New-York tribune., 1883-11-04
TIE ORDNAACB DEPAETlLEST
GENERAL BENErs ANNUAL REPORT.
YEAR OF PRoGGEss-ExPERIMEvT WITH HEAVY
ORDNANCE.

ORDNANCE.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3-Brigadicr-Gcn 5.
v Benet Chief OF Ordnance has submitted 10 the Sccre
tary of War his annual report The report shows that
the resources of hodcpartnent including $,930O9s in
appropriations and Sl30O37 realized from sales rents,
collections from troops, etc, S29lj,s63 The cx-
penditurcs 81 ,903.5G9 The amount dcDostcd In
Treasury as proceeds from the sale Of Government prUp
erty was $0I, ESQ; turned into the surplus fund,
Sl4s94s to tho credit Of dsbursng officers June 80,
1888 S227s14 and in the Treasury the credit o. ap
propriations, SG297Ol. There manufactured at
the National Armory 33,621 arms, including rifles
bines and shotgnns large amount Of work was also
done in repairing, making splTe parts manu-
featuring swords and Sabres, and miscellaneous supplies.
The arOry, General Benet says, continues hold its
high reputation for the superior character OF It's work
and proiucs. II is believed that the three magazine
guns-the Lee Chafee-ReCce, and the HOtchkss-wi he
forthcoming in time to ho sent into the field early next
slrug The iial Of these guns representing the sys
tens Of detachable and fixed magazines, win be Of value
military service sufficient number OF Spriugle ld shot
guns have been completed and the troops west Of tho
Mi4ss-iuui have been supplied with them These guns
have been acceptable to The soldier In the field II ia not
known that any Other army III Tue world on frontier SER
skin in the handling OF arms while providing variety OF
Uuder the specific provisions Of the a making appro-
prtaii0ns for iOrtihcatiuns, ETC., approved March 3,
1855 canLacS s, i navy all 'Dm D Maue ~ lOhoMs,
into tgntiach rides, by lining vita coiled wrought
non tnoGi Lor aSY T$T & 60 m cast east IRON neeG EN-
trulnions with steel tube wrapped with wire; for
ytee Ioops; for making tennch east iron breech
loading rie, wrapped with stfl wire aud twelve
steel hOOps for the tubes hOOpr etc. for egnt and
one tennch steel rifle for testing the devices for Dreech
Theodore Yatesj and twenty-five carriages for HIteen
inch smooth bore guns have been ordered TO be altered
tO permit tbe OF increased powder charges. In the
purely experimental guns tnls list, with exception
steel IA used wholly or in part In the construction
whether not gun steel In suitable masses and Of the
requisite quality, could b' procured in this country had
first TO be considered Ia order to put the wants fairly
and squrey before ule SJc nanuidciurcu OF the Utd
States circular letter inc'ong drawings and giving tie
weights and dimensions OF the steel iorginSs for an
bieech loading rihe ana II" mlZZic loading nhcd
mOrer, desired Tor the armament OF fOrlihcdOus,
freely distributed to more tnan twenty OF the principal
stsei VOTES III u country Inc replies were WIN one OF
two exceptions crse to undertaking such work. arising,
the Chiei OF Ordnance presumes from skill and
knowledge in the treatment OF steel Tor gun construction
and from the want OF the requisite plant perfect
forgngs. General Benet says the conclusion reached
was tnt the plant the experience In this country can
yet produce the steel Oring for tube ana Jacket
for 50 large gun az an Snen cali0re. The tubes and
Jacket required for the and 10 inch steel guns have,
thereforo ordered from Sir Joseph Wnirw0rth Co.
beng comparatively email mass and readily produced
from ordinary ure m Jdeir manufacture mas been
dertaken by the Midyuc steel Company OF Pnadeluni
Three experimental hoops ordered from this com
pany for test In order TO ascertain how nearly hey cod
up to tine requirements OF Departments circular
thtse hoops largest size tnat
viii be required the Experimental guns and one was
anBeaod after rolling, whie other was oiltcmpcred
aud anneaed The third hoop hammered aud oil
TEMPERED being ~ the ze Ted for the smaller hoops
Of the ehtnCu gun, which are sufficiently large 10
admit OF bcng rolled h the mil at the Midyile works.
Inc results Obainea from inc mechanical OF
hoops. by traction and by hopping tests show that
they nliy equal In qualify to Le hoops on Euro
pciD The BlCcess attained In the faBrica-
uon these nOOps reccts credit manufacturers
aud e5thes TO their knowledge both Of the auaiLes
requsLo in gun hoops and the best methods OF nufac-
ture and treatment FOR producing them under pro
yision of the APPROPRIATION act to make and test az
thought best account Of its greater simplicity
10 make tweiye-inc. gun on the Italian system Duf
favorable repOrt having been received OF behavior OF
the Italian twcVeinCh guns When chdmbered for charges
OF go pounds that eyrteIn abandoned Tor tne
French. As regards the twelve-inch mortar castirOn