634 MISCELLANEOUS 



Mr. Dickinson to Mr. Knox. 



WAR DEPARTMENT, 



Washington, November 29< 1909. 



SIR: In response to the request contained in a letter from the 

 Assistant Secretary of State, dated November 18th instant, I have the 

 honor to transmit herewith, a letter from the Acting Chief of Ord- 

 nance, U. S. Army, concerning the range of cannon employed by the 

 United States for coast defense in the year 1818 and during the 

 twenty-five years preceding that date, together with such further 

 information of a general nature concerning the range of cannon 

 employed by other governments for that purpose during said period, 

 as can be conveniently furnished. 



Very respectfully, J. M. DICKINSON, 



Secretary of War. 

 The Honorable the SECRETARY OF STATE. 



[Inclosure.] 



WAR DEPARTMENT, 

 OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE, 



Washington, November #7, 1909. 

 The Honorable the SECRETARY OF WAB. 



SIR: 1. Referring to the communication addressed to the Honor- 

 able the Secretary of War by the Assistant Secretary of State under 

 date of November 18, 1909, requesting accurate information as to the 

 range of cannon employed for coast defense in the year 1818 and 

 during the twenty-five years preceding that date, by the Government 

 of the United States, together with such further information of a 

 general nature concerning the range of cannon employed by other 

 governments for that purpose during the period, as can be con- 

 veniently furnished, I have the honor to state that the following 

 notes give, it is thought, the desired information. 



2. On December 14, 1793, there were mounted in the fortifications 

 in the United States 24-pdr. guns. (American State Papers Mili- 

 tary Affairs Vol. 1, pp. 44r-60 inclusive.) 



3. During the period 1794 to 1798 contracts were entered into for 

 and deliveries made of 32-p^dr. guns suitable for fortifications. 

 (American State Papers Military Affairs Vol. 1, page 123.) 



4. As far as available records show the 32 pdr. gun remained the 

 maximum caliber until the year 1801-2, at which time 42-pdr. cannon 

 were installed in the fortifications. (Major Jonathan Williams' 'Re- 

 port on Fortifications in the Year 1802, in the possession of the Chief 

 of Engineers, U. S. Army; also Historical Sketch of the Artillery, 

 U. S. Army, by First Lieutenant William E. Birkhimer, page 277.) 



5. By the year 1809 50-pdr. Columbiads had been mounted in the 

 fortifications. (Maj. J. G. Swift's report dated December 5, 1809, 

 and Capt. G. Bomford's report on fortifications dated December 1, 

 1809, both of which reports are in the files of the Office of the Chier 

 of Engineers, U. S. Army.) 



6. The most powerful guns mounted in the fortifications in the 

 United States during the twenty-five years preceding the year 1818 

 were therefore the 42-pdr. gun and the 50-pdr. Columbiad. The Ord- 

 nance Manual of 1850 gives the range of the 42-pdr. for an angle of 



