The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-16
NOT Welded TO THE SYSTEM.
disappearing, Gun Discussed I'm Gen.
eral Bu}inxton,. Report.

/
The report of Brigadier General Buff
hngton, Chief Of Ordnance, U. S. A., for the
nscal year ending June 30, was made pub
lie yesterday. fhe amount of expenditure:
is given as s9,712, 1854, while the re-
sources amounted to $29, 396,7ss.
1t is stated that during the year $1,000
small arms had been distributed to the
various States and Territories. Con-
demned cannon to the number of 2e2
and 2,14 projectiles were given away
ana loaned to associations and municipal
corporations.
The report states that the output Of
the Springfield Armory during the year
was increased to 400 guns per day, in
Voiving the employment of a day and a
night force. At the close of the year the
output was reduced to 200 arms per day,
with a single shift, necessitating the
discharge of about 1000 men. The total
number OF arms manufactured during the
hscal year 1900 was 54,701 rifles, caiibre
80. and $50 carbines, besides sabers and
swords fer the artillery and cavalry.
ol,252 bayonet scabbards, and large num-
bers OF spare parts. The present capacity
OF the armory, working eight hours per
day, Is 200 arms
Under the head of rapid-fire sea coast
guns, the report says:
| The progress of the armament has
reached stage, long ago contemplated, at
which guns OF smaller and medium calibre
are called for by the engineers and are now
being built and emplaced. These guns
should be in as high a degree az possible
rapid fire. and also of the highest power
for their respective calibres. In anticipa-
] ton OF these requirements the first mod
| els for 5-inch and 6-inch guns were de-
signed in 1897. Recent improvements in
smokeless powder and in the methods OF
mounting have rendered possible an in
crease OF power beyond what was then
thought practicable or advisable, and new
model Q960) for the 6-inch gun has been de-
/ signed. which is expected to give about
1900 feet muzzle velocity. as compared with
ZOO feet for the 1897 model. OF this latest
model, twenty 6-inch guns are under
construction. OF the 1897 model. twenty
eight 5-inch and thirty 6-inch have been
i very nearly completed. lacking the primer
seats, which have been changed in design.
During the past year there has
developed a reactionary feeling
in respect to the present
disappearing system of carriages for sea-
coast guns, and the belief on the part Of
, some officers that it has been followed too
exclusively. II this opinion is we'll found
ed, it is serious matter. The disappear
ing system was adopted by the Endicott
Board in 1886 after exhaustive enquiry and
most careful consideration by the distin-
guished officers who composed 1t, and was
accepted by the joint committee Of Con-
gress which had in charge the general sub
ject of coast defences for legislative pur-
poses. There was at the time no disappear
ing carriage known to the world which
satisfied fully the requirements, and 1t is
inferred that the highest military authority
deemed that theyisappearing principle was
of such paramount importance or SO Pc
/; culiarly desirable thai it must be adopted.
and that suitable carriage would ulti-
mately be forthcemisg for 1t.
"It was therefore presented to the Ord
nance Department as a problem to be
solved, and the present service carriage Is
the best solution 1t has been able to find.
So far as experience has gone. 1t has
worked well, and in fact much more sat
isfactorily than was anticipated. 1t is
presumed, however, that the question
raised involves the disappearing system
itself, and the severe requirements it i'm
poses upon the carriage builder. 1t chal-
lcnges the necessity for such protection to
the gun, its carriage and men, and sug-
gests an open rampant carriage simpler In
function and therefore simpler in design
and perhaps capable. Of quicker action and
more rapid fire. - -
1.-THE department is not by any means
welded to the disappearing system. 1t ac-
cepted it from higher authority as con-
dition to which 1t was required to con-
form. but is ready to take up from the
proper authority any other system and
devote its energies 20 making 1t success
full. 1t has already provided the balanced
pillar mounts for 5-inch guns, and is max
ing similar ones for 6-inch guns. and is
prepared to take into consideration forms
of pedestal or pillar mounts for still
larger caiibres, or carriages of nondisap-
pcaring barbette type as may seem best.
Additional contracts for ISL 900
pounds of smokeless powder have been
made during the year. of which 800, 600
pounds are for heavy seacoast guns and
mortars. 1t is believed that the difficult
ties encountered last year and referred to
in the last annual report have been over
come. and that the powders now in course
of delivery will prove as satisfactory In
respect to their Keeping qualities as they
have proved to be in respect to ballistic
qualities.
In this country mixtures OF gun cot
ton and nitroglycerine have been expert |
mented with extensively. and powders
containing about 25 per cent of nitrogly-
cerine were produced, which at first show
ed excellent ballistic qualities without |
the appearance of any excessive erosion, |
But after some months or year of stor- |
age their properties were much changed |
Their action became violent and full |
charge destroyed new 10-inch rife This |
result was wholly unexpected Why a |
gun cotton with 60 per cent of nitrOgly- |
cerine and one with no ntroglycerine at |
all should both remain stable indefinitely, |
as experience thus far indicates, while |
a mixture of 25 per cent Of nitroglycerine |
should be unstable. has not yet been cx- |
planned.
1.-The seventy 5-inch siege guns and sew
enty Finch siege howitzers which were |
referred to in the last report as the con-
templated stock Of these guns are APP
preaching completion, twentyseven of the |
guns and twenty of the howitzers remain
ing to be finished The delay has Teen |
by reason of some changes in the design |
of the breech mechanism which has been
finally determined. so that the work will |
at once be resumed. The carriages for
these guns are in an advanced state of
progress, and supply of harness, tools,
and implement chests is also under manu-
facture. Four batteries of four guns each |
and four batteries Of four howitzers each.
equipped with all accessories and ready
for issue at a moments notice. will soon
be completed out Of the amount appropri-
ated In the Fortifications bill approved
May Is, 1900
Population OF Michigan.
The Census Bureau yesterday an
nounced the population of Michigan as