New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-18
THE ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT.

WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE Senate's Select
Committee Ordnance, have made report III
part on the purchases contracts and experiments OF the
Ordnance Department They that the Importance OF
the inquiry VIII he appreciated when it Is considered
that during the late Rebellion the purchases, contracts
and experiments made by the Ordnance Department OF
this class cost the Uhltcd States NGIy % ~, ~
gehcr, S7OOOO0 but more especially VIII u be ielt when
the many battlchodS Of the Union tins arm OF tie
service failed, not only to realize the expectations OF the
people, but did III fact largely contribute 10 le u'eS
which bcfel Us. Each Of the devices PANIED by cen Dyer
had in turn been urged the attention of the Depart
only the Eureka" projectile which It seems, was NOT
presented TO their consideration untl the ran
d SCo' un dvI 'no orsttntcJ Ordnance BOARD as
approved by the Secretary OF War the future use oi any
of these devices service that had been thus tested
,a limited IN fine IIntchksS PARROT and Schcnck pro-
iectiles and that very elaborate comparative trial oI
these three then recommended, WIN view Oh
determining which is the proper pryGGne To DC uStu.
oiiV the Socalled over procccs The Secretary char
acicrized the large sum which had been expended III s
II apn@orS also mat the sotacd Amsterdam procce
is in every material respect the same as On" soCaed
over proecc and that the result with IL wonld he the
same. In view Of what hoa then i4Ee9 place. ~ ~
decision OF the Board, as approved by INC o'c-
rotary, cannot be questioned The Committee arc
of the opinion that II wnS justified by the most elaborate
practicable demonstration. Plainly enough. then, pul,
chasgs, contracts, and experiments mace LOT inG "
SIMPLY OF any OF condemned devices after Sepeh
pS iT'' t rbtye br1n made and All such pur-
chases contracts aud experiments were not Only MADE IN
the face of adverse reports OF the hcld but were h
,oatiou also of thc official prohibition of the head Of the
department. IL VIII he observed by these Official acs,
the Hochkiss, PARROT and Schcnch proiecue3 were
standard classes of rife proeculcs and the Committee IN
c il was ctuatcd bv no other motive on the part Of
the Board and the Secretary, than manifest desire 10
promote the cause Of the public good rms act on W..
the Ordnance Board, approved by the secretary of
War, is presented tuUs prominently, because u
furnished trustworthy point from when all
the S" Tcoio2 m aS be Justly determined
aud when considered that IL received the sanction of
Col. p. V. Hagucr, Major A. 4. Dyer, MaiW !, J. :.
Jaidlcy Capt. james G. Benton, capt. :. v Bcnnct'
Capt :. Crispm, aud Capt GEORGE J. Btcier' WHO were
the officers COMPOSING the Board u cannot he Sid lM".
persons justification for the cone usu 10 Whlch "" nav
come II not until after tho adjournment ol ii.,
Board that the attention OF the Department. was called
TO the Eureka prOiecule very recon- HNs,,l3n' anu
which 10 have impressed tAc CAiti oi o,,lanI,,
Gen Ramsay so fayogably 20 Justify hun ~ directing
a preliminary trial Of It's merits az ne VS. ron, , ,
terry, early in the Fail OF ls by le I''uu MI, ~ ~
Committee present, unaSsisiod ihey say ol any one Tl
na; Any before fhe COMMITTEE the Eureka pro
jcctle was shown in october ls5i Ioi only to
% rse IrtecTcs, ~ J,r as" or in oiiST words
mrcnor proiertie 10 he used II is clearly proved that
Influence WAS brought 10 bear upon the Ordnance Depart
mcn bv somebody 10 cause the Socd!lru Dyer p,g',,
10 be adopted FOR the United state, land service Aud
il needs no suggestion from the Committee 20 enforce the
view that I'm us whole scope tins letter D, simple decafd-
ton of Mr. Dyer Of his claims a. an inventor Major
Over was moi the inst person WHO proposed 90 make cy-
pIudu- prOIectlc, rifle cannon by casting BASE or
en- Of Soft metal m The body Of tho pocctlc The Com
mitce review the conduct OF Cen Dyer at great length
concluding their report as Io!.""~t , -..., ...l
Clc Ordnance a 20 re'or 10 DIS o.r OF 90, "i as
written memorandum OF Oh. A-'5 ODD 49, &C., 80
that these destroyed d",l w F 10y . '' .- , . liz
So Of The rgc service -irs e u Gen 4 Dyer ira
the post ol uaiullle w Tie reasons aae n i' report