, 1874-12-31
ORDNANCE EXPERIMENTS,
ETTER .FNOM THE CHIEF or TIE ORDNANCE DE-

| PARTNEST.
WAsHlNaroN, D. G., Dec. 8o*-Tho following
ONpuAaoE OFFICE, wAn-DEpAnrMgsr, WAaiI1xt1.
TON, y. C., Dec. u, 1s74. Sir: avo tho honor to
submit for tho nctun Of tho Secretary Of War tic fol-
| lowing:
l. III my nnnuaI report submitted in October last,
Expressed tho b9lief that prior to tho meeting Of CON-
from experiments with certain experimental guns, then
nearly ready for trH ~ woul' cnabo this bureau 10
a 9n 5 s
tho information is not rs complete as expected,
sufficient has been tone and reported, upon Which to
There nrs present In our forts tho following heavy
guns: 81 15.tnrh lsodman guns, smooth bora: ,.9l
rlies 10 1J.iucll iarrot rlfes Tneae Jarrett riey
oson If reliable when using tile heavy baterug chsrgea
required In modern w!rfaseof which t!obta are el-
tortanad-are 10 few III number a. to constitute but
un unnlportant Item ntnong tho 4,1Hl guns required
for cur forss when .ea!ly for their nraIncnta KAe
gns ranging from to II Inches III calre, with power
sufficient to penetrate at considerable distances lilo
Ar,or Of lron-cal ycesuls, must DO provided, Tho
heay!cst rifles arc the guns Of tho present. toy win
ss a{ sesnsy Ss, as is: %
jnncture, "a tho old slnoo.h-boso m,,xkot las
E1vcn place 10 tho bseech-loadins rifle in tlls
:r hanas of r soldier. Wne thus expressing the eoa
Ticion that tho days Of Bnooth-lure orllnalleo arc
iassing AWAY des!re to call attention to tho fact that
tho sat graid Ht,do toward tho introduction Of great
late Geu. Rodm4n, Of tic Ordnance Department,
whnse reputation au orluauce officer is word-wite
then tnt koW soon on to ts sur ,s
lmssc1 by lis 2Dnch suootl-buro, n.a.e In 1854,
xvighng ds lloOgo pounds, and throwsa shot weigh
Dur trial thus far with 1olnch 1sodnan gun lined
with wrovht-iron aud converted into III S-incl rc
slxss 1,., promise Of su;cseas and another ae
.s,s rAs 's sus ride Ia. air. already o'sa Seon rsi
powder 1nl lBU pounds Of shut. giving ali pyelnue
Velocity of about 425 feut a,ld working energy II
hSst sf Ee II ses fsss' eeul s sS e Zoo
small cost 70 utilize thy la34 l0'luch sooth:bors
r!ss capable q penetrating ineics If Iron armor
pcrltncnta and esss Of ke.vy riiied ordnsscoa rno
guns designated by yoarsl Of officers to bo up
otaf By ho Secretary Of Under ae 9e avo
sroctyo inventors, aud tho whole number will
.A probably bs ready for ria IN the early spring.
proximity to the Oily of Nov York has forced tho De-
psrttent, will yornpproyal, to establish temporary
ono oil tho Goyernnollt reservation at Saydy lIooh
Now York harbor. Even in tha trial Of thu Bcl rins
referred 10 above, this Department. has been hampsreA
that will eventually lead to determination Of the
Question 20 vital to tue national defensc have had to 10
suess appliances aud It Is e1pectas se
eassy s sBGns e M sss s % II wss @ yes % b
Of 19inc. rlllo IL very expensive business, each
round red coatiug about sloo. "a the gun may stand
lcss degree w! tne expense DO III tho ttia Of gins Of
a'nalfer casbrc. funds necessary for THIS purpose
saa b. q 5sdsta a oa I'D to h
y srpansss % anl isaS iaSo1 rtqure s
know Of no military naval power thut has not pro-
ylteu AZ experimental and proving Ernuna with every