The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-11-24
WASHINGTON.
ExaIninatIOn Begun.


committee has begun the examination Ot
witnesses. The investigation is conduct.
ed with closed doors.
REPORT OF THE ORDNANCE BUREAU.
Report Of Brigadier General Bennett,
Chief Of Ordinance Bureau U. S, Army,
shows during the past year that oil
the varied duties OF the department
and the operations Of the sever
al arsenals and national armory
have been performed with a view to
economical expenditure Of the limited
appropriations made, and an efficient and
successful administration Of the depart
ment, This bureau has for several years
past called attention to the necessity
Of an increase Of the annual appropria.
ton for arming and equipping the mill
tia. The annual appropriation Of two
hundred thousand dollars was made 10
1908, when the population Of the country
was about eight millions. At the pres.
ent time with population Of over forty
millions, the amount appropriated Is still
the same, and 1t Is impossible for this de-
partmenl to meet all demands made upon
Il by the States and Territories.
The last official reports give the follow.
ing rs m aggregate OF the strength Of the
militia Of the United States Organized
Sl,72l, unorganized 3,70l,077, and there
is little doubt that were arms and militia
ry equipments more freely supplied or
ganized forces would be greatly encOur.
aged,
The Rock Island arsenal In It's present
inCompleted state now supplies all the
militia Of most Of the States and Terrific.
ries drained by the great river and its
tributaries. Many Of the fOrtresses that
guard the coast line OF the Gulfo Mexico,
and more than one.half Of our army now
scattered from the Mississippi river to
the Rocky Mountains and beyond ure
now supplied by It. When completed
and fully equipped Us manufacturing ar
senal It's capacity will be great enough to
supply all the armies that may be organ
lied in the Mississippi Valley in any
war off great magnitude. lie urges an al-
preparation for the purchase Of site
and the erection Of q magazine for the
storage Of gunpOwder, the depot at 81.
Louis being to remote from the Atlantic
sea board TO be OF service for our wants
in the eastern section Of the country.
The manufacture ofSpringfeld rifles and
carbines at the national armory has been
carried on during the past year with all
the economy and success that the very
small appropriations would admit OF, not
more than 1900 arms will be made un-
der the existing appropriations up to
date. The entire army has been supplied
with new rifles and Carbines, calibre 45,
and we have now In store reserve sup
ply Of these arms Of about 2B,000. At the
end OF TIE present fiscal year our reserve
supply may reach total Of 10000 arms
Of new model and calibre, about enough
In case Of war to arm one corps de armiG.
1t Is not to be expected that in war our
army will be better satisfied with arms Of
obsolete patents and discarded models
than in the early days Of the rebellion
they were with the of securing Of the
foreign markets. Men who arG to meet
the enemy In battle have q right to de-
mand efficient arms OF their country In
whose defence they are willing to serve.
In our country where armies are to be
improvised, made up on the instant by
recruits from the anvil and plough, the
want Of military discipline and training
should he as much rs possible compensate
ed by the quality Of the weapon the
soldier Is to use. Our arsenals should,
therefore, be well stocked at all times
with large reserve supply Of the best
rifles and Carbines, and Congress should
In spirit Of economy appropriate liberal
y for this manufacture. Referring to the
International exhibition Of 1870 he says:
The Ordnance Bureau will make an ex.
hibit that will be creditable to our coun-
try and prove to be one Of the most at.
traclive features Of the exhibition.
In regard TO the sea coast deiences
lie says that during The past year the
proper armament OF our coast deienses
has engaged the earnest attention Of this
department, and board Of distinguished
ordnance officers has been in permanent
session, endeavoring to obtain all the
data possible with reference to the re-
sources at The command Of this bureau.
s;aa a tes sssu W '1 haS hoon ar .,,"oOS.fi te
.OI 2Nn m Il" sn".,I. viii bOt,orins sIy,0 cbor"o!
e nnJ Iii iii roun;rs % 0o,,nd " % "nJ .nsv;ooaTIo
Our large number OF smOOthbore guns
ought to be converted into rifles, IA II Is
entirely practicable to give the requisite
strength and consequent endurance by
1e STIo 'Sv n"no"in,0U,, ,h"i %s"a loor '"U oo~
inc,eI @ n s"nSv ItooE have ave- hssn V" az S S,,r.