New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-01
WASHINGTON.
ORDNANCE REPORT.


THE DKPARTMENT-M MERITS OF RIFLES.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-The following are
extracts from the annual report OF Brig.-Gen. S. v.
Benet, Chief of Ordnance, United States Army
The limited appropriations made byi Congress, much
below the estimates submitted by this bureau, have, in
many instances prevented the supplying ofthe army on
the with that superior quality of ordnance stores
which the Of such service demands and In the at
tempt to utilize the material remaining hand from
the late war every and effort has been exercised in
its selection and preparation meet the wants OF the
troops but with more less dissatisfaction nseparabe
nom the use of old material and obsolete patterns
Explanations to this effect have had to be made 10
officers in of troops in defence Of the action OF
this department, where the responsibility for limited ap-
preparations cannot rest It is very natural that in the
rapid march of improvement in all war supplies the
world over, soldiers, who are TO perform most DIN
cult and dangerous service shOuG INSIST upon the latest
and most approved models and material Of the best
quality and this department has made every effort TO
respond to their every requirement with the funds at its
disposal The appropriations therefore, for the use OF
this department should largely increased over those
for the present fiscal year. The functions OF the ord
nance Department not limited to the mere supply of
arms, &C., to small army, but are commensurate
with the whole country Its duties national in their
character and application. They intended to
pare the nation for war And, in deciding upon the
moneys he expended by IT, the wants Of the country
at large OF should be seriously cOusid
cred, aud not the comparatively trivial demands OF an
army OF % 600 men.
Olly 100000 was appropriated for the manufacture
of rifles and carbines at the National Arnory during the
present fiscal year, 1877. have submitted an estimate
of 100000 for this object, and earnestly recommend
that the appropriation of this be asked Of Con
gress. Daring the ten years preceding the war, from
1852 to 1861 an average Of S2jl, 900 per annum
appropriated for the Manufacture of arms, when the
wants of a smaller army than the present
tho, made
mittcd the gradual accumulation OF them in store.
On Oct l. 1876, our show only 1904 Springfield
rifles and 1854 Springfield carbine on hand, being
total Of 20GSS of the approved service model our
present appropriation, with what can be spared from
the appropriation for armng and equppng the militia
viii enable this department TO manufacture during the
current year about 10000 The demands from the army
and acquisitions from the militia their respective
quotas will probably take 1900 or $4,000, leaving in
store at the end the present fiscal year not more than
5000 Of these approved arms.
We have on hand many hundreds ofthousands Of mUz
ze-oadng rife muskets OF obsolete patterns, and lin
tied number repaired breechoaders but modern
must be fought with the most approved weapons and
none less perfect than the model Springfield will
satisfy soldiers The principal European Powers are
at tho present time replacing the used In the late
wars the Continent by improved models OF the
latest inventions, each nation striving to surpass her
ncghbors in the power and perfection of her Such
ascribed to securing the best in their gigantic pre-
parations for a possible conflict Ought this coun-
try to be blind to the possible wants OF
the future to be willing to depend on OBJ
solcte weapons in store and the precarious sup
plies in the arkctl deem most vital TO the interests
Of the nation that the manufacture OF by this de-
partment be steadily continued in quantities sufficient to
render a gradual accumulation Of them III store Ger
taiuty That better arm than the Springfield may some
day be invented is not at all improbable and magazine
gun will doubt be the arm Of the future but until
such one suitable for military service, has been per
fccted and approved, stock Of SprDgfelds is
necessity The affairs Of the National Armory have been
conducted in a most satisfactory under the skill
ful management OF Leut-CO j. g. Benton commanding
The necessity OF increase in the annual appropria
ton for arInng and equippng the militia is We'll
deretood and appreciated that long discussion is
called for The aggregate strength OF ,he militia OF the
United States taken from the last Army Register, Is
as follows: Organized, s472i unorgnized 3,7Ol ,977;
and only 100000 is annually appropriated for their
arms and equipments With our small standing army
the country must recruit its fighting force from the
people upon the breaking out of war. The soldiers who
fought the battles OF the rebellion nearly nan Sehe
ton ago will pass from the scene become too old
fq active service and most OF the experience OF the war
viii be lost TO the country win the ac1fs ~ 'Gc graves.
The want OF largo standing army should nc coinpCl-
stated by we-Organized, weLarmed, and weh-dls-
Tie act Of March 3, 1879 provided for giving credit
under certain conditions to States and Territories for
arms &c. issued 20 them between 1861 and 1860, ana
charged under the law for arininS ana eg1ippS 'hg
militia. The aggregate credit TO De claimed IN case a
the charges are removed undcr the conditions imposed
by law, amounts to Sl7OO,OOO. Credits nave already
been given TO the extent Of 100000, ana the latest
model OF breechloadng rifles ana other stores nave III
majority of been issued ON account thereof
There is now due and may become due III" various
States and Territories their respective quotas AN
sufficient 70 exhaust our limited stock OIL ll-
proved arms should run DC made ON II.
Under this head 1 have submitted an estimate OF
$95O0O0 for the next fiscal year Inc conversion OF
suoothbore guns into efficient Cightinch rifles has pro-
crossed satisfactorily. The eghtnch rifle, with Amer
lean tube has successfully witsood over 800 rounds
with baerug charges, and Tcmdius In tlceahle con
dtiOn. Up date three guns OF this class nave been
tested with the most satisfactory resustWo eghtlnch
and Int-iucn cdhDGrall converted rom teE-!nch
smooth-bOres. over 500 rounds fired with batter
charges from each Ciglt-nch and the nineinCh
gun, with the exterior model as the cictnch, and
consequently with thinner walls and less weight, was
fired 500 rounds, which far severely tested the sys
TEN than the other guns. II an;iCpatiOns
realized IN the success large calbers department
will have developed system OF heavy ordnance at small
EXPENSE which will compose an armament for our forts
fully able cope with foreign guns OF equal caber
Such system will bring the manufacture entirely within
the capacity of private fOundtres, using
material, and with no dependence on foreign esab
ljshmtnts.
Whatever differences Of opinion may exist as to the
relative merits OF muZze and breeclOddng cannon OF
large caber the former being exclusively used III En-
gland and the latter almost universally adopted the
Continent OF Europe, there be question that III
cascnaed works the latter system possesses obvious
and paramount advantages, are generally admitted In
determining the proper armament for ships OF war
The OF thoroughly dgested system OF target
for the of the army has long been felt The eec
tveness of the depends largely the skill of the
man who uses IL. and uniform system should be
1ecd for mo edncoton Of the snldeF i'm This re meet
Portable and permanent targets Of approved pat
tern should be supplied TO posts, and regular drill for
the practice should be liked aud authorized
WASHINGTON NOTES.
WAsHISGToN, Thursday. Nov So 1876.
L.. lat