involved in the Construction of Artillerrj. 411 



in order to reply, once for all, to the pretensions of an invention which claims to be good, 

 and is often represented as new.' — Aide Memoire, vol. ii. p. 784, &c. Paris, 1819. 



" Some of the Spanish writers speak of wrought-iron guns. Thus, Ciscar, in his 

 ' Tradada de Artilleria,' Madrid, 1829, says : — ' We do not owe tlie information that 

 wrought-iron cannon of all descriptions formerly existed, to the Chevalier d'Arcy alone, 

 but also to many writers. Texier de Norbec, amongst others, treated at leno-th of various 

 guns of this kind. From 1666 to 1694, there was one in the Arsenal of Zurich, in Switzer- 

 land, of 24 lbs. caliber, the constituent parts of which admitted of being dismounted and 

 replaced at pleasure.' 



" ' In the Arsenal of Paris are found two pieces — one a 16, and one an 8-pounder, 

 constructed of tubes, one within the other, secured by strong band?, and the whole welded 

 together; and I am assured that we have in our own establishments two wrought-iron 

 guns, light, and of perfect workmanship.' 



" ' At the Chateau of St. Dizier, a very old piece was found, of a caliber of 20 inches, 

 and weighing 7616 lbs. The chase was made of wrought-iron, and the chamber and breech 

 cast of the same metal. At Harty, also, were some pieces, 12 or 16-pounders, of wroufht- 

 iron, which do not appear to have been fabricated in the usual manner, with bars, and 

 banded, welded together ; nor is the process known. They weigh about 8000 lbs.' 



" Again — ' At Brest is a cannon taken from the English, weighing 77231bs., 11 ft. 1 in. 

 long, and of 6 in. caliber. The bore is made of seven bars of wrought-iron, secured by 

 bands of the same metal.' — Aide Memoire, vol. ii. p. 784. 



" It appears that wrought-iron guns have been made from the earliest times, and were, 

 until superseded by the introduction of cast-iron and bronze cannon, the principal artillery 

 in use; that at different periods since the general use of cast guns, efforts to construct 

 serviceable cannon of wrought-iron have been made by the principal European powers, 

 and that, whatever may have been the cause, they have not been again employed in active 

 warfare. The inference is, therefore, although no further information than the foregoin" 

 is in the possession of this Bureau, that they have not been used, for good and suflBcient 

 reasons. 



" The two wrought-iron guns on board the steamer ' Princeton,' being the only guns 

 of that description ever used in the Navy, no opportunity has been afforded this Bureau of 

 ascertaining the relative strength and utility of wrought and of cast-iron cannon. 



" All of which is respectfully submitted. 



" I have the honour to be, very respectfully, Sir, 



" Your obedient servant, 



" W. M. Crane. 

 '■'■Hon. John Y. Mason, Secretary of the Navy, 

 Washington." 



