The New York herald., 1874-12-28

Represen tatives letter OF the l4th INST, from
the Chief OF Ordnance, relative to the luture
armament OF permanent works, with an estimate
for s5oO,Ooo to convert smooth-oore guns into
rifles and for an experimen tal and proving ground
Ior heavy ordnance.
WILLIAM w. BELKNAP, Secretary OF War.
NECESSITIES or THE NATIONAL DEFENCE.
ORDNANCE OFFICE, WAR DEPARTAENr,
WASHINGTON. Dec. H. 1874.
sIR-I the honor submit, tor the action of the
Secretary OF War. the iollowing:- .
my ne See h pror 10 ne ne ." co
gress such valuable information would be obtained .
nearly ready or trial as WoId enable this 70
ss o ass
formation Is not 50 complies as was suhceht EN-
lowing recomnie ndations:-
guns Sci 5,incn Rodman guns, smooth bore; l.2SA
Ioinch Rodman guns smooth bore 30 Sinen PaTget 1ae
reliable when using the heavy battering charges
tsined-are 50 few in number constitute but
important item among me isl guns required ior our
hiile guns ranging from inches in calibre with
the arnlor OF ironclad essels provided The
res The Guns Of as as sy oI w
sy s Gl e d 10 s
rife in every important Janetuls inc old smooth
b s0Is has o place e ns s s
Conviction that the Gays Of smooth Sranance are
the first grand stride toward the nroducten q great
in ARy e @ e s bae
reputation as ordnance officer is world wide, ana
most mos then Known soon SURPASSED
ifs,OoJ pounds and throwing a shot weighing l.oS0
pounds. 90 o,.as - ,odorn x.reor.
ras a he Smashing Sa aa Of
weive.inch rife that win pierce the thickest Iron
coNvERrING SMOOTH BoRKs INTO RIFLES
ow s an Ss s to the aer s
distinguished officers IN every county and caused the
thas seei is the best or guns that
far too costly to be
iron guns lined with steel adopted ~ England have
ue ss nn
ture In this country The success Of the Ordnance De.
Cannon has been marked and satsiactorv and we may
n ,as the World they reaSre 70 be strehs
sed 5sv g % ss s % srSad
OF lining. cast IRON with wrought iron or steel has
our cheap cast iron smooth bores into powerful and
ecen rifles Wns a nIs Tar Win la ESd
an eightncn rifle gives promise o. success; and an
pSby
nsn rife hss II Gsd rs w1a BAD
pounds shot giving an average velocity Of ~ about bout
armor at distances from go to 200 yards lhs success
1924 tennch smoothbore which. as smooth borea
Them INTO sght-inch rifles capable Of penetrating
ali the greater from the fact that the OF our
aST s he
cam @ @ e nd c
in power 10 meet the greater demands that modern
again urging upon Congress the absolute necessity
in lighting condition ty providing their armament
S ss Which
saas suns IT. indeed all
i.s armament.more, IKE , Dodv without M soul ana
s Sc 1
e hava @ 70 oe e II r e par Of
wisdom TO be prepared future mat occur in the
ssnty .s ess disrssarasi ana county
a an enemy the o
all subsequent disasters canno rest on the ordnance
Department OF the Army nor the secretary OF War, nor
have therefore, the honor to recommend that ap.
preparation $50 600 be made by CONGRESS convert
Ing guns INTO rifles 3y nins wth u wr0vgnt
atleast l4O guns
periments and tests Of heavy rhed ordnance The
ses seere,ars 3 VAR snae
Seen a a tie
the early sRrnI he
ne S nf With Guy
y tho s d os fw y
above this department has been hampered by the want
national defence. have had to be conducted
embarrassments and with the rudest appi
ana conveniences
ii is expec by the opening Of spring eight guns,
varying caiIbre from eight to twelve inches, and
weight from $1,000 to S 900 pounds will be ready for ir-
ing. The firing Of u twelve-Inch rifle Is
sive business, each round fired costing about Sl0U.
the gun may stand so rounds its trial will cost $500O0
and only degree will the be in the trial
OF guns of smaller calbre.
Funds necessary tor this purpose should be appro
prated and, added u this, sufficient to provide
all the carrages-depressing and others-butts and
platforms and all the appliances, convcnences and
labor required tor the prosecution of such exact AMI
portant work.
know OF no military or naval power that has not
provided experimental and proving ground with
every facility for conducting trials upon grand scale,
and there IS no way OF avoiding considerable expend
while seeking and obtaining the necessary data
from which conclusions that will lead to such
large expenditure III the future in arming forfca
tons.
have, therefore, the honor to recommend that an
APPROPRIATION OF S2Uu0J be made for proving ground
anu experiments and rests of heavy ordnance.
ei' ''N' s V.BENET,
Brgadier General, Chief OF Ordnance
Hon SECRETARY OF WAR