428 MEMOIR OF DAXIEL TKEADWELL. 



To LiKUTEXAXT CUAULES HeNRY DaVIS, U. S. N. 



Cambridge, March 30, 1846. 



Dear Sir, — I aua exceedingly obliged to you for your attention in the matter of my cannon. 

 I have delayed answerin^' your last letter from an expectation of receiving from Colonel Talcott 

 an account of some definite action by the Ordnance Board of the War Office, but I am yet held 

 in waitiu" for it. 1 have come to the conclusion that any furtlier attempt, for tlie jtrcscnt, to 

 obtain the favor of the officers of the Navy Ordnance will be useless, and I shall therefore give 

 it over. I do tiiis the more willingly, as I thiuii that tlie Army Ordnance will soon do all that 

 I can reasonably expect in the way of ordering a contract for field guns. As the matter stands, 

 therefore, any action of Mr. King, or other members of committees, would not, as I think, be 

 useful to me, while it would be troublesome to themselves. Still, 1 am much obliged to him 

 for his readiness to attempt an advance. 



Renewing the expression of my thanks for your attention, I assure you that I am most 

 truly your obedient servant, 



Daniel Tread well. 



To Colonel George Talcott. 



CAireniDGE, April 14, 1846. 



Dear Sir, — I determined when I left Washington that T would not give you the trouble of a 



letter again until 1 should have sometiiing definite from you of the result of the meeting of your 



Board of Ordnance. My impatience, however, under my present state of doubt and suspense, 



has overcome my resolutions so far as to make me ask of you whether you have yet had the 



contem])latcd meeting of your Board. You saw that I despaired of the Xavy when in 



Washington. Nothing has occurred to alter that feeling, and if your Department do no more 



for me, 1 must rest with no more done. . . . 



Daniel Treadwell. 



Mr. T. B. King, May 20, 1846, reported from the Committee on Naval Affairs a 

 bill for the construction of twelve iron war steamers, and one iron frigate. They 

 were to be of not less than twelve hundred nor exceeding sixteen hundred tons 

 burden, with a speed of at least fifteen miles an hour in ocean navigation in ordi- 

 nary weather, and capable of carrying an armament of at least six of Treadwell's 

 wrousrht-iron tjuns of not less than twelve-inch calibre, and from two to four smaller 

 guns of the same manufacture. The following is an extract from their report.* 



" The committee have recommended that the armament of these ships shall consist of 

 Treadwell's wrought-iron guns, of at least twelve-inch calibre, and it is proper that something 

 should be presented in support of the recommendation. For this purpose the committee 

 submit an ample extract from Mr. TrcadwoU's pamphlet, which will be found at the close of 

 this report, and will, it is believed, fully justify their views. Tt is perhaps true that some 

 prejudice exists against the employment of wrought-iron guns ; but it is not doubted that Mr. 

 Treadwell's improvements, and a full and thorough examination of the subject, will dispel all 



• See House Due. Xo. Cdl, 29th Congress, 1st Session. 



