition and
fired his gun for rapdity At the 9th fire Mr.. Symmes
could not proceed any further from exhaustion caused by
the great effort in loading No one being ready to fire
the board adjourned. The board met at 2, D. M JOS
lyns gun was presented and fred for mpdity, and
Shapes Merrills, Symmess and Joslyns guns at the
800 yards target. Adjourned at s, p. IN.
= July 2l--Ihe board met ut o. clock. A. m. All the
members present. Fired Colts at 800 yards target and
Joslyns and Symmes at GOO yards target Adjourned
at l2} p. The board met at p. M, and fired JOS
lyns, Merrills and symmess at 100 yards target.
communication received from tho Secretary of
War, through the ordnance Office (sce appendix A. and
reply sent through the colonel of ordnance appendix
Adjourned at 81, p. m. Hn36
cssed Mr. Colts proposition received when his arm was
presented fecopy of which Is embraced in appendix