St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-04
STANDING OF THE ARMY,
Secretary Endicott's Talk About
Shot and Shell Reduced to Pow


der.
The secretary of war reports that the
army at the date of the last consolidated
returns consisted of 2,1S9 officers and
"a, $40 enlisted men. The actual eXpend-
itures of the war department for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1888,
amounted to $4l, l65, 107.07, of which sum
50. 15S, 1858 was expended for public
works, including river and harbOr im-
proyementS. "The board of ordnance
and ratification" provided for under
the act approved Sept. % last, was con-
yened Oct. 80, 1888, and plans and spec
itcatiOnS for procuring fOrglngS for
ely hit, ten and twelvc-inch guns, under
provision of section 4, and also for pro-
curing twelve-nch breech-lOading NOR
tars, cast iron, hoOped with steel, under
provisions of section OF the said act,
we're submitted to the secretary OF war
for reference to the board by the ord
nance department OF the same date.
These plans and specifications having
been promptly approved by the board
and the secretary of war, the necessary
authority to publish advertisements in
yiting proposals in the newspapers
throughout the country was granted by
the secretary Nov IL, and Nov. ID the
advertisements were sent out to the
different newspapers designated. The
bids for the steel forging are to be
opened Dec. 20, 1888. and for the NOR
tars Dec. Is, 1883. A board of ordnance
officers was convened at the Watervliet
arsenal Oct. 4, 1888, to prepare the
necessary plans and specifications for
the establishment of an army gun rae
tory at that point. The preliminary re-
port of the board, with estimates for
shop building and officers quarters, was
approved by the board of ordnance and
Notifications Nov. 6 and s. The speci-
fications and form of advertisement and
instruction to bidders have been pre-
pared, and advertisements inviting the
proposals for the excavation for the
Shop building and Tor erecting the two
sets of officers quarters have been pub
lished.
THE NEW GUN FACTORY.
The detailed drawings and speclfica-
tons for the new gun factory building
are we'll in hand and will be finished
within three or four months, when bids
will be invited for the erection OF the
building. The list of machines, ETC., Is
made out, and it is expected that the
plans for the large lathes. ETC., will be
completed within about four months,
ana, AFTER approval Dy The DOdru Oh ORD
nance and fertilization, bids for the
furnishing the same will be invited.
The machines and other fixtures will
be completed as soon as the shop is in
readiness to receive them, probably
about 1890. Under the provisions Of
the carmy bill for the procure
ment of dynamite guns, the, nee
essary specifications are now being
prepared, and advertisements for pro-
posals will issue early in December.
The guns will probably be of fifteen
inches caliber and fire prOjectile that
will carry a charge, each of about 500
pounds of explosive gelatine, with full
callber projectiles. The guns will
probably be delivered in from six to
ten months from the date of the con-
tract, SO that all the guns of this class
that can be procured under the pro-
visions of the law will be purchased
during the year 1889.
STANDING BY THE SECRETARY.
/ earnestly request that the reconl-
mendatiOns contained in the secretary's
report, all of which are, in my opinion,
calculated to increase the usefulness
and discipline of the army, may receive
the consideration OF this congress.
Among these the proposal that there