The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-03

progressed during The fiscal year in satisfactory man
mr.
Pacific prepared chiefly from the first named surveys
are indispensable to the troops occupying that re-
and those in contemplation win continue supply such
wants, and to furnish besides Information Of great
The surveys liver and harnor improvements sup
ply the information essential for legislation, as well as
for the proper location aud construction OF the
They should be continued especially upon the western
rivers where changes In the channels and bars aud
others obstacles to navigation constantly gong on
in the waters Of Lakes Superior and Michigan which
attention has been confined for the most part TO meet
the demands Of commerce now being developed upon
The report OF the Chief Of Engineers and accompany
Ing papers contain all the information required % %
presented BY the acts OF 1855 and 1851 making Rppropr
atoms for certain river and hafbor improvements and
surveys. These works have been carried on In highly
Emoarsssmenls have been experienced 10 the execu-
ton Of the acts notifications Of which suggested BY
large number OF detailed maps Intended to Illus
trste some OF the principal campaigns and battle fields
ton. They contain Information not only useful for tho
purposes intended, but highly valuable connection
with other objects, military aud civil The Chief OF En-
gneers recommends appropriation OF $50 900 for the
engraving and printing of the most important recon-
mendaton which Is concurred In.
ORDINANCE BUREAU.
The expenditures the Ordnance Bureau during the
past fiscal less than onehd Of those Of the
preceding They applied chiefly TO work pre-.
war claims The estimates Tor the next year are
for deayng expenses OF ordinary peace operations, and
executing such works as have been authorized and d.
rected BY law.
Tho operations at the arsenas have been confined to
the manufacture OF iron gun carriages and implements
for coast cannon and OF articles required for issue
troops the reception caro- and preservation OF ordnance
and ordnance stores the breaking OF unsers ceabe
ammunition aud the construction Of authorized build.
ings aud other permanent improve menls. Tho hired
employed At the arsenals bave reduced from
last year BY about SOW enteon per cent and the
~ nj a nd al
year nine hundred and eighty enlsted ordnance
men employed AZ the arsenaa in guard police and other
military duties and mechanics and lab0rers In the
workshops, magazines and iab0ra0ries
title 70 the property on Rock Island, ILL.,, having
armory At that place. In accordance with tho of
April TO- 1854, has been carried forward rapidly. The
year Is in accordance with ts character ana design a.
authorised and directed By law. The conditions con-
nected with the appropriation In March last for The ercc
ton OF bridge at Rock Island having not yet boon full
filed by the railroad company. part Of that appropri
alton has been expended From correspondence and
the guarantee required from them by the Appropriation
act 1t Is understood that the company will agree to pay
COS. Of building the bridges across he main channel Of
the Mississippi river and the slough The Illinois
sde and anxious to have the bridges built as soon IS
practicable upon those conditions As there ID soma
doubt whether the guarantee which the company Is
willing to give would uh the exact requirements OF tho
law this subject IL recommended to DO brought TO the
notice Of Congress for such further legislation may be
deemed necessary and proper II is desirable that
that sufficient appropriation for the purpose be made.
When tho work done onehalf Of Its expense will DO
returned TO the government BY tho railroad company
The arms and other ordnance stores which had accu-
mulated at the Southern arsenas excepting one In
Florida turned for by the Frecdmens Bureau,
and one al Little Rock, Arkansas occupied as military
station have been repossessed and n charge OF
the Ordnance Department The buildings and other
public property these arsonals should be kept from
decay and in proper preservation, and the ordnance
estimates include the amount necessary for that purpose
The arsenal at Augusta Ca from It's position and health
Inf
and its antages In this respect should be made avail
ablo as may be considered necessary and proper 70
arsenal at suitable point bet ween the Missouri and tho
Rocky Mountains, for supplying troops serving in that
for that purpose is recommended the sale q the small
arsenals at Rome N T., Vergennes. w., and Liberty,
age 70 the public service s also recommended as we'll
the sae OF the North Carolina arsenal tho Macon
armory. and the powder works at Augusta Ga. which
were captured from the rebel government The land
and other property al Haper Ferry formerly used for
an armory. are not now required by the Department,
and their sao Is recommended, II 1t be decided that II
be done under tho government title f no. soid II
Is suggested that Il b, leased for term Of years.
into during the past fiscal year al the
national armory, and about 100000 muskes, carbines
and sabrss were cleaned and repaired there. All Of
the converted arms have been iasuei to troops aud
nearly all the infantry serving IN the Departments OF the
Missouri and the Platte have been armed with them.
Monthly reports received from the commanders or the
companies so armed have been highly favorable to the
arm, and furnish abundant evidence OF its excellence
and fitness for the military service The almost unan
nous opinion expressed by the officers Ia, that the
musket is simple strong, not liable 20 get out OF order
has expressed the opnon that the cabre sduced from
that OF the muzzlcoade Is too small while few have
dono excellent service in an Indian campaign during
the past summer; very few Of them have been
reported as rendered unservicesble and q these
moro wore made unserviceable through care
lsssnsss than from all other causes In July,
1868 the Secretary Of War directed the conversion Of
250 600 Springfield rihe muskets Into breech-load-
OF proper ammunition. He sfterward ordered
continued, without liking limit as 70 number and the
work carried rapidly until August, 1861, when
It was directed 70 be suspended, after $4,000 arms had
been aored. That number IS nearly Completed and
there have been prepared the requisite number OF tools
for converting about four hundred muskets per day.
which their conversion be resumed at short
tice IL confidently believed that converted breech
loader In this country or IN Europe has been produced
which IS superior 70 the converted Springfield muske.
altered at the armory, and that equal TO IL IN
servceabe qualities DO produced at less COST In
view OF the fact that the 900 converted muskcts will
very be issued TO troops leaving breech loading
muskets hand IN store II is recommended that the
conversion OF the Springfield muskol be resumed. The
chief difficulties which have been nterposed against the
prediction Of good breech- loading musket by the
Ordnance Department have been the immediate
claim OF almost every Improvement under some OF tho
many patents which have been granted for improve
menis In firearms. and iihe extreme eagcrness and
strong efforts Of some inventors and others interested In
patents TO have their particular inventions used in the
government military service There many claims Of
patent rights IN the methods used 70 convert the
SevofAl IN some INSTANCES,
claim hold patents for thing; evory Inn.
provemeat u Is believed, Is claimed BY moro than
Inventor The validity Of such patent claims for The i'm
provoments used atths national armory In converting
the musket have not been ackno wedged by the Ord.
nance Bureau which believes that the proper for
the various claimants to take 10 establish their
spective rights and then apply to Congress for
alton for their use BY the government
The cartridges used for brcech-oading known
central fire" about 000 900 OF which have been
fabricated Extensive trials OF them, made by troops
and IN proofs resulted In an average failure Of only one
third OF one per cent
smooth bore OF less than eight inches calbrs
being Ineffective against ron-clad vessels 10 has
been determined TO superssds all such the
forts by those Of heavier cabre by nfed
non. board OF engineer, ordnance and artillery
officers specially appointed 10 consider the subject Of
arming the permanent fors reported thai 1915 pieces
OF the cabre OF thirteen, fifteen and twenty inches for
smooth borss and OF and twelve inches for rnes
we're required for the permanent fortihcations and
should DO provided and Their report approved by
the Secretary OF War. Mono OF these guns have yet