New-York tribune., 1874-12-14
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
COSTLY EXPERIMENTS WITH ORDNANCE.

When Mr. Norman Wizard failed to induce Con-
<ress to give him 100000 last session for rhlng
all the smooth-bore guns belonging to the Govern
ment at the rate of $500 gun-the actual cost be-
ing only $20-it was supposed that bis rather ex'
pensive connection with the Treasury had ceased.
The Summer before he got $4,000 for firing single
shot at target on an island in Boston barbor under
the auspices of the Navy Department The expert
ment demonstrated that with an enormous charge
of short powder o tremendous effect could be pro-
luced on q target at very short range. Mr. Ward
prudently refrained from ascertaining what effect
had been produced on the gun. and fired no more
shots for fear it would burst. The $4,000 was OF
course all expended in making the expert
ment, and Wizard wanted more. Congress
made no APPROPRIATION for him, but after the
adjournment Secretary Robson drew 100000
from the regular ordnance appropriation and gave
il to Wizard to 20 on with his firing. The hrst gun
he rIed burst at the 18th round. In the second ne
put a sub-caliber shot and $50 pounds OF powder,
and the result was that it burst the first hre Ihe
bursting of the first gun Wizard sald was owing 10
q fault in the riaing and he had the second rlted
under his own supervision. The best ordnance
authorities in the navy say that all that is new in
Mr.. WARDS theories about ordnance Is wortnieSs,
and that all that is valuable is old They regard the
the public money 1t is worthy of note that the
Ordnance Bureau never had faith IN these theones
OF recommended the costly experiments whlch nave
been made to test their merit. The whole perform
has been carried on by Secretary ho6eson OF ms
own motion, aud the Government will not, 1t Is
stated, derive one cents worth IT information OF
anything else of value D return for the SOOOO0 ex
pended Bnt then Mr. Wizard has been benefited
and few of his friends, and that was presumably
the object In view.
THE RUMoRED MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
THE PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.
The Secretary of the Navy dIsposes of the rumored
difficulty between himself and the Secretary of the
Treasury as follows: "There is nothing in it. So
far from there being any controversy on the subject
referred to- it has not been mentioned between
myself and the Secretary, or between myself and
the President for the last three months. AS un-
derstand che real fact to be, Senator Cattell was
appointed, last Summer Agent of the Treasury De-
partment in relation TO Syndicate matters abroad
but was prevented from going by the protracted
sickness and final death of bis wife. Whether it
will now be worth while for him to CO. IN view OF
the long deav and the fact that the Syndicate con-
tract terminates very shortly, IS matter entirely
for the Treasury Department, and upon which
don't profess to have an opinion, but am sure Mr.
Cattel will not consent to go In any event uuiess
the Secretary of the Treasury desires him to do so
THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE DISTRICT
GOVERNMENT.
Many members of Congress and others who have
had the patience to read the very long bill of the
Select Committee, providing o government for the
District of Columbia. consider it complicated in its
details and therefore if enacted in its present form
would lead to much confusion; and eminent lawyers
say that the organic law of the District should be as
brief as the Constitution of the United States and
as long if not longer, than the act establishing
the Treasury Department. No doubt the bill will
undergo much amendment, including the taxation
clause which, while apparently designed for the re-
lief of ax-payers from their present burdens. keeps
the taxes at their present rates. namely SO on the
SlOO The substantive features of the bill will,
however, be preserve
CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY AS TO SOUTHERN
AFFAIRS.
In the distribution of the Presidents message
among the various committees of the House on
Wednesday last the portion of ii relating to the
troubles in Arkansas referred to the select Com
mittee already existing that subject, and that
portion of the message relating to Louisiana and the
other Southern States, except Arkansas, was re-
ferred to q select Committee of seven to be ap-
pointed by the Speaker. This Committee has not
vet been appointed. 1t is very probable that after
II has been appointed and organized 1t will proceed
tn take testimony through sub-committees or other
wise relative TO the disturbed condition of Missis-
sippi and Louisiana.