The New York herald., 1874-12-04
NAVAL ORDNANCE.
Necessity of Stronger and Better Arma-
ment for Our Ships.
IMPROVED GUNS REQUIRED.
Progress of Torpedo Science
and Practice.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1879.
The Chief OF the Bureau OF Ordnance OF the Navy
Department. in submitting his report, says

Department. IN submitting his report, says
s y %
its charge. !he Bureau has continued is examination
sssdas s n oan ws1s q q: ssn
resumed ne during me summer but not yet completed
xl y made Sss! aa %neslsss sss
ss;s q
every sysaoe ship In me navy then II The ports of the
many ships, including iron-cads and the largest
s AZ S
portant detail Jne exertions made were commensurate
accumuation q stores nearly ali Of which stir
available s0s future operations; SIsass s,s,o,
The organization Of ordnance dates from s45 and
navy that our ships should eompensa.s for Of
ana So the ss
saperortIy wv was una, maintained BY limited number Of
anysTssI adoption q r,asa 6y Other Powers
@ only sSs'na s
is hSwsys., nS reason why ships herstsiors
navy WITH Oadins rs
rsaaced the number Of ships and % guns as
SIDE before The explosion might inic fatal injury but
aTns or sSsn wooden Ten dos
charge viihn is essential.
ARM0RED SHIPS
from four and half to s1 inches hes q asmor and at
cs' neh rs ie ne eievenses bore Which ss sSsn
our smallest ships carry ana few Of them would coma
The sp6srs Of offence Of the monitors docs not extend
yards By the sab tuition of an ancient ris Or the same
weight q ton or eleven inch cabre tor the Aeen-inch
y n, .sssasa % sys, IL s. rsg
ne Of %SS Il
mens the ohssf ot ordnsnse s.vs have not
new Or unsxpected resulta ana he does nos tank
Gent rins w any system q Tiains.
me experiments on the tmprovvmsnt Of pvRdsr have
been psossCussd as far ss he limited means xi permit
stock gnnpowder had been alovsd to fall ouite low
autumn 's q.s %a. q s
E 3 s s
son %P o. an
ns essnay Of ana
field artillery has attracted the earnest attention q the
oS s
sna ,ss o,ss "a
nsSio OWN ~r ia1Isa e 'easm opinion SaA S ss
Mounted On sahSS hsS Sss thirty ss Sxrsss ss
ans % the
boats The moaei guns are aomplsied in bronae BUT The
Is stepped Tor want Of funds and hecsuse
steel manufactures.
Fifty oftAe small Gstng guns nave been purchased
sas S sn and aun he are Sss now %
re down at great depression very imporan. conai-
81 %
alive TO feeding m this position remain 10 be overcome
The q at ths sta
detailed witness The examination oicers under in.
peis oSts Of toTpedoes and Apparatus to
our cruising ships and the mechanical! facilities Of me
Sss s;ss%by :as. KEY Vest sS5asa =
'0f our ssG pand s.uns SsPeS ss
f. ss 4ss .ss q s ssoy 81 s
now supplied; The course of nsiTustion was intsr.
Il " sis:: tss ~
#
e 81 s s mot
either ths sptit,as application Necessary theU
70 ras ss 7ss hS 20
for The Wer Il Gs Is
s;o Sss Tie ccsrs Si .hs shead
time for independent tSeorctca and pracscai 1nysssi
rom w 0s moss cc and
II ss
subject ystin INDEFINITE state and some body Of
Win
their capabilities; The expez,ments recently made
onary torpedoes for the defence Of mporant harbor
the radius OF their effect being quite limited
These machines must be very numerous entailing n
failure.
This heau N thsrsfore = Of the opinion % thstisr for the
q Ss.is T
pedos and swift torpedo boats will be required Tho
movable torpedo yet In its infancy receiving
tention we'll other methods attacking
clad vessels beneath their This ement Is,
however attracting the serious attenton Of all mara
time powers. and Is destined to play an important
least least as far advanced ,:ss others. but I take
experiments to develop the oapabiities Of this most I'm
Examiners OF graduating students attached to
pedo station consisting Of Rear Admiral G. H Davis,
Captain y. G.. khind and Commanders Richard w.
Meade, W. A. Kirkland and Chester Hatfield, reported
TO the Secretary the ing subjects OF
viz, Eecricty, explosives, fuse making. the manage
ment and use of all kinds Of torpedoes under derene
circumstances and The experiments made with various
explosives.
The Hoard expresses srest satisfaction in the strong
assurances OF the competency and fidelity Of the In
sruetors as well as of the zeal aud capacity of the stu
dents the Board persuaded that the objects
at che torpedo station, the Of instruction ana
discipline and their special and results
TO be Of vital importance to the usefulness and
efficiency ot the naval service.