New-York tribune., 1874-12-04
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE NAVAL
ORDNANCE BUREAU.

NEARLY ALL THE STORES ACCUMULATED AT THE
TINE OF TIE vIGGINIUs SEIZURE STILL AvAITA-
BIE-THE ENTIRE RE-ARMAMENT OF TIE NAVY
WITH BREECH-LOA AIDING RIFLE CANNON URGED
TIE EXPERIMENTS At THE TORPEDO STATION.
WAsnINGTON, Dec. 3.-Thc Chief of the
Bureau of Ordnance of the Navy Department in sub
ntjing his report, says:
Besides the ordinary duties of preparing ships FOR
and preserving the public property placed under
Its charge tue Bureau has continued lis examination
into the various important questions enumerated III lS
lasj port. Aduioual to these are lGenuuned the cx
periments If Mr. Norman Ward Nut Island. resumed
concinsioa a separate and detailed report Will be made
TO the Department The most important operations
80 ,T - ,b V'ctri' ~. war of tbe snanIsb
Navy. II thought advisable to arm immediately
nrt he nited stafes The c6mpiete and rapid
armament Of many ships including irOn-clads and
the largest trgate although heavy task, was never
n since ,mporant detail. The excrtions made were
with the exicences OF the OCCASION and
involved large accumulation OF stores nearly all Of
which are etil avalllhl. for future operations.
The ORGANIZATION OF Ou- ordnance dates from 1875,
and from that period it has been fully recognized IN
navy that ships should compensate Tor inferior
ty OF numbers ov the superior aTmament OF individual
ships and so long as The smoothores formed the bat
teres, that superiority vas maintained by limited
number OF powerful guns. with the introduction
rifed cannon 10y other Powers, forced
engaged III war with even secondrate Power nd our
selves OVermatchtd, not Only IN numbers but in the
power Oi uGlNluil sNpS JnCre Is, however, reason
why ships. heretofore superior to all others IL
armament. suAu not Jc restored to equality.
RR-ARMAMENT OF THE NAvY,wITH BREECH-LOADING
RIFLE CANNON RECOMMENDED.
The Bureau, therefore recommends the entire
auent Of The Navy with breech-loading rife cannon
winch can be done a very small IN the reduced
state OF TIE number OF ships and guns required. The
present types OF foreign armed craising ships carry
from a TO inches OF armOr ami at present
we have DO gus. except the l5-!nch in the
monitors which Vii seriously lniure the highest OF these
aTnOrcd vessels Substitute 7-lnCh or onch rifle for
the 1IIuCh snOOth-bOre which smallest ships
cgrry, iCw OF them would come OFF without great
damage Tie sphere OF oeuse OF the monitors does not
extend beyond 500 yards which might be Increased TO
500 yards ~ the of efficient iie of the
weight OF 10 OF lllnCb caber, Tor tie 10 inch
smooth bore.
IMPLEMENTS AT THE TORPEDO STATION.
During the rst year the Torpedo Station has supplied
plete outfits OF OrpedOes and electrical apparatus
all cruising ships, and the mechanical facilities
OF the sufficient for any probable future
exigency. The assembly OF ships Key West afforded
opportunity Cr extensive practice, developing the
defects OF our system, ana causing remedies
" applied Frequent reports are made TO the Bureau
5rom cruising SHIPS Oi the efficiency Of the apparatus
supplied. The course Of instruction interrupted
last Aulum1 by the detachment for of
of the class before the completion Of the course.
This Bureau therefore OF the Opincn that for the
defense OF large harOoTs such Ne York, the aid
pcdOs ana swift torpedo boats will be required. The
vaDe torpedo, yet IN Its Infancy, - receiving great
attention, we'll as the other methods OF attacking
jronc.ad vessels beneath their armor.