The record-union., 1891-11-05
WEAPONS OF WAR.
WEAPONS OF WAR.
REPORT OF GENERAL FIAGLER ON
THE SUBJECT.
Great Need of a We1I-Equfpped Sea-
Coast Carriage Factory for
Large Guns.
Special TO the REcoRp.uNror.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-General Flag
Ter, Chief of Ordnance, in his annual re-
port to the Secretary of War, says the
labor involved and difficulties to be sur
mounted in supplying Notifications with
the new model Of disappearing carriages
for large guns is perhaps greater than
that of supplying the guns themselves.
Unfortunately this work is some wears
behind the guns. The department is in
great need of a well-equipped seacoast
carriage factory for this work, and the
report recommends an appropriation for
further enlarging the facilities for the
manufacture of carriages at the Water
town Arsenal.
The department has thus far completed
two S-lnch, one 10-inch, and one Finch
breech-loading, steel rified guns. The
nrSt S-lnch gun was tested with German
SmokeleSs powder with significant result.
fifty pounds of the compound giving the
proJectile higher velocity, with about
the same pressure, as 125 pounds of black
powder. The time allowed the Pneumatic
Dynamite Gun Company for the delivery
OF ten guns has been extended to Janu-
airy LIST next for the first delivery. and
July lst for the last.
Among the estimates submitted was
5000 for the equipment of the south
wing OF the army gun factory, and 81 ,I22. =
600 for oil-tempered and annealed steel
for s, 10 and 12-inch guns, including parts
required for manufacture of the type of
16-inch guns.
The recent improvements in the resist
ing power OF ships armor would seem
to still further emphasize the al
ready recognized necessity for guns of
this caliber. AS it would be foolish to
conclude that the improvements in the
resisting power of armor had reached
final limit, and as much time was re-
CURED TOR completing type of gun of
such nigh power as may become abso-
lutely necessary for overcoming such re-
slstance, the sooner the work was com
menced the better.
Other estimates are: For steel Pinch
coast mortars, S725 200; for their carriages.
SAY. 900; carriages for new s, 10 and 12-
inch guns, Sl, 500, 900; enlargement of the
gun-carriage plant at Watertown, Mass.
Sl5l, 600; armor-piercing proiectiles. S2O.
600; Drew piercing Pinch shells. SlOO'
600; alterations of Is and I6-inch carri
ages, 100000.
The report describes at length the ex-
hatstlve experiments made by the de-
partment with magazine small arms in
cluding the latest European models. On
this subject the report says: Reports
from our army show that expert soldiers
can fire the present service Springfield
single-loader with an accuracy generally
needed IN action about twenty times nor
minute. AS far as the rapidity of firinp
alone is concerned, these reports reduce
somewhat the almost universally esti
mated necessity for an immediate cbange
to the magazine system. 1t is important
to state that up to the present time in
yestigations made and the knowledge
gained by this department has not dem
onStrated so much the excellence in
magazine arms which have been adopted
by foreign nations as was expected, and
have not shown such perfection in any
one of them as could warrant its adoption
for our services. 1t is hoped that this
country can produce better arms. and
until it can, or certainly until it has been
demonstrated that it cannot, it would be
wise to defer change from the excellent
single-loader now in service to the mag
azine system. No efforts should be spared
10 arrive at satisfactory magazine ann,
The new caliber Springfield is said to
nave been very successful with smoke
less powder.