New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-27
VIARDs ORDNANCE EXPERIMENTS

SECRETARY RoBEsoNs EEPoKT-HE Defends THE
rxIrpINENTs AND TELLS OF THE GREAT POWER
OF TIE GUNS.
lFRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE 1EibUNb'I
WASHINGTON, May 10.-Some time ago Dir.
whtthome Chairman Of the House Committee on Na'h
Affairs addressed letter 10 the Secretary of tho Navy
requesting his Committee be furnished with con-
donscd historical statement OF the experiments oil norman
Ward in heavy ordnance under the auspices OF the
Navy Department In complain e with this request
Mr. Robesou to-day submitted his reply, which, from the
nature and extent OF the transactions, Il very Volnh
nous, comprising rs II does mum 'cr Oh eAh'p''S'
consisting OF contracts and correspondence l"Fethr
with copies OF detailed reports OF tho ordnance
officers who witno ssed experiments on behali o the
Governments These reports show tho result VI Tue
earlier experiments great success under particular CIR
cnmstauces and the possibility OF converting the large
stock OF unscryccable ordnance already on mana ho
efficient aud .lcccssm weapons Of war at very snaiI
exfUnse provided the conditions OF Mr. WARDS rNpe'-
ments could be regulated 10 make thcm aip1edDe
10 the requirements OF service Tue possibility oil
THIS Gould only be- nscerained by further prosecution oi
the expermeuts and tie great interest manifested In
them the large amount OF valuable information and
dnt To be obtained from their continuance the great oh
iect attained II they should prove successful ana ihor
cheapness compared with other important experiments
in heavy ordnance 81 combined to make Their contlhu
ance desirable. \ proposition was made 10y Nh Wizard
10 tho Department for conducting series ~ expert
meus hut as the amount 10 that end was not
within The means OF the Department during any one
year without special approl riaton the proposal was
withdrawn Another WIS substituted coniinius the cx-
permcnis 10 such shOuld ne dgoctd toward tine n-
mcdnto utiliz ot tie aow Oh hand, but alto
getier unseTyccah bic FOR the purpose oI modern warfare
After hcng slightly modified by the Department, II Was
4ccepied aud Mr ward began his experiments directed
10 this end. NJ tho time continuing the experiments
IN the rncd I5-iuch guns show tLe.r eject at long
range.
To rep,rt OF the officers stailcd 70 witness the fir
lgs an lte the import aud yIue of The eXpcii
memts. Cetttin specific results were obtained "hlch
Illustrated tn. I0we cheap cast-ron gGus. rihed
On tie Nilri lai well as th' HonirIidl penetrating
mower of tie pairc.lo %, his invention known a. the
.,wsrI Milton shot" For instance. targci composed
~ live tr,ncA plates backed by ,u AMI three three
inch % at- laid horizontally, pierced, it' slot pas
ING through al and l1lsns u - frct II "ces 81 gravel
c genera, results been regarded as yry remark
able nI Il 10 sla be possible 30 repeat them unicf the
conditions Of aciu,l the pi"Di IA oil converting
our c.,ap tas,-lon guns into weapon, equally el ci'e
win the heavy ordnance la bY tEe Lns,ish Govern
nlent VIII De- solved The Secretary a.'Bns as ihr dr-
Ylrtmrn al reasons wu'h iniucei him TO make These
exr.r.inrns consideration oi thr value oi tue IT,
suit sought to e achieved ia comparison win The mod
craze cI .enl.iurc required
Great public Interest excited both nero and abroad
by the orei.al experiments, and cupons extracts nom
orl, and foreign newspaper, aud periodicals foru ON"
,f the EXHIBITS transmit e1 1hlt thry also hlIi'tth
br ierto n of C0ugrc,- and OF the naval Committee"
the House very strongly shown 10y leitc also mans
niftfsl addressed to tlc -ecIetdy, March ~ I''t'
ued ny the several members 81 TN Committee, askns
tyat eruermruts he conducted 10 this city, TIN. they
might he Witnessed by nuurrr ~ mo.rnris Of Con
,.. AMONG the 5aiaiur,s t. that lrtcT appears TIE
name OF ait WhthDTur, TIC present. Chairman "i TIE
Naval ConmitJe,. MI E'hesou proceed, To- say
hat the expenses OF experiments looking {" ini-
pr.yrnent guns pfol,citrs' &c, have always
Dern considered legitimate ana proper expenditures
of wonoy amp opattd i0r ordnance purposes, aNd iil
m mes When tue attention Of the military world a
rrcay directed TO There thugs. and al Us science at
WORK for their improvements 10 itst content without
rndeAvofng. lar ~ possible viii 'he means ht e"m
maud, to keep pace Win o." ihpoNom' ntS" q! Toe ""d
.d To pend tle none, In Obsolete ana useless material
would be piece Of stupid weakness on the part ~ Tia
deplitncnt having tho matter Ia charge, which w"n.d
NOT BE- f1riy by tie country IN Of di.astrr rcsai
~ from and ihc fact hat the original appropriation
of $4,000 WIS made ID, te ms to enable tie secretary
81 tire Navy 10 carry on his expo 'Hcnis" already
determined upon aud Ae additional fact tn1t Con ,grs-
ha- Viilu The last four years. specially appropriated
uuis lL.n SJJUOOO fur cXIe ncniai tests army orc
nance wiiiir 500 100 additional recommended tor The
same purpose army uIng the current year, proves
Da. tie necessity of this cuss ol experiments II fully
| recognized.
u.s,ys La has no reason to believe that the expert
ueIts have not conducted honestly and In good
f,ti ami IA conformity ia and Tor the purpose con
euuatrd; AIT tuat, t not considered completely
,ucces,uI ID showing tao ideas OF tr cNp-rmenier
y.s entirely correct they do show the 1908 Ibii'y Of
uii,lug al smau cost, the large stock Of ca>.-irOn
,,,ual,c, now in possession of tHe Government and the
r,.ts viii sutge.t Ia The Intelligent ordnance officer
fhs lost manner converting these now obsolete ana
almost useless weapons. IN reply 10 the closing para
,,b a. sir whlttburne's Letter npuhing whether, at
t. time Of making the contracts Tho Secretary lad re-
ceyed Trustworthy information that the experiments
were likely 10 prove of value 10 the Government hf
/ Robson says:
Though II IL not unusual In the Navy, "a everywhere
el-r IA lind prr,uns have l,te Hpprrr iiun 81 the
t!ts Of otcr people AMI Who no. called upon 10
cl themselves ready To crticiso AHA hua it win
su,c who assume r'spen tbi.ty Oi ac.oh, set nc
docs not any iunrIa Un or SUGGESTION Al tht uHie
o. aay contract Win Regard Ia L." eN cfiheh'' I" tuc
arrl That tncy We're without value To the Governments
an! ttf n iad received suaA sueEt u oh lie Sh"nid
sfl nave acted upOn Li, own judgment, guided ny the
ngyt tists ai nis onIiaIi, AOint himself bound 80
,ur I'm inc fes:u Jilities hrs Office whenever he
thinks II for the am 81 the service aud the country
,nI be,ng answcrib,, Tor the practical and iudciuis
~ cutiSe Department al tin GVerthoht 10 whom DC a.
Gncr t.e Constitution, rear1nsihe Tor lo eAtrc!ho OI
| good jud ,neut uId ability IN iis Office
| --------------
| TIE CENTENNIAL FOURTH ~ NETWORK.
| The preparations for "A brilliant celebration
Of Tie Fourth al july s lily this yeA excite general
interest and tho Nrw.loIk Centennial Committee Is
| a.. Extp.