New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-01

,rss POWDER EXPERIMENTS-THE COY
rrN,lEyr AND TIE MILITIA.
Washington, Oct. G-A detailed account u
what has been accomplished III ordnance o' o
army during the last fiscal year - coi'a",eu ~
Tho annual report which Brgadier-ueheral ~ W.
Fl.clor Chief of Ordnance, has suomi''eu " INC
Socre,arv OF War During the year thA ordnance
Dorartmcnt expended s3,7o22G. leaving IN the
,,aasurv sis,s5n to the credit of its appropria-
,,on All this money will be required during the
coming year to meet payments 'i'a' WI" '"'' "a'
,,,e,.ion is invited to the inadequacy OF the
genoral appropriation for arnlnS anu equiPp"s
the militia The act of l@s hxed the a'hou'i'
annually allotted for the militia OF the o'"'e' IA.
s,,o ooo The act of February II, 1887. increased
,,is onnroprlatlon but made it include also camp
,a ,arr,son eouipage and clothing furnished by
tho Ouartc.mastcr's Department. General fiaeier
states that this act, instead OF Increasing the APP
nronrlations for arming and cquipping the "i'.ni
Chat is. the portion used for arms ana cuu'p-
morts, as w,s intended by Congress- actually re-
suited in a reduction Of this portion of the appro-
ration that year to $4,000. The War Department
is troubled by requests the States for larger
sipplies than can be furnished under the aiiot-
mcntJ
Considerable space is devoted by General flasier
to smokess pc vdcr. Every reasonable encourage
ment has been extended TO inventors and producers
vi smokcess powders In the United states IN sonn-
slcring tho results which have been oplalheu III me
dcvcopment of smokless powders t or oaI ,b,t
General gler said that II should be observed tlat
besides the unccrtainty-which as yet exlsts-re-
speeding the stability Of these compounds, new
objection to their IL Raised abroad 1T Is stateo
on the authority Of European manufacturers, VINO
nave had number OF years experience III I'M, me
manufacture aud test of srnOkeesS powders, mat
The hign heat evolved In their combustion par,cd-
larlv OF the chemically combined smokeess powders
fuses ard cOrrotes the metal AT the surface OF tne
bore and perhaps even alters the molecular condl-
ton OF the steel AS q result the life or the gun u,
il is asserted, materially shortened. $500
several lois Of deci;-piercing shells have been
furnished the department, and while the naiIis.
tic tests were very fair the manufacture mas not
yet reached the high standard required for piercing
The heaviest decks OF modern Warships without
brcaknS up the prujecte. II is the purpose or the
deuartn ri to supplement the deck piercing shell
with another type OF smell for the service, TO ne or
steel with very thin walls and capable OF holding
A large charge say 100 pounds or more OF gun cot
ton emmenstc, and armed with a quick-acton
fuse. designed to burst upon impact.
ON. cight-incn and two nfteen-inch pneumatic
dynamite guns. with suitable projoctes, are 10 be
delivered at sandy Hook for trial in January next,
and three nftcen-inch pneumatic dynamite guns
are to he delivered at Fort Winfield Scott, Call
forna. In July.
a test OF the Hotchkiss three-inch breech-load-
ing mountain sun. very valuable in Indian warfare.
has resulted satisfactorily and General tlaeler says
pieces or this type may safely be put In use.