The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-01
THE FRENCH ARMS.
The House Investigating Committee at Work
General Belknap Examined Why and 10
Whom the Arms Were sold-Stopping
the Remington Salss-The Mar
quis de Chambrun Myste-
rious and Intangible.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 1872.

WASHINGTON Feb. 20, 1872.
The House Committee ON Expenditures OF the
War Department to-day commenced an invesiga.
ton into the sale Of arms. The members present
were Messrs. Williams, of Indiana; Barber Snyder
ana AcSer Mr.. Kinsea was absent.
General BelkDap, Secretary OF War, having been
sworn. answered, In reply to a question: that from
he LIST OF June, 1870, the year ending June. 1871,
the amount realized from the sale of arms was
So, 74S, 942. He further stated that executive
document 80, dated July "a, 1872, includes
all the principal sales from 1866 10 July,
1871, the OF the parties to whom
Sold and the month ana year OF sales. &c. In
the course OF further examination as to sales to
Remington he said that while he was IN the Post
ONCE Department Mr.. Keller. Chie OF the Ordnance
Bureau. now deceased came In and handed him the
following DESPATCH
TcH. 9. souInrs. Arlington House, washing ton-.
government you be abe to 50 on better terms BY
ing France liable to he taken property and
aa tof aS @sns sp
ton with you has been forced and fictitious.
The foregoing Is a copy OF telegram left at the
Ordnance ONCE by II. 9. Squires. on October II,
1870 General Belknap said he instantly sent word
to General Dyer, by Mr.. Keller, that the sales to
Remington must be Immediately stopped. as IL was
plainly shown that MIR. Remington was agent OF the
French government.
General Belknap then went In his carriage to the
War Department. and either found Mr.. Dyer
IN his Office or sent Tor HIM, ana personally
told him the sales to Remington must stop.
BY referring to the executive document 1t would
be found the last sale to Mr.. Remington
was $4,000 Springfield musKets. They were
not delivered till October &c. though purchased be-
fore that time and before the delivery Of the tee-
paI I'd and
again TO General Dyer that so sales should be made
to any agent of the French or Prusslan govern
ment No arms Were sold to any agent OF the
French government to his knowledge. lie had
already stated the amount realized from the sale
OF arms, &c. 1t was $9,74s,942. vi this sum
$9,4O9236 80 mad been deposited the Treasury as
per certificates on file. One hundred and twenty
thousand dollars were reported in the hands OF de-.
positors on the 30th OF june 1871; the balance was
expended Tor preparing stores for The sale lifting
! them up. &C.
In reply to question by the chairman as 10 the
| discrepancies between the accounts OF MIR. Ward
and the Treasury Department Secretary Belknap
SAID he was aware OF none The close OF the iiscal
year Of the War Department was the same az That
Of the treasury Department, namely, the 3Otn Of
June. AS TO the treasury books showing the
ment was made ,. BY cash checks: Mar
United States, ana the checks carried AZ
quickly as possible and paid INTO the hands OF the
by the agents, principally IN New York, and prior
70 the delivery OF any arms to the purchasers The
Assistant Treasurer q certificate OF deposit. the
money Is turned over from time to time and drawn
Treasury. The cerlincates are examined through
the secretary OF War to be covered the Treasury
TO the credit OF the receiving officer.
In answer TO question as TO what time the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury closes up his annual report
and whether 1t Is not the Both OF June General Bel
KNAPP could not answer positively, but presumed
So In the War Department the rule is to make up
the report of the secretary to the END OF fiscal
year; but the Secretary Is not required TO have his
report ready until the 10th OF November. lie aimed
| to inform Congress Of what occurred between Inc
LIST Of July and the goth Of November Although
| technically the report Is made up to the both OF
June the information contained therein Is beyond
| that date.
| The CHAIRMAN having asked whether any of the
parties designated IN executive document No. 50
| purchasing arms during The period named were
| agents OF any foreign governments, Mr.. Belknap
responded, not to ms knowledge, and not uDlil
OCTOBER did he have any sncn lnllmation through
the receipt Of telegram already read the COM
mlttee when, as ne had already stalled, he stopped
the sales to Remington. Prior 10 that time he ana
government. In reply TO q question General Belknap
referred TO a letter OF General Dyer, addressed him.
non namely AT The close Oftbe war Of the rebellion
the ordnance Department found itself In Possession
OF large quantities OF cannon, small arms and other
SranfS he S Rs ad to s
OF because either OF their perisnable character the
constant expense OF tner care and preservation
their obsolete patterns. At first the sales were
made by auction, but subseQuenLly--July 20, 1856
Congress passed law giving the Secretary or War
authority 10 cause to be sold az public private SALE
after due public notice, the Old cannon. arms and
wise unsultaDe ior United States military service,
or for the militia OF the United states. and to cause
the net proceeds OF such sales, after paying all
place OF sale. to be deposited in the Treasury OF the
United States; and since the passage OF this act
rflnn fnrnl hQU mann htan nf m tplt
vlduals at private sale as provided by law, except
in a few instances, when sales at auction were
deemed preferable and to the interest OF the govern
General Belknap then read detailed statement
to show the number OF arms at the United states
arsenals at the commencement Of the Franco-Pru
sian war was l,15l.0ss; the number OF servlceable
arms at the close OF the war was So 500.
Question by the Chairman-State to the COM
miitee II any arms suitable for military service
were sold?
Answer-No sir. We were getting rid OF I'M
suitable arms IN order to adopt better ones About
thousand new arms by way OF experiment, have
been placed in the hands OF the army superior to
those previously made.
General Beknap having been asked by Mr..
Acker as to who judges OF the htness OF arms for
public service, replied the duties OF the Chief OF
Ordnance are defined by law. lie has, with the
direction OF all matters connected with ordnance
anu ordnance stores but General Dyer, In matter
OF this Kind, consuts with the Secretary OF War,
VINO gives his opinion as TO whether he shall sell
General Belknap also presented to the committee
copy Vi ieItcIs dIcduJ puuuSncu, duuTesSeu 10
the secretary OF STATE in reply TO one from the lat
ter, denying the allegations IN regard to the pur
chase OF arms made by Remington to the President
oil the Commission Of Armament at Tours.
General BELKNAP, In response TO a question
whether some OF the arms could not have been sold
without furnishing ammunition, SAID the ammuni-
ton was to effect the sale OF the arms. AS lar
as his knowledge went 1t was always considered
proper to manufacture ammunition to effect sales
to private parties; and he further replied In answer
to question mat tue Marquis de Chambrun came
TO him with note from M. BeIouet, French Charge
d'Anaires, requesting MIN to repair to the War De-
partment To make the investigation needed by the
French government; and In response TO another
question he said he had IL stated that officers
OF the government were interested III the sale OF
arms.
me interroga;ory was put do you know OF
your own knowledge that any government OificerS
Interested the sale Of arms directly or other