1 ; 



ORDNANCE. 



The United States reated after the war and seemed 

 content with converting smooth-bores into rifles, which 

 wen added (u tin- smooth-bores already in our 

 furU and vessels. Tin- re|xirt.s of the war and navy 

 department* were but sorry reading for an American, 

 and the guns upon which we relied for defence were, 

 in other countries, already placed in museums as 

 i. . - 



While we were resting others were working, and as 

 happily our peaceful relations were not disturl>ed, we 

 are in a position t> profit by their ex|>erieniv. :tml it' 

 we keep out of a war tor the next ten years we shall 

 have defences miiir<l to our national needs. The 

 Vavaaaeur all-steel, built-up gun has practically IHVII 

 accepted as the best gun l>y both branches of the ser- 

 vice, and Congress has wisely appropriated the neces- 

 sary money. This step wan not taken hi the (lurk, but 

 information of every sort Wring ii|>uii guns and gun 

 construction was examined into. The principal sources 

 of information were the reports of the board 

 of the army, the gun-foundry board, composed 

 of both army and navy officers, with Commodore 

 Simpson as president ; the fortifications board and the 

 Senate and House committees on ordnance and war- 

 ships. The gun-foundry board visited the works of 

 noted gun-builders in Europe and presented a report 

 of the greatest value recommending suitable sites, 

 took, and all apparatus for the manufacture of guns 

 and the amounts necessary to carry their recommenda- 

 tions into effect The board decided that all forged. 

 tempered, and rough-bored and turned cast and forged 

 material should be drawn from the private industries 

 of the country, while the finish-boring and turning, 

 the rifling, sighting, assembling of parts, should be 

 done at government gun-factories, one each to be pro- 

 vided for the aniiv and navy, located at (lie Watervliet 

 Arsenal and the Washington Navy-Yard, respectively- 

 large appropriations to be made for the purchase of 

 material from the steel manufacturers, that they might 

 be warranted in expending the law amounts necessary 

 to buy plants for the special work required. The re- 

 port of the fortification board appointed "to examine 

 and report at what port fortifications or other defences 

 are most urgently needed, the diameter and kind of 

 cs best adapted for each with reference to ar- 

 mament," is most elaborate and fully covers the 

 ground. 



The whole matter was again gone into by committees 

 of both houses, and, as an outcome of this, authority 

 is given in the act approved Aug. X. i.-^o. to use such 

 portions as may be necessary of $1,000,000, appro- 

 priated for armament of vessels, to manufacturing and 

 purchasing such tools and machinery, or erecting such 

 structures as may be required for use in the manufac- 

 ture of such armament. This enabled the navy 

 department to bull 1 up the Washington Navy- Yard 

 as a gun-factory, and buildings have l>een rearranged 

 and rebuilt, contracts made for tools and cranes, and 

 in every way the work of construction pushed a.s 

 rapidly as possible by the bureau of ordnance. When 

 completed the Navy Gun-Factory, working ordinary 

 time, will be able to turn out each year the following 

 in.. -4 s -in., Ki-in., and' 4 1'J-in., ora pro- 

 portkmatt number of any given calibre. This yard is 

 situated on the eastern branch of the Potomac and 

 ei.ni .it,- 4'J acres. It is well situated as regards defence 

 against a foreign fleet, and the sources of supply 

 secure from destruction by an enemy. It has for 

 several years been used exi-ln-ivcly as an ordnance 

 yard, and. with meagre facilities, has turned out a 

 number of high-powered, modern, all-steel, built-up 

 rifles that have Driven result- ei|iial, and, in some cases, 

 superior to the best guns of other nations. Carriages 

 have been constructed tor all the new cruiser- recently 

 completed and for the Miantonomoh'i lo-in. turret 

 guns. Cast-iron shells are also made here. 



The navy department lir. in- the necessary appro- 

 priations, amounting to $4,000,000, consolidated, in 



the summer of 1886, in one advertisement all of it.- 

 requirement.* for armor ami gun >-<cel tor .ships of war 

 then authorized, the steel to De of domestic manufac- 

 ture, and gave an average of two years and a half in 

 which to secure and deliver it. which covered the time 

 necessary to procure a plant. This advertisement re- 

 sulted in a contract with the Bethlehem Ii 

 under which a plant for the production of armor ai.,1 

 Vim .steel is In-ing envied at Bethlehem. 1'a Such a 

 result was moM graiifyini: ami a new and important 

 industry is by this means donic.-ticatcd. and we are no 

 longer dependent upon other nations for heavy t'org- 

 ings for guns or armor for armored vessels. A similar 

 policy was followed in the matter of secondary batteries 

 of machine and rapid-lire guns, the navy department 

 declining to make any purchases of llotchkiss arms, 

 unleas they were manufactured in this country, and this 

 was agreed to by the Hotchkiss company, and with the 

 superior tools used in this country in the manufacture 

 of arms the guns can be made and sold here as cheap 

 as they are sold abroad to any foreign govern- 

 ment. 



The army has its principal arsenals at Watertown, 

 Mass., at \Vatervlict. N. Y., and at FranU'ord. 1'a , 

 and small arms are made at the National Armory, 

 Springfield, Mass. The gun-foundry board recom- 

 mended that the work on the fabrication of heavy guns 

 for the army be concentrated at the Watervliet Ar- 

 senal, and Congress has appropriated $7(K).(HHI to carry 

 this recommendation into effect, the exjtediency of 

 making guns in government-shops having been recog- 

 nized by Congress in the case of the navy. The appro- 

 priation for the gun-factory is very properly supple- 

 mented by large appropriations for gun-steel, guns, ami 

 carriages, so that the problem of supplying our torts 

 with proper guns has l>eeti practically solved. The 

 Watervliet Arsenal is situated at West Troy, N. Y., 

 and comprises 109 acres. It has a river front of 1600 

 feet, half of which has a stone wall where vessels may 

 unload. From the river it extends to the Erie Canal 

 and to within 30<i feet of the I'elaware and Hudson 

 River Railroad, with which an easy and inexpensive 

 connection would afford direct communication with the 

 Albany and SuHjnehauna. Kenssclaer and Saratoga, 

 Hudson River, New York Central. Troy and Bo-ton. 

 and Boston and Albany Railroads, affording abundant 

 means for transportation for supplies and products. 

 while the city of New York, 4i hours distant by rail and 

 10 by water, can be drawn on' for supplies of material 

 and skilled laborof every variety. Kven with the whole 

 Atlantic coast commanded by an enemy's fleet, guns 

 and carriages could be safely distributed to all exterior 

 points of defence by interior roads. 



The army has in its forts and arsenals : 



Smooth-bora 1518 



jo-in. calibre 2 



15-in. " 308 



10-in. " 998 



8-in. " 210 



Parrottriflrt 292 



10-in. calihr.-, WHi-pdrs 38 



8-in. " -'oo- " 81 



6.4-in. " KiO- " 173 



Conrrrled from lfW. fnimlh-boret to 8-m. rifiet 210 

 Smooth-bore mortar* 45 



Total. 



The alxive are all muzzle-loaders, the nine classes 

 requiring '.'''> different kinds of ammunition, ami are not 

 by any means sufficient for the protection of our < 



A number of experimental ritles and mortars have 

 been provided for by Congress since issii. and these 

 are being finished and tested as rapidly as |Missil.le. but 

 in all likelihood the guns are not such as will be re- 

 produced. 



The fortifications board that there will 



be required for the proper armament of our coast : 



