New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-25
FnRTS AND HEAVY GUNS.
SOME POINTED SUGGESTIONS BY GENERAL BfNE
ABOUT SMALL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sINGLI
SHELL lHEowS IL NEw-YoRK CITY WOULD COS

my TELEGRAPH TO the rRreuSE.l


SHELL IHEOwS II Ntw-YoM CITY WOULD COST
TIE COUNTRY.
my TELEGRAPH the TRIBUNE.
WAsHINGroN, Feb. Representative Morse. of
Massachusetts. presented In the House io-day&
memorial signed by Mayor Prince. Hugh O'Brien,
james J. Flynn. Charles V. Written, Henry n.
Shepard and Henry f. Coo, members of Common
Council of Boston. This paper set forth the present
defenceiess condition Of The llarbor of Boston. IL
urged an immediate appropriation for beginning
the work of strengthening the barbor Qualifications
IL was referred to the Committee on ApproDria-
lions.
The Publications Appropriation bill. which Is at
this time vet pending I'm tho Senate devotes
SljOOOO TO the repair and preservation Of fortif-
cations. and 800, 600 TO the manufacture Of ord
nance. The first amount is $50. 900 larger than the
appropriation named IN the bill when 1t passed the
House The latter appropriation has been lucteased
by $25,O 900.
The sum Of $50, 900 Will perhaps be enough
90 maintain the Notifications in their pres
ent condition during the next fiscal year, but Will
not be sufil rnt 81 undertake any of the improve
ment, recommended by the Engineer Department,
or those asked at the cities Of Newlork aud Boston
The total asked for for Notifications was nome
thing more than Si.000,0O0 The Secretary
of War cut tins estimate OF the Chlet OF
Engineers down 10 81 600 900, as the lowest point
70 which economy ia this direction could reason
abs be carried. The inconsistency of Congress Is
manifested in this action. as compared with It's
beligeTent position III connection Win wv ln'ci
oceanic Canal.
In the matter of ordnance. Congress will have
heeu more than ordinarily liberal if the
bill passes in its present form. yet the
work which can be accomplished with 100000
will be only drop IN the bucket IN
COMPARISON with the estimated necessities OF the
service.
.'We ought to have million every year, and it
! ought 10 be permanent animal Appropriation. 50
! that we can depend upon IT., SAID General BeEet'
| Chief of Ordnance. 10 correspondent Oh
TYr TRIBUNE. If we could rely upon "A sniii-
Gent appropriation to carry ont the work of gun
making as extensively our circumstances seem to
reoui,e the foundrics could afford to put in plant
| to Incet.the contracts, and the work would come
| much cheaper to the Government"
The bill provides for the manufacture OF four
| twelye.inch riAed brcccl-oaders. This is a new
| kind of arm for Americans to manufacture; but
General Benet has no doubt OF his ability to con-
struc them so that they will compare fayorably
| with guns Of similar calIbre made abroad They
will necessarily be made of cast iron. there no
steel foundries III this country capable of undertake
| ing the manufacture Of pieces of such magnitude.
| The steel jackets must be imported. According
| 10 General Benet's estimate these four guns will
| cost between 100000 and $4,000, and their
| carriages will cost $40, 000 This therefore will
| reduce the appropriation 10 be expended upon the
| CONVERSION Of the smOOth-b0re guns now
on hand into rife guns, work d OF pressing
General Benet saws that with the sum naneu III The
blll he will only be able TO construct four twelve
inch and TO convert about hve eieVen1hcn anu
| abOnt eight smaller smooth-bOres into rihes. Inc
| whole wears work If devoted to the equipment OF
| New-YOIk harbOr alone, would only ne ABOUT one
| tenth Of The armament required TO make the harD0r
| reasonably safe.
| People have been running mad about torpe-
does" sand General Benet, but they don't take
into consideration that rs much Inventive skill mas
been expended upon the means for TAX ing mp or de-
| suOying tOTpedOes as IN making and placing theln
in position. 10 make use OF toIpedoes you must be
approaches position where there IS Iea-
son TO apprehend danger from torpedoes,
she will send her boats TO take them out OF the way
| Now TO defend them aud drlye away the boats Won
must have heavy artillery as the vessel herself
| carries or else she will approach near enough to de-
fend her boats while yet remaining out of the reach
of your artillery, So, you see heavy artillery Is
| necessary even for the use OF torpedoes.
| Again" continued General Bcnet. " let New
York harbor be protected as IL may with torpedOes
and let such a man as faTagnt approach II with a
| dozen ships, and he will get in. The prize is 80
, great that be could afford to sacrifice some
of his ships. He would doubtless send ;, a
| destruction. and half dozen more after
. her. if necessary, following a straight line one
after the other Az Iast one woniI GET o in anG
within twenty four hours. and believe they woulo
, | get it, One big she'll thrown into New-YOrk City
| would have a tremendous effect l should think
shell would DO worth 81 600, 900 10 the assailant.
THE BADLY-MANAGED INDIAN BUREAU.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSEl
| WAsHINGToY Feb. 24.-One of the members o