, 1863-12-12

AAAAE%~ y
Total .s,peo 2,a11 st,7n
Tic old system Of armament Is represent
ed iu this table by the classes OF 10-inch, E.
inch and S2-pounders; the new system BY
the rifled pieces and the smooth-bore TX
inch, X-inch, and XI-inch guns Of Rear Ad-:
mirai Dah1grcn, and tho rifled-guns Of Nj,
Purrott, to which are added the ponderous
and powerful XV-inch guns introduced by
Assistant Secretary Fox, as the special arma-
ment Of the monitors md other turretcd veg
Of the new system it is probable that over
200 guns Of different calibers that are now In
process Of fabrication will be completed and
added to the number. given in the table by
the end Of the current year.
1t will be seen from the foregoing state
ment that the number Of guns for the navy
lion at ltnst 100 per cent, and if the cnor-
nous calibers of some Of them are taken In
to consideration, more correct idea may be
had.of the advance which has been made in
absolute power and efficiency.
In arming our vessels the primary object
las always Been, rccently, to place on board
Of them the heaviest and, consequently, the
curry without reducing their speed, or en-
dangering their Eca-going qualities.
COMPOSITION on BATTERIES.
4 flrst-rate battery is composed as follows,
US in the ship Minnesota:
One ,15+poundcr, ritled, and .H-inch, smooth
pirot : forytwo K-inch, smooth, and four to0-
Founders, r1fed- -broadside and four howltzcrs.
T.. One 1copounder, riaed, In pivot: twenty-five
II~fneh, smooth, and one Sepounder. Eidcd-
hroadeide: and tWo now1tzsrs: @ . 80,
AZ .n. 1tnonnseIp a. RI ~ 4e ii niyot four
smooth, Two 24-ponnder how1tzere, and two 20
Founders, bronze, ridea-hroadside.
foufth.rate, a. IN IT. the owaaeo: e. ~ -,ao. :.
spa tEo Eo;nnaes
For For tho turreted lfon-csaos We nave IN inc hoa-
Eqko: ~ ,,,-,n.,, .na +,vo 1.o o,nzo..
rfHeis - '~'
Fl hs 5sas1tsE sas es'' IN the
ftieate. is Il tie is ifonsiaes: i1 - - 'i'0
Two 16opoI1ndeEs, naed; 81 fourteen 1l-l1sh,
smoota; t"oooponnaets' flneo' ana TWO howitz-
Ine M armaments ;a o. thG T. Hessefn @ gnnooats'
clad caroadelct: FouI 9i9eb, four s-lnch, one
ths-po1nutl, a4u MI 1!aeu 5uas.
Inc !lgnt olaugnt. steame5S aIt i iulntsneo
Mltn pattelles ol tm1, ~ wv s1 ~ HomlISels.
schooners, saIlyng !s,nea i nostars ana ana
hroadelue oa1teflee o1 s@'pounaefs OF o-1hca
guns ro,nn,rs.. -,
. ---'.- fooruAe'
=. In addition to the estaoifshments for cast
Ing heavy cannon at South Boston, Fort Pitt
md West Point, In 1861, the Bureau has now,
IS sources Of supply, the foundrics Of Messrs.
Hink1cy, Williams d Co., Of Boston, and the
Portland Co., Of Portland, Me-, and at Read:
ifg, Penn, tic Scott Foundry Of Aessra. scG-
feft, McManns & Co. - = 49,
From all these establishments. except tho
West Point foundry, the navy is furnished
with o-incb, 10-inch, and 11-lnch guns, none
Of the old system being now manufactured
From the Fort Pitt foundry, In addition to
the above. classes Of guns, It obtains the
heavy XV-inch; and: from the West. Point
foundry it receives the Parrott rifles, Of al
ealibres, which now constitute a Part Of The Il
battery Of nearly every vessel ahoat, and the
grent effectiveness Of which has been SO
strikingly manifest during the recent battles
ut Charleston. :. -
In procuring cannon for the navy the same
conditions have been sSacted from az these
fonndries, as regards nc character q metal
md every other element necessary to iconsti-
tute good and reliable guns NO gun has
oeen sa15cctsa cha1ee2 t9 te orasai u