New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-03
Report from Ordnance Departments.

necessities o. the Ordnance OF the Navy.
TIE existing crisis found this branch Of the pubhc
defense entirely unprepaged for so great an
emergency. TIE Quau'ities of cannon and OF
powder which were on hand, might have feen SUI
fcent for the navy il then was; bu, the large
number OF vessels that were added 10 y 20 lap.y,
rendered II very embarrassing 10 PIo'i'e Ioi 'Ne
the requisite supp les.
II was therefore necessary 10 return to service
most Of the older artillery which had been super
seeded ty newer end more powerful cauDefr Snu 70
exert every possjbe means to procure PowOef lor
immediate consumption
Ued onr N.yy been en- footing commensurate
with the obvious wants of the country for ordinary
purposes these difficulties and sr&let'es would not
have bees experienced
feel il therefore 70 be my first duty TO urge that
suitable provision Of ordnapce material he made Or
probable future necessii.s Of the Navy.
Most inn ort among tsem is inter, which enters
10 largely into the composition Of gunp0wder, that
may be said 10 he guupowder Itself with some slight
additions Of sulphur and charcoal, under proper
combination.
Ii is no. produced naturally in this country nor
BY any other hui InGia excep. IN insignificant guam
Titles.
Ilindosiau alone suppl.cs the whole world; which
being British dependency, places Us entirely at the
mercy'or caprice OF that Power for stock OF tn s
essential article.
We have already received an impressive warning
OF the prOmptne.s with which Ills supply may be
crt off,
States prossessed several thousand tons of inter just
about t. be shipped fiom England This was de-
tanned under general order Of the Government pro-
Nhiing the expectation Of inter, and remained use-
less TO for months until the British author-
ties chose 70 allow TO it egrsss.
No argument, Therefore, is needed TO sustain the
policy Of providing against the recurrence OF such
difficulty.
Wherefore, among the earliest measures which
adopted in entering the Bureau was 10 resort TO
nestle and foreign, which las far succeeded as TO
place Navy beyond the danger OF immediate
necessities and it is gratifying to add that there Is
reasonable prospect OF obtaining large amount
from our own resources.
recommend, however, that suitable sppropria-
lions be now made to give this policy an
thorized and more extended torra, by the purciase
of large quantities OF inter aud tue erection Of proper
departments for is safe keeping
These items asked Tor III the estimate.
The course Of events has indicated the necessity OF
suitable interior depCis Tor naval cannon aud stores.
In tie West oae more OF these should be located
upon a principal water course 10 which the Unued
States gunbosts the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers
can have ready access and receive promptly their
supplies OF cannon, shot, Shells other munitions
Of war, which s-e now furnished tsrdily ana with
great difficulty from distant points.
An interior depot is also required TO receive aud
secure the powder which 10 TO snpply the small nag
aznes the rivers ana TO store the inter, supetcr,
sulphur and other materials that best kept, for
In the East there should be au interior depot for
the same purpose.
Because It il exceedingly unsafe 10 hold, az we
now do tie entire stock II powder and other stores
at our Navy Yards, where they may be exposed 10
attack seward, or be very troublesome to dispose
Of if hostile operations even IN their vi unity.
These interior depols should have ready commit
nicaton, by railroad or CANA, with the exterior
eeptaces Tor immediate cOnsumgt ioD.
The appropI iatIOns CRESTED IL Tie estimate FOR
this purpose small, AID rather Intended to ascer
tain the wishgs Of Congress, and give immediate
shape TO the measure, than 10 tx It's limit.
OF the estimates presented, can only say that
they are 10 greater Than the present wants Of the
country demand. Nominally they are very little
greater than those OF the preceding year. Ia reality
they are just much less the difference that may
exist bet ~een the Government paper and the metal
lie standard.
IL would be perhaps safer to increase than dnin-
ish them.
As for ths distribution among the several Objects
1t is very general, and unavOidably so; because IL
would be as impossible 10 define precisely what will
be wanted 1t Is TO say 10 what objects the funds
will be applied for an entire year, beginning eight
aonths hence.
II gives me pleasure TO bear testimony 70 the
prOmpiness With which the private fouuderies have
net the demands them from the Bureau.
There is in my OF iDion class Of persons engaged
IL the service OF the Government VINO better earn
what's paid to them.
Tie business is only remuuerative when success
ful the rsk is considerable and the closest inspee-
zion is maintained the whole of the work.
Beside the firms who have been for d long tine
engaged in the bu-iGess, several others have offered
and received orders, S, that there are now seven
private establishments engaged in making cannon
for the Navy, VIZ: KNAPP 81 Rudd, fittsbaIg, Pa;
Aiger & Co., Boston, Mass.; L. Z. Parrot, Cold
Spring, n. Y; j. Sparrow, Portland, Maine
Hnckley g. Williams Boston Mass; u. Cnafec,
Providence, z. l.; seyier. q McManus, Reading,
Pa.
1t s natural consequence that the busiuess of
expending an appropriation fifteen 10 twenty times
As great formerly should cell fora corresponding
tcrease Of officials to that this work is faithfully
executed.
The single clerk allowed by tie resent law is ell
tirely insufficient wherefore / have asked lor the
pamber that Is now needed.
An additional compensation is also asked for the
clerks employed in the Office Of tie Ordnance Yard;
81, 900 year for capable who work from ell
ring to sunset is very inadequate relnunera ION.
The officers attached 10 the OrdnaDc yard SHOULD
reside in il; which has not been usual hitherto, nor
indeed possible, for want ol quarters. Tue work
goes on by night as well as by day,-heayy requisI
tons have to be met at oil hours and there is q
large amount OF public property to be cared ioF par
ticuary cumulsti0ns oil powder. so that the pre-
Of the officers il indispensable, and there Icing
no suitable quarters for them, have mere very
small amount for tLst purpoee, which hops may b.
Slowed entirely on public considerations.
IRON CLADs AND ORDNANCE.
The constant aud very IaturaI sOIctude mani
Tested by the public IL the changes which have boen
and continue TO be made in tho construction AID ar
nsment of our ships OF war, nay warrant q more
extended police Of technical detail than night other
Isise fud place in & document OF this nature.
Aud yet, no definite cOncluslon hes been reached
III regard to either OF tLese Important problems.
Indeed, tie most casual observer Of current
events hardly fail to perceive that neither Of
them has advanced beyond the fire; proportion.
And both are 30 gnayCiGa5.y iaterwoyeu, that i
IL impossible to treat, consider, sher inlepend
attic of the other oI 10 fO-ro any rel atr ypnf1u 10