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V/cw- f'T^- ^-3-3

HARVARD COLLEGE
LIBRARY

THE BEQUEST OF

EVERT JANSEN WENDELL

CLJ^SS OF iSfti
OF NEW YORK

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MEMORIAL

AND

EESOLUTIONS.

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TO THE PUBLIC.

A FEW WORDS IN ADVANCE.

In preparing my Pamphlets for the perosal of the public I have not been
instigated or enconraged by any party, political or otherwise.

The Inventions described are my own.

The experiments were conducted entirely at my own expense.

My own reading and personal inquiry supplied the quotations and the facts.

The costly drawings and engravings, the paper and the printing, and the
expensive models were procured solely at my own expense ; so that whatever
benefits my country may derive from my labors, the experiments and their
published results, have, up to this time, cost it nothing.

The matter of my pamphlets was, necessarily, written hastily; for during
its composition I was constantly engaged in extensive manufacturing of
ordnance and in the preparation of ordnance stores. It will, then, be readily
understood that I have had no leisure to dress up my language to a point of
literary refinement — that, in my haste, I may not have chosen the least offensive
terms, when writing of those whose conduct I may censure, or whose theories I
may dispute. For this my apology must be, in the first place, haste, and in the
second, that what I have written was impelled by a sense of right, by my
earnest desire to serve my country, to do something for the War, to correct
existing abuses, and not from motives of personal pique or ill-will toward
any one.

NORMAN WIARD.

MEMORIAL

BORMAS WIAED,

TO TUB

^tmit mi Wmn nl %tftmnMvt»,

IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.

TO BB ACCOMPANIED BT

EIGHT PAMPHLETS,

ENTITLED

I.— GREAT GUNS, THE CAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE, AND THE TRUE

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THEM.

II.— FIELD ARTILLERY.

m.— MARINE ARTILLERY.

IV.-SMALL ARMS.

v.— SHIPS, RAMS, AND FORTS.

VL— PROPOSALS.

Vn.— EXPERIENCES OF A CONTRACTOR.

Vm.— REVIEW, IN DETAIL, OF THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF

THE NAVY ORDNANCE BUREAU, 1862,

With r emar ks on t he present arganizaiUm of (he Wa£ dngt<m Navy Yardfj ind Us uses in connection
^"**''*"***'''**~* "*' icith the wt^BuwS?'"*'"'*''''''"''^

HOLHAN, FBINTEB, CORNER OF CENTRE AND WHITE STREETS.

18 63.

Ujojn/ 4i (^ 8r, t, ?-.3

MAiiVUO Wil--.Zi LIUARY

fKH

THE BldUat bF

CVEllT MMIII vikbtkk

1119

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

The publication of my Memorial and Resolutions
of inquiry, addressed to the Senate of the United
States assembled at Washington, together with the
accompanying pamphlets, has created so deep a feel-
ing of interest and curiosity in all circles, that I feel
compelled, in order to meet the urgent and repeated
demand for copies, especially from members of the
press and ofl&cers of the army and navy, to publish a
second edition.

It may be urged by some that my Memorial, while
it is replete with charges of a very grave character,
against ofl&cials in high positions, that the proofs
which should sustain such accusations are too few and
insufficient.

I propose, therefore, in the Second Edition, to
prove, by personal and other examples, all that ne-
glect of duty, that disregard of the public interests,
that pride of place, which ignores all outside intellect
and enterprise and the rights of private citizens hav-
ing business with the Government, and that incapacity
which clings to worn-out theories, on the principle

MEMOKIAL OF. NORMAN WIARD.

To the Honorable the Senate of the United States assem-
bled at Washington, February, 1863.

Having expended much time, money and effort, vainly, in the
endeavor to secure from the War or Navy Departments, or
either of the Bureaux thereof, official attention to, or examina-
tion of, certain discoveries made by me, in relation to the cause
of the bursting of large guns* namely : The unequal eoopansion

• See Wiards' Pamphlet, " Great Guns," pages 19, 44, 66. It is often noticed as
a carious phenomenon, when large g^os burst, that notwithstanding the chase or
forward part of the gun, several feet in length, may be thrown many feet, end
over end, the shot passes through the chase the length of the bore without being
diverted from, or affecting the direction of its aim. This fact corroborates the
theory I have advanced.

In speaking of the effect on plates, 5} inches thick backed by teak, of the 150
pdr. smooth-bore, Armstrong gun, at Shoeburyness ; the Merchants' Magazine
says of the 4th round : ^* Large pieces of the armor plate were driven through
the target, crushing the wood backing to shreds, bursting a great opening through
the skin plates, and completely smashing two iron frames.

" The discharge of this shot brought the destructive action of the 150 lbs. to a
close, for this gollossal 12 ton oun, about which there has been so much con-
troversy, BURST IN FiRiNO THE FOURTH ROUND. The entire breech end, weighing
about 17 cwL, was blown off, and carried about 50 yards behind. No person was
INJURED. But this is not surprising, because previous to every discharge, the
artillery men gave the dangerous monster a wide birth (this would not be so
easily accomplished in a turret on board a ship,) the gun being fired by a long
lanyard, pulled by a gunner, who was safely ensconced." The London Enquirer
says : " this gun was broken by a 50 lb. charge after it had l>een fired with a 90
lb. charge, and this gun weighing 12 tons, |^ heavier fur the same weight of shot
than the Dahlgren of same calibre, and made in the most careful manner, of a
material having three times the tensile strength, is burst at the fourth round.- '

MEMOKIAL OF. NORMAN WIARD.

To the Honorable the Senate of the United States assem-
bled at Washington, February, 1863.

Having expended much time, money and effort, vainly, in the
endeavor to secure from the War or Navy Departments, or
either of the Bureaux thereof, official attention to, or examina-
tion of, certain discoveries made by mo, in relation to the cause
of the bursting of large guns* namely : The unequal expansion

* See Wiards' Pamphlet, <* Great Guns," pages 19, 44, 66. It is often noticed as
a curious phenomenon, when large guns burst, that notwithstanding the chase or
forward part of the gun, several feet in length, may be thrown many feet, end
over end, the shot passes through the chase the length of the bore without being
diverted from, or affecting the direction of its aim. This fact corroborates the
theory I have advanced.

" The discharge of this shot brought the destructive action of the 150 lbs. to a
close, for this gollossal 12 ton oun, about which there has been so much con-
troversy, BURST IN FIRING THE FOURTH ROUND. The entire breech end, weighing
about 17 cwL, was blown off, and carried about 50 yards behind. No person was
INJURED. But this is not surprising, because previous to every discharge, the
artillery men gave the dangerous monster a wide birth (this would not be so
easily accomplished in a turret on board a ship,) the gun being fired by a long
lanyard, pnlled by a gunner, who was safely ensconced." The London Enquirer
says : ** this gun was broken by a 50 lb. charge afbiT it had been fired with a 90
lb. charge, and this gun weighing 12 tons, f heavier for the same weight of shot
than the Dahlgren of same calibre, and made in the most careful manner, of a
material having three times the tenale strength, is burst at the fourth round.- '

(f the metal cf guns by heat, resulting from the combustion <f gun-
powder in the chamber of the guns, thus involving the necessity for
constructing 'guns so as to secure compensation for this cause, by
using metals of different expansibility, as set forth in my pamphlet
entitled " Great Guns ;" and to certain mechanical combina-
tions, inventions and improvements, essential to the fabrication
of trustworthy guns, rifled and smeoth-bore of various calibres,
to project shot of greater weight at higher velocities than have
heretofore been brought into service or deemed possible ; im-
provements in projectiles ; to an improved system of Field Ar-
tillery ; to a system of Marine Artillery, in which guns mounted
on light draft steamboats, can be made more available for
service on board the boats, in launches, and on shore and to
improvements in iron-clad ships and fortification.

I have under these circumstances, finally found it necessary
to address myself to your Honorable Body, as every loyal
American citizen may do, and to ask that a suitable commission
be appointed to examine into, and report upon, discoveries and
inventions, which are fully set forth and detailed in the pam-
phlets which accompany this Memorial.

Our neighbors, the Canadians, have or had a " Board of
Public Works," who, when a public building, canal, road, or
fort is required, advertise in the papers for " plans, specifications,
and estimates,^' offering five grades of prices as prizes for them.
The first being a magnificent price for the labor and genius of
producing. The second a liberal price ; the third a fair price ;
the fourth a low price ; and the fifth such a price as is sup-
posed to just cover the expenditure for stationery, etc., of the
person offering it. These prizes are awarded by the Board,
who may call in the assistance of experts to assist them. This
Board of Works reserves the right to unite the good qualities
of all the matter presented, and to award the superintendence
of the work to any of the applicants, or not, as it may decide.
A careful revision of these proposed plans and specifications

It is weU known that in all experimental trials of our large gur.Sy the gunners stand at
a respectful difiancey from fifty to two fmndred feet off. Even the inventor and founder
will not trust himself within the possible reach of danger, so Uttle confidence has he in
the strength and durabiUty of his work.

takes place, and all the plans oflfered are carefully recorded.
Then other advertisements are inserted for tenders for the con-
struction according to the plans, specifications, and Estimates so
resolved upon. By this means the best talent of the country,
in the various departments, is secured to the Government.

With certain exceptions, my plans have been examined by
hundreds of officers of the -Army and Navy, by members of
both houses of Congress, and by numbers of mechanics and
scientific experts, and have received the highest unofficial
commendation and indorsement. The exceptions alluded to
above, comprised those points of my inventions, v^hich T
myself, and a few discreet friends of the Government to v^hom
I showed them, judged from patriotic motives, ought to be kept
secret. These I have been vriMinff and most anxious to disclose to
the properly accredited agents of the Gouemmentj and if need be, to
give to my country the entire benefit of all my improvements and
discoveries, with any personal supervision necessary to their prompt
and perfect development. Nevertheless, I have found it utterly
impossible to command the slightest attention, recognition, en-
couragement, justice, or even common civility, at the hands of the
Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance of the War Department, Brig. Gen.
JJiMES W. RIPLEY,* who has to me at all times acted the part

* Oa one occasion 1 received notice that a requisition for additional stores for
the Marine Artillery in service in North Carolina, had been handed to Gen.
Ripley, which were needed immediately and must of necessity, be supplied by
me. I was in Washington at the time, and I had the stores there, ready for
prompt delivery. These stores could not be procured from any person other
than myself, and I called upon Gen. Ripley to say I was informed he had a re-
quisition for me, and that if it were handed me there I could supply it from the
stores I had in Washington. lie very ill-naturedly told me that the requisition
had been mailed to me at New York. I asked him for a copy of it, which he
refused. As I was leaving the office, 1 asked a clerk when the requ»tion was
mailed, and he exhibited it to me in his hand, not mailed, I returned to Gen.
Ripley and endeavored to explain this to him, but in effect he refused to hear me,
and asserted that if it had not already gone it would be sent to New York. I
immediately applied to the Secretary of War, and he directed that the requiri-
tlon should be given to mc. I received the requsition and supplied the stores on
the same afternoon. Had I not thus promptly procured this order from the
Secretary of War, Gen. Ripley's rude and unbusiness-like conduct would have
caused a delay of several days in tlie funiiRhing of stores which were needod
immediately, and would have added the unnocepsary cost of transportation to
and from New York.

if a morose, illiberal, insolent, arbitrary, and petty (^pressor, and in
the case of my improeements in ordnance, notwithstanding I had
expended more than twenty thousand dollars in making ex-
periments, and in preparing models, drawings, and speciGca*
tions, and exhibiting them publicly for five months at my par-
lors at Willard's Hotel, a place of almost daily resort for him
during the whole of that period, he could never be induced
even to look at them, though often invited and urged by my-
self and others to do bo, but nsed bis influence so far as the
expression of his opinion could do it, to discourage and crush
me out ; and this too, while I was receiving visits from the
President, members of the Cabinet, foreign ministers, and com-
manders of armies in the field, all of whom gave me the most
cordial recognition and attention. Neither could I induce the
Chief of the Bureau of Constructiou, Mr. LENTHALL, to look
at or examine my costly, novel, and much commended models
and plans for iron-clad ships, nor could the late, nor the
present Cliief of the Ordnance Bureau of the Navy Depart-
ment, Admiral DAHLGREN, be induced to even look at my
plans and models, with the single exception of a brief call, made
after repeated invitations, delays, and one very decided and
nncourteons refusal, when, after inviting me to bring some of
my illustrations to his office in the Washington Navy Yard,
which I did, he refused to look at them, or to hear my expla-
nation upon any terms, saying to me petulantly and insolently,
that there was " no itse in my dying to explain, as alt I might
say on the subject wouM go into one ear and out at the other."

Soon after this refusal, the Secretary of the Navy called on
line, and in the course of my explanation of my plans to him, he
.as^ed Toe " if Dahlgren had seen my plans and heard my ex-
planatioiis," a question which had often been asked of me before
by t!ie I'residcnt and others, I informed the Secretary of the
nnoEcerlikc conduct of hia present Chief of the Navy Ord-
nance Bureau. Previous to the close of our conversation, the
Secretary stated that my " explanations of my plana had made
a very favorable impression on his mind, and that he would
BOOn send a proper Ordnance Officer to examine and report
upon them," remarking incidentally in conclusion, " that it

r A

would be best to avoid a collision with Dahlgren, if possible,
as he was very influential and had a great reputation."

Soon after this promise was made, I was surprised one
evening by a visit, apparently voluntary, friendly, and unoflBcial,
from Commander Dahlgren, who informed me that he wished
to examine my plans and hear my explanations of them. To
this request I assented, making however, one condition, namely,
that he should, hear me through in a more patient spirit than
he exhibited when I called on him at his own office and at his
request, and that he should frankly express to me his assent
to, or dissent from, my positions as I explained them, or, in any
event, before giving them expression to any other person*

I supposed he accepted this condition, as he, with apparent
cordiality, remarked " Let us have the explanations." During
our interview of an hour or more, no word of assent or dissent
was uttered by Commander Dahlgren, except at the points where
my arguments were contrary to the theories of Captain Rodman,
of the Army Ordnance Department, when he perfectly assented to,
and even aided in strengthening my positions. From the close of
that interview to the present time, I have never been able to
obtain directly a single word indicating his opinion for or
against my plans in relation to ordnance.* Within a week
after our interview, however, I was informed that Admiral
Dahlgren, in reply to a question from a distinguished Major
General commanding in the field, wlio had just examined my

* Tet, since that interview, Admiral Dahlgren, as chief of the Navy Ordnance
Bureau, has made a very elaborate, detailed, and specious report, on ordnance
and cognate matters, to the Secretary of the Navy, in which occurs, on the 13th
page, the following indirect thrust at my theory of the cause of the failure of
large guns, namely, unequal eTspansion hy heat, retuUing from the combustion of
gunpowder in the chamber of the gun. It is in these words : '^ On another oecor
tion an ll-inch gun was fired five hundred UmeSf of which one hundred and seventy fires
per day were made in two successive days, which so heated the gun thai it was found to he
warm aghteen hours afterwards. No sign of weakness was deieciedJ^ This paragraph
Btaods alone, without connection or reference, and is remaricable for the palpable
design of its author to mislead the reader, as there is no mention made of the
amount of powder used, or the weight of shot, nor the elevation of the gun, nor
the rate in time of the firing. The service charge fixed by Captain Dahlgren
for his 11-inch gun at this time was fifteen pounds of powder — leas than half a
proper charge.

plans and was deairous of learning hiB opinion, said : " Wiard's
plans are contrary to science and the results ^ all experience."

At the close of tbe last Session of Congress, I called with
Senator J. R. Doolittle, of Wiaconsin, upon the Secretary of
the Navy, aod urged my claims for attention and action on his
part, Tlie Secretary, after some hesitation, at the direct re-
quest of Senator Doolittle, sent for the then, and at present
Assistant Chief of the Ordnaace Bureau, and asked his opinion
of my plans, for a " turret and spherical guns." That officer
promptly replied tliat he had examined my plans and had heard
my explanations repeatedly, and fully understood and approved <f
them ; staling further that if lie ccndd have his ovm way, he would
direct Mr. Wiard to build a turret and a pair of his guns at once.
Upon this statement the Secretary expressed himself satisfied,
and promised to appoint a Commission, consisting of Admiral
Gregory, Lieutenant Wise, and Chief Engineer Stimers. as
suggested by me, among others, as suitable officers to act. I
left the Secretary with the understanding that when I was
ready, I was to uoliify him in writing, and the Commission
would be immediately directed to meet me in Now York City.

A short time after, I notified the Secretary that I was ready,
but neither that notification, nor subsequent application, result-
ed in procuring the Commission promised. Many moDths have
passed away and I am, apparently, as far from getting the pro-
mised examination as before,

I recently submitted my very elaborate and detailed specifi-
cation and patent drawings, intended for England and France,
to tJie War and Navy Departments, asking for a joint Com-
mission to be appointed to examine, and decide how far tho
interests of the government would be subserved, by keeping
secret some of my inventions, and to examine and report on all
of iliem, to the respective Navy and War Ordnance Bureaux.

I liave now made three applications, the third being as
above stated, for a joint Commission, and the promise has been
as often renewed and still no Commission is appointed ; and
the Secretary, wlien pressed, now refers the matter to a more
conveuient fcason, or to the Chief of his Ordnance Bureau,
who declares that he has no time to attend to such " outside mat-

ters^^^ yet, " that he woidd not put a straw in Mr. Wiard^s way, as
he will have trouble enough brfore he gets his plans perfected and
adopted"

The War Department had the matter before it for some
weeks, but did not even read my very brief written request.
The Navy Department, through the action of Captain Henry
A. Wise, Assistant Chief of Ordnance, and Captain Fox, As-
sistant Secretary of the Navy, promptly agreed to appoint its
part of the joint Commission, but several weeks have already
elapsed, and I have not yet received a notification of the for-
mation of this Commission.

Another reason why I, at this time, urge my Memorial upon
the attention of your Honorable Body, is, that it has been
noticed with alarm by many of the earnest and patriotic men
who watch with anxiety the course of events during this unholy
war, that proposals for heavy ordnance are advertised for in the
newspapers, but coupled with such oppressive conditions, that
only those entirely ignorant of the diflSculties which are well
known to the Ordnance Department and to ordnance founders,
will venture to make a proposal or enter into a contract, (and
such men are not likely to succeed in producing good guns), the
contractor, having to submit to a test, on the result of which
the payment for even a single gun and the continuance of his
contract is to depend ; this too, although many thousand dol-
lars must be expended in preparation. And this test, as in the
case of the 13-inch guns now required, is one to which no
13-inch gun has ever been submitted. And when such parties
do undertake such work, a sufficient number of failures are cer-
tain to be recorded, that Ordnance Departments can present
to your Honorable Body, fallacious arguments why. you should
make large appropriations for extending the facilities of the
old, and building new government founderiea, in which old
errors are to be perpetuated, and new places found for officers
among men of their own class. And a strong point of argu-
ment urged upon your Honorable Body in favor of such apprd-
priations, is the failure to secure the fabrication of the required
amount or quality of guns or arms from private contractors by
this means. And you are urged, almost at the last day of the

session, to make these appropriations for reasons inrolving an
outrageous shifting of the odium of the want of knowledge and
skill, from the persons on whom it should properly rest, in or-
der to unjustly discredit the skill and enjterprise of the mechan-
ics of the country, whom it has always been believed were
equal to any demands in this direction.that might be made upon
them, and whose loyalty is undoubted.

No better argument can be used in opposition to the pro-
posed appropriation of millions of dollars, for the purpose of
establishing great gOTernment founderies, for the production of
cannon and confirming officers, in life-long sinecure positions)
than the acknowledged fact that all goyernments which have
trusted to the skill and ingenuity of a privileged class, or to one
person to decide upon or to furnish designs and improvements
in ordnance, have signally failed, as in the case of England.
Sir William Armstrong having, according to computations,
cost that government over forty millions of pounds sterling for
experiments upon his inventions. Yet his large gnns have
always failed, while Whitworth, Blakely, and others, private
citizens, without government patronage, have succeeded in
producing better guns, as might have been expected, since no
man so earnestly strives for success as the one who pays his
own bills. I might call the attention of your Honorable Body
to an illustration nearer home.^

* A letter addressed to the Secretary of the Navy, by me and which appeared in
the N, F. Tribune, wiU more fhlly explain my views upon this subject.

GOVERNMENT FOUNDERIES.

To the Hon, Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy,

Sib : In reference to your proposition to organize Government founderies
for the production of large guns, and to your proposition to Congress to make
an appropriation of $30,000,000 for rolling mills and the fabrication of heavy
rolled plates for iron-clad ships, etc,, I wish to say that your statement and
letter to Congress to the efifect that " there are but two or three manufactories
capable of undertaking such work, and these of limited capacity,'' creates no
little surprise among that class of persons who have been in the habit of think-
ing that the genius and enterpise of our people is unparalleled, and who can not
be brought to believe, by so slight an allusion as you have made to the subject,
that there are not hundreds of contractors possessing sufficient skill and com-
manding sufficient capital to produce, with economy, any required article of

It is a national disgrace, that a people who justly pride them-
selves on their mechanical ingenuity and skill, should intrust

manufactare, through private enterprise, that can be produced by Government
employees with an appropriation of four times $30,000,000 ; and these men
will continue to be of the same opinion, even after they have had presented to
them all the arguments that w^re presented to you as an inducement to make
an application to Congress so contrary to the true interests of our Government
and the spirit of our institutions, and so degrading to our character for skill
and enterprise.

With regard to the fabrication of large guns, you undoubtedly know that
with all the routine efforts of our ordinance officers and the millions expended
in experiments, we have not yet secured a single trustworthy 80-pdr. rifled
cannon, and have utterly failed in our 7)^ inch rifles (150 pounds), that we
have no regular ordnance officer to-day willing to say that he will fabricate a
50-pdr. rifle and offer it for service with the assertion that he knows it to
be a good gun, without having put it to trial. If we have not yet learned how
to make a trustworthy gun by the practice of the exclusive system during so
many years, and at such an expenditure of time, money, and materials, ought
we not to have learned to open the business to public competition, and to bring
to the service of the Government the constructive genius of 20,000,000 of
people instead of the traditions handed down from one to another of a class of
men all educated in the same exclusive school, and only numbering a few
hundred individuals in the course of a hundred years. ^

The late proposition for tenders for large guns, as seen in the advertisements
in the newspapers, emanating from yourself and the Secretary of War, would
seem at first sight to be a frank permission to outsiders to enter the arena, yet
this field of competition may be compared to a prize-ring to which the Ord-
nance Department challenges all comers, and when the people, eager for a
fight, press against the ropes, the Secretary of the Navy acts as umpire, and
suggests that three or four of them only be admitted to fight it out, and whip
each other in the presence of admiring ordnance officers.

If the Government wants large gunsj and our ordnance officers know how
to make thenit why not set them to work upon themj and make room for the
work, in the present ordnance founderies, by giving the small guns to outside
contractors, furnishing these contractors frankly with aJl the information that
has been obtained at the expense of the people upon the subject? Fay Oapt.
Dahlgren a salary predicated upon his success with large guns. I would not
ask you to be as severe with him as with any private contractor, for if the
ninth or tenth gun of a lot of fifteen, made by a private contractor, made even
at a cost of $100,000, should burst, you condemn the whole lot, and the ord-
nance officers congratulate themselves upon having disposed of one more of
those presumptuous mudsills who has had the audacity to meddle with what
is held to belong exclusively to government-bred aristocrats, born to position
in the Navy Department

the invention and fabrication of so important an auxiliary to
their unity, power, and national greatness as Ordnance, wholly

If even our experienced ordnance officers have doubts about success ia
making large guns, why advertise for tenders from contractors for furnisbiog
large guns, and in such a manner as to throw all the risk upon the contractor?
Was not the real object to get rid of the importunity of those unsophisticated
inventors and would-be-contractors who were pressing their claims for contracts
upon the Government, but who would be either deterred by the stringent
terms, or annihilated by expending their time and means upon an effort to
produce an article, in which theyhave but one chance in a thousand of succeed-
ing, and still less able to serve the Government by giving it a trustworthy
large gun. [t is a gross outrage upon the people who pay the expenses, that
after all the money expended, even Capt. Dahlgren can not give you the plans
and specifications for the manufacture of a large gun that will not have to be
destroyed to prove its barely tolerable quality. Yet Oapt. Dahlgren once
stated to me that he ** had burst more guns than any other man in the world;"
DOW had even a small per centage of the money thus expended, come out of his
own pocket, either he would have been ruined or his guns improved. It leaves
the impression on my mind that in the advertisement for tenders for large guns,
in your letter to Congress relating to appropriations for manufactories for heavy
rolled plates, and in the advertisement for tenders for fifteen gunboats, you have
put the contractors in a false position. You will not, 1 know, pay a price for
large guns that covers the risk, and I do not believe that any man familiar with
the subject believes that you would get the guns, even if you did, while you do
not know that thick rolled plates are to be the best armor for iron-clad ships,
or that there will ever be more than one ship made — the experimental one —
and you would not give the contractor a contingent agreement to pay for
machinery that would be useless for any other purpose in case you should not
require plates for more than one. And you can not expect to get fifteen gun-
boats to draw six feet water, and attain a speed of sixteen miles an hour. If
the contractors work up to their own plans, some of them will fail and all of
them are liable to do so. Will you pay anything for the risk in addition to
a fair price for the actual cost ? I think not to the contractor, but you will
ask for an appropriation to build Government shops, and thus insure that the
risk is taken by the Government. But you do not thus insure that you get
the most trustworthy guns, the most enduring plates, or the most efficient
gunboats. As a rule, it may be depended upon that any investment of this
kind that would not be thought desirable by any of our careful business men is
not desirable for the Government. Great Government founderies also do this
great wrong, that they demoralize our mechanics and paralysse our manufactures.
Organize a great ordnance foundery at Chicago, for instance, where now it
is the hope of the citizens at some time to attain the dignity of being a manu*
facturing City. For months after each election, the mechanics bang about the

io Jfc class of persons who liatre been educated as theorists. It
is as difficalt to teach mechanical ingenuity in schools, as it
Tfould be to communicate the inspiration of a poet in such
places. We have no schools for the specific purpose of making

corner groceries, drinkingf bad whisky with load politicians " laying pipe " to
get appointed to the GoTefnment sbops, where wages are high, hours of labor
short, and duties not severe. Daring this time they can not be induced to
take employment at any other manufactory. They spend the money earned
by previous economy, while the certainty that but few can be appointed, only
spurs them on to greater exertion, and makes them more heartily despise their
former employment. When finally employed, their earnings are spent in the
same groceries, button-holing friends and preparing for the next election, as
the conditions upon which they get the appointment, and the continuance of
this habit makes them despise even their employment at the Government shop,
and they take up their abode at the before-mentioned bar-rooms, where they
sink to the condition of a self-imposed candidate for Congress or some other
official position, from which they are seldom or never reclaimed. How uni-
versally this is the rule can only be believed by those who have seen it,
attd it can be seen wherever there is an institution of the kind mentioned.
The true policy of the Government would be to have an Ordnance Bureau
and Bureau of Construction, not managed by one old and saperannu-
ated naval commander, but by a number of men eminent for their in-
telligence, skill, and integrity, who should advertise for plans and specifi-
cations, to be paid for according to their merit, and then let the same
bureau advertise for tenders for the furnishing of every article required,
made according to the plans and specifications so procured. I would have
a board for each of these bureaux, nominated by the President and con-
firmed by the Senate, each of the bureaux being composed of five members,
with one expert as a clerk, to be paid only when on actual duty. The result
in guns and ships of war under such a system would shortly excel anything in
the world. The Government would obtain whatever it required at the lowest
ma^k( t prices, as would any intelligent business man. We should thus conform
to the spirit of otfr Eepublican institutions, and could always know the cost of
whatever we produced, and we should support and worship no aristocracy but
that of talent and genius to which we owe, at least, as much deference as
we have been in the habit of paying in talk. It has been an-often-repeated
remark that this war will develop great improvement in the engines and art of
war, but at the same time, fear is expressed that European nations will reap more
benefit from it than we shall ourselves, for engineers here, failing to receive at-
tention at home, will be encouraged or compelled to exhibit their inventi<Hui
and improvements in France, England, anil other countries, and their adoption
would leave our country far behind. This d mger should not be forgotten by
our Government, for we may not even have completed our present ungracious

poets, why then should we expect in such places to create or
incite the equally divine inspiration of mechanical genius.

We can, and we should adopt a system which would produce
guns that would as completely answer the purpose for which
they are intended, as our most common agricultural implements
answer the end for which they are designed.

What farmer would long continue to purchase ploughs of a
manufacturer, whose productions were liable to fly in pieces at
any extra strain, while turning a furrow, killing the ploughman,
destroying the .team, and tearing down buildings.

task, before we shall be called upon to begin another war of greater magnitude,
only to be successfully encountered by a bold front and the most formidable
preparations.
New York, June 25, 1862. A LOYAL MECHANIC.

The Scientific American f December 20, 1862, fully indorses my views in an article
headed National Foukdebies :

" To establish national work-shops, is to offer a premium for all sorts of
indapables who may have political influence. * * * * Not only can
these facts be established, but it is also true, that at a period when the Gov-
ernment required the services of engineers,of experience to fill ordinary appoint-
ments OB tbe transport, despatch, and iron-clad vessels and batteries, this
same political schibboleth presented itself, and became a grevious stumbling
block in HtkQ way of men who really desired to serve their country. * * *
What ante-diluvian systems, and what crab-like progression would be inaugu-
rated in spite of the protests of the mechanical world outside of these fostering
government yards. * * * It is not chemerical to assert that favoritism
would be the rule. * * * It is hinted that the private establishments can
not turn out sufficient work to answer the demands, and also that they can not
make as large a class of forgings or castings as might be desirable. These are ,
singular assertion in view of the facts. * * * if there is any especial
need for more massive products or better materials than are now furnished,
we are much in error. * * * And there is another point which would act
materially against the succesful operation of government shops. That is, the
contract system properly insisted upon, to guard against fraud or delay. How
can there be any guarantee to the public equal to that afforded by the
work-shops in the various States, now in full blast night and day. Heavy
forfeits are insisted upon from the contractors, both as a spur to them, and as
a remuneration to the people in case of non-compliance.

How can a government exact forfeit from itself?

An example of the incompetency of the government to carry on such great
undertakings is well attested in the miserable war vessels which it has hitherto
built.

In conclusion, I respectfully ask that your Honorable Body
will take such action as may be necessary, by appointing either
a special Committee, or a competent Commission, composed of
ordnance oflScers and scientific experts from civil life, to secure
a careful and proper examination of, and report upon, my
inventions and discoveries, which I claim deserve attention, as
they ai*e now a vital subject of inquiry, and should receive ex-
amination from such Commission, together with such improve-
ments as may be oflfered by others, which in the opinion of the
Commission are deserving of attention, and whicfc, if developed,
would redound to the dignity and power of the nation.

I believe that no man, however autocratic his official or
social position ; even though he should be near to the ear of those
in high places, and be supported by interested and influential friends
and a great name, should be permitted to hold himself above the
right of inquiry on the part of the people into the administra-
tion of his public duties, more especially when those duties
confer almost unlimited and irresponsible power of expending
the public moneys in ways that may be subversive of the pub-
lic interests ; and firm in the belief that there are great wrongs
to be righted and stern justice to be done ; and as a justifica-
tion of the course which I conscientiously feel compelled to
pursue on behalf of myself aQd others, who have suflfered from
the neglect of, or dereliction in the performance of those duties,
and to afford an opportunity for defense to those I may
have inculpated ; I earnestly ask that the following resolutions
of inquiry be adopted by your honorable body, in behalf of the
interests of all concerned ; and in support of my petition, I state
the fact that a similar resolution of inquiry addressed to the
Secretary of the Navy, was oflfered by the Hon. Mr. Foulke, of
Illinois, in the House of Bepresentatives, and adopted during
the last session of Congress, but its intent and meaning were
practically evaded by the Ordnance Bureau, and the desired
information was not then, nor has it since been furnished by
the Secretary of the Navy.

NORMAN WIAED.

136 East 33d Street, New York.

RESOLUTIOlSrs.

R$solvedf That the Secretary of tbe Navy be, and he is hereby requited to
rfpprt to and iafornji, tlie Senate, ^hat rifled catmon of cafit-iron^ wroaght-iroBi,
Bteel or semi-steel have been projected, designed, or made under the auspices
of his department, and by whom ]* also what number, size, weight and cost of
cast-iron, wrought-iron, steel or semi-steel blocks have been contracted for or
ordered, and how mapy of the same have been delivered, and hf whom and
wliere ;t also, how many of each size have been finished or parUy finished, and.
b^ whom and where.

j^ap, how many from ai^y cause or causes have burst or been rendered un-
Beryiceable, with the name of the designer or designers in each case,| and whajt
expense to the public Treasury has been, or is likely to be incurred in pur-
chasing, transporting, &bxicating and experimenting on these blocks.

Also, how many, if any, of each of the various sizes of the Navy " Dahlgren"
smooth-bpre guns, and of what materials constructed, have been burst or rei»-
dered unserviceable at any time during experiments upon them, or while in
service, and at what place, or places, and by whom designed and fabricated.^

Also, what expense to the public Treasury has been incurred for any and all
such experimental burst or unserviceable " Dahlgren"* guns, and what amount
for gunpowder and projectiles used in such experimental efforts, and for labor,
transportation, and preparation for the proper conducting of the same^

Also, what discoveries, if any, have been made in regard to the cause of
bursting, or failure of guns of large calibre, rifle or smooth-bore.||

Or what improvements, if any, have been made or proposed in materials or
the methods of fabricating large guns, rifle or smooth-bore, or to ensure their
greater endurance and immunity from burstings by any naval ordnance officer
or officers.^

And what patents for the same, if any, have been issued, and to whom;
and in whose interest and; at whose es^iense.^^

Also, wliat disqoveri^, invei^tions, or improvements, patented or otherwise^

• See Wiard's Pamphlet '• Great Guns,' ' pp. 10.

t "

t ''

§ **

II "

IT "

«*«!

10, 11, 12.

10, 11, 12,

11, 12, 13.

18, foot note.

19 to 44.

8, 9, 10.

2.1

if any, designed to secure the above stated specific results have been BabipHt^
or offered to his department, or the Ordnance Barean thereof, by nnofficiid
persons,^ and if any, what their nature, and by whom.

Also, what action, if any, has been taken by hiifaself Or his Chief of Ord-
nance, to properly exaitiine into their merits and test their prdcticiQ valbe, A
to secnre the ezclosive or specific use of any of them for the service of this
government

HISTORY OF MY CONTRACTS WITH THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.

On the last day of July, 1861, 1 made a preposal to the Navy
Ordnance Bureau, to furnish a liirge number of foiled semi-
steel small gtins. On the next day I received the following
answet* from the Department.

BUBEAV OF OrDNAXCB AND HTD.BO<miPHT| , )

Navy Department, Washington City, August It 1861. )

Sir, — ^In answer to your proposals of yesterday's date, I have to inform yoa,
that, the Bureau being desirous of procuring rifle cannoii for the use of the
Navy, at the shortest possible notice, will porcl^ase gwak of your iabrication
of Bemi-^teel ; Proiiided .-

1. That the guns inade dhali conform ibtric^y to the difedtimn koA drawings
herewith presented.

ii. If you will ofifer five guns made an above stipulated, the i^nreau wlU
receive them subject to prefer inspection, and if accepted, pay you at the rate
of eighty-five ceats (85oi) per pound.

8. It 18 to be di^iBctly understood, that, the Bureau is to be the Judge of
your compliance with the conditions of the agreement, aiid binds itself to the
purchase of no more than may be ordered from time to time.

You will please nodfy the Bureau if you accept the terms herein specified.

Very respectfully,

ANDW A, HARWOOD,

Chi^ ef Siireau, Ord, and Hyd.
To Mr. NoRXAV Wiard,

Wallh!Dgt6n, D. 0.

I reliietaiitly accepted these terms, and no eomplaint hail
^ver been mad6 that I failed, in toy pdrtienlar, to complj^ witli
ibe same to the minutest particulars of workmanship. Tbl3
guns were made after designs by Gapt. Dahlgren, and the fauft
was not mine, if they were designed upon erroneous prin-

¥ *

* See Wiard's Pamphlet <* Great Guns,'^ pp. 66 t6 0d.
Also see '* PropoeaU'^ Pamphlet

ciples, as I now know thejr were, and that too from confessed
ignorance on the part of the designer, as to the cause of failure.
A week after, on the 7th of Angnst, 1861, 1 received the fol-
lowing proposition from the Navy Department : ^

BuBKAU or Ordxakck AiTD Htdbogbapht, )
Navy Department, Waaldoj^ City, August 1, 1861. f

Sir, — ^The Bareaa wiaheB to oontnct withyoa to make some semi-Bteel
howitizers, 12-pdr., to be made after a model gun which will be forwarded to
joa by express.
Will yoa please notify the Bareaa whether yoa will undertake it.
The goDS to be made, sabjeet- to sadi inspection and conditions as are
provided for in your other agreement.

Yeiy respectfolly, yoar ob't serr't,

AND-W A. HARWOOD,
Chief of Bureau.

To NORlftAN WUBD, ESQ.^

136 East 33d St, New Yorlr.

To this I forwarded the following reply :

Washington, August 9, 1861.
Capt Andrew A, Harvnod, Chief Bureau Ord. and Hyd,, Navy Dept :

Sir, — My visit to New York has resulted in my being tible to ofier yoa
Steel Rifled Cannon at a price, that is much lower than the prices heretofore
proposed on my part, and this redaction has been resolved npon from more
favorable arrangements made with parties employed in the bosiness, and from
the confidence I have that the exigencies of the service will require a sufficient
number of guns, small as well as large, to enable me to keep the fohnderies ex-
clusively and fully occupied.

For Guns with 23 inches largest diameter, 90 cents per lb.
i* u « 20 to 22 " " " 80 "

" " " 16 to 20 ** ** " 65 "

These prices are for all guns for which I receive orders hereafter ; but not
to aflfect the price of the first five guns, for which I now have your order >
however, after the completion of the first five, the price will be reduced from
eighty-five cents per pound to eighty cents per pound ; 12-pdr. howitzers of
less diameter than sixteen inches, are now ofiEered you for fifty<^ve cents per
pound.

I wish to have permission to ofibr a part of the first lot of small guns yoa
may order made of cast-steel (solid ingots). I have made a few of these guns,
and I think they have superior qualities. I can furnish them at the same
price. Yours truly,

NORMAN WIARD.

- 23

I also wrote, on the same day, asking for information about
certain parts of the guns 1 had in hand, and urged the Bureau
to give me orders for a larger proportion of small guns, as
promised. On the 12th of August I received the following
letter from the Navy Department :

Bureau of Ordnance and HTDRoaRAPHT, )

Navy Department, Washington City, August 12, 1861. J

Sir, — I have received yoar letter of the 9th inst., requesting instructions in
reference to patting on the trannions, sight and lock pieces on the steel guns
yon have engaged to make.

In reply, the Bareau aathorizes you to use the breeching strap plan, con-
trived by Commander Dahlgren, and wishes you to understand that the weld-
ing or forging on the trunnions or other projections is not approved.

The lock lugs and sight masses may be screwed on.

While, as I explained to you, it would be impossible for the Bureau to
state the exact number of rifle cannon and howitzers re<|aired, I take this
opportunity to repeat to you that a large number wiU be wanted, and, as they
are wanted directly, the establishment which can make them quickest and of
good quality will necessarily have the most do. The order will be renewed as
soon as the Bureau hears from you of the completion of each batch of five of
the large guns ; and it will be the same case with regard to the howitzers^
provided you can carry on the work at both, at the same time, without retard-
ing the delivery of the larger guns, which will be most wanted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
To Norman WiARD, Esq., AND'W A. HARWOOD,

136 Bast 33d St., :tf ew York. Chief cf Bureau.

On the 28th of August, 1861, 1 received the following letter,
-which will be found an important one in the history of this
transaction :

Bureau of Ordnance and Htdbographt, )
Navy Department, Washington City, August 28, 1860. )

Sir, — In assenting to the making of Jive more steel guns by your establish-
ment, it was understood between us that the guns made under this new order
are to be paid for according to the reduced rates proposed by yon, namely,
80 cents per lb.

I must also remark that the reception of these guns depends necessarily
upon the proof, and therefore any expedition which may seem desirable to the
manufacturers is entirely at their own risk.

Very respectfully,
Me. Norman WiAED, AND'W A. HARWOOD,

136 East 33d St, New York. Chief of Bureau.

The following letter was received by me in answer to a pro-

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ready for firing, and are still in the Eounderj, the inspection
and test uncompleted, ready for instant delivery. Two more
were sobmitted for inspection and test of firing. One of them
burst on the tenth round, it having been fired very rapidly on
a cold gusty day, but was found to be perfectly homogeneous
and solid. The tensile strength of the metal of all these guns
was four times that of any cast-iron gun. The other, which
from the great anziety of ihe Bureau to have the guns before
new machin^y for boring and turning could be constructed,
was finished at a work-shop in Brooklyn, and the workmen
Qi^gaged on it committed a fraud, by inserting a false chamber,
to supply ia defect caused I^ boring the block about two inches
too deep^ This gun was fired very rapidly on a cold day, and
burst at the ninth rcmud, disclosing the fraud above-men-
tioned, with which I had nothing to do, as the Navy Depart-
ment luts undoubted proofs from its Ordnance Inspector,
Hitchcock. The following extract from Com. B. B. Hitdi-
cock's letter to the Navy Department, dated, December 13,
1861, shows that he entirely exonerates me from any com-
plicity in the transaction :

** From all that I can ascertain, this gun was bored at one
estabb'shment, and then sent to another to be turned ; by mis-
take, too much was turned off from tlie breech ; this false
piece* was then inserted, to bring the bore forward into its
proper position*

* This plog WQS tskeo oat and seot to the Ordnanoe Bareaa by Inspector
Bitefaooek ; from thence Captain Dahlgren took it to bis office at the Navy
Yard* where be kept it lor ezblbition to members of Congress and others
likely to be influential in passing a vast appropriation for Government Foun^
Aeries. On one occasion, as X am reliably informed, the President and Assis-
tant Secretary Watson being present, this unfortunate and inevitable '' plug"
was brought out by Admiral Dahlgren, and the circumstances in relation to
it fiiUy set forth to these distinguished personages with such eloqaenee, that
the Presideiit was iadneed to remark that, ** the man who eoiild be guilty of
aoch aa oatrageoas act, likely to imperil the lives of patriotic sailors^ ought to
he hung and quartered ;'^ adding, " who was the man who did this thing V*
1>» which Admiral Dahlgren answered in his blandest manner, " Mr. Wiard
of New York,'' making no mention of the ihcts stated by Captain Hitdicock,
eompletely exculpating me, which he must have known, as the first letter from

" I have DO cause to think that Mr. Wiard had any knowl-
edge of this transaction.''

Again, in a letter to the Nayj Department, May 17, 1862,
Com. Qitchcock writes :

" I believe Mr, Wiard to have acted in good faith in all his
transactions about these gunsJ^

Notwithstanding these letters exonerating me, the failare of
these guns was made the excuse for annulling my contract for
dO-pdrs., and also my contract for Howitzers. I had made twelve
of these Howitzers for Gen. Bornside, and five for the Navy
Department, from a pattern gan sent by the order of the
Bureau from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The five Navy How-
itzers passed a rigid inspection, were fired ten rounds, the con-
tract condition, and sent to the Navy Department, where they
remained for a year unpaid for.*

The twelve Howitzers furnished to Gen. Burnside were for
Col. Howard's regiment of Marine Artillery, and proved to be
far more enduring and efiFective than the bronze rifle Howit-
zers, bearing the name of Dahlgren. See "Marine Artillery "
Pamphlet.

While the work of finishing these semi-steel guns was going
on, Capt. Andrew A. Howard, then chief of the Navy Ord-

which the above extract is taken, was sent with the ** plug" to the Ordnance
Bureau. On learning this fact while in Washington last summer, I charged
this attempt to stab me in the 'back upon Admiral Dahlgren, to which he
replied, in substance, that the matter had been brought up before the Pres-
ident as an illustration of the unreliability of private establishments, and to
demonstrate the necessity for having great Government establishments, under
the immediate supervision of trustworthy and intelligent Ordnance officers, like
himself, as I inferred, responsible to — whom 7

This is not the only instance in which Admiral Dahlgren has shown a simi-
lar disposition to place me in a false position, where it would be likely to im-
pair my reputation and injure my business prospects.

* I Bubseqaently received payment for these guns, they having been sub-
mitted to a re-inspection and testing, and were found perfect, and are now in ser-
Tice. Before they were delivered to the Navy Yard, I applied to the Bureau for
permission to give them to'Gen. Burnside, on account of the War Department,
who was most anxious to have them, the twelve Howitzers previously furnished
him by me, having given such entire eatisfaction. This permisrion was peremp-
torily refiised by the Ordnance Bureau, yet the payment for them was delayed
for more than a year after their delivery.

nance Bureau, visited my workshops^ and examined the finished
work, and that in the process of finishing ; on which occasion
he expressed himself in the most unqualified terms of satisfac-
tion and even admiration, for the perfect and even elegant
manner in which every part of the guns was finished — more
than once repeating the remark that ^^ he had never seen anything
at all equal to U^ either in a government or a private Foundery, and
that he was fuHy satisfied with all that I was doing J* This visit
was made but a few days before the failure of the last of the
50-pdrs. herein-before mentioned.

I found, in measuring the pattern howitzer made at the
Washington Navy Yard^ that it had not the accuracy and work-
manship which was demanded of me in the most stringent terms,
and with which I strictly complied. The calibre varied at dif-
ferent points along the bore, and the rifling was simply absurd,
especially in a bronze gun, it having a twist of one turn in five
feet, or twice as much as will be found to be most effective,
even in my semi-steel guns, the metal of which has a hardness
and an unyielding endurance, in small sizes, that would enable
them in service to outwear a dozen such rifle guns, made of
bronze. These semi-steel guns can be furnished for about the
same price as the bronze guns ; or, at all events, I am willing
to contract to furnish from 100 to 5^000 semi-steel howitzers,
navy pattern, rifle or smooth-bore, for the same price as the
bronze guns could be furnished for now.

The annulling cf my contract for Howitzers was an act of
outrageous injustice, dJid was made without cause, (no gun of that
kind having failed) to my very great injury; the more especially
as all of these guns were made with the utmost care, and none
of them have ever been found defective, though submitted to
the severest service, and their manufacture was conducted
under my own eye and in workshops under my absolute
control.

MY CONTRACT FOR FINISHING LARGE CAST-IRON RIFLED

GUNS.

I received an order from the Navy Ordnatice Bureati td
finish fifty 7^-inch, 160-pdr. guns ; seven of the blocks wtrb
delivered to me, three of which were entirely finished, and tbtt
balance were ordered to be returned nnfinished, as the varidttn
trials at the West Point Foundery and elsewhere demohStra1;ea
these guns to be entirely unreliable. The bloeki!i upon which t
commenced work were froni the Pittsburg and West Pdrnt
Founderies, and were of the two qualities, high and low M8lt-
iron, specially adapted for gun metal, with a tensile rtt-ength of
from 32,000 to 34,000 lbs. to the square inch.

After much delay, and a very large expenditure for hM^
machinery, I was paid the contract pri<!fe t^t these iet^
guns, and the contract was anntiUed for no fatdt if fhihie. Thes^
numerous failures, to keep faith with me on the part of th^
Ordnance Bureau, and the acknowledge untrustwortti;^ drtiih'
acter of large guns led me to in^ire info the cauie of the fte-
qaent bursting (f guns and this inquiry resulted in the S^
coveries and the improvements to which 1 have asiked attenti&h
in my Memorial, On the 19th and 26th of July, 1 »ut^
mitted two notes involving a proposition, that the Ordnaned
Bureau should let me have the steel 60-pdr. that had been ptit
to extreme tejrt and two of the 150-pdr. cast-iron gutiSj dH
which to try my proposed experiments. As set forth fti fiif
pamphlet entitled " Great Guns,'^ page 60. As t, part at my
proposition, I asked that the actual expenses inciin'ed by thU
experiments, which I proposed to make exclusively in th^ In-
terest of the Government should be allowed m© by the Biireait»
charging nothing for my own services. To this I rwjeived th*
following liberd and patriotic reply :

Navy Department, Washington City, Jidy 28, 1862< \
Sirt—ln reply to your notes of the 19th and 25th instants, I have to state
that, the 5 and 1-10 inch steel gun made by yon, will be placed at your dis-
posal as requested, for the purposes contemplated.

It was never intended, however, to do more than to supply you with the
steel gun and the other two guns asked for ; and, therefore, all othMT expenses
are to he home hy yourself, 1 am very respectfully your ob*t serv*t,

JNO. A. DAHLGBEN,

Chief Bureau Ordnanu,

This 0]'4er is sUU in force, an^ I shall call for the guns very
soon, and ma^e the proposed experiments and demonstrations
at my own expense, which would have been done before now,
but for the complications forced upon me by the failure of the
Ordnance Department to fulfill its contracts with me»

I presented my bill to the Ordnance Bureau sometime since
asking payment for the two &0-pdrs., which had been completed,
inspected, tested, and delivered at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in
compliance with the loritten instructions from the Ordnance Bureau^
and submitted a written statement, setting forth that I had
never before presented the bill from the fact that I had always
found it impossible to obtain any satisfaction or adjustment
from Capt. Harwood, then Chief of the Ordnance Bureau. I
i^so submitted the following sworn statement, which sets forth
the circumstances under which I undertook to make &0-pdr.
rifle semi-steel guns for the Navy Department.

(€0P¥.)

City and County of New York :

M. T. Merritt, of No, 74 Broadway, New York, beiDg duly sworn, deposes
and says^ that ha wa9 present at the Bureau of Orduance for the Navy De-
partment, in the City of Washington, during several interviews for the nego-
tiation, and read the correspondence between Normao Wiard and Com. An-
drew A. Harwood, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, in reference to the fab-
rication by said Wiard, of semi-steel 50-pdr. guns for the use of the Navy^
which took place in the summer,, of the year 1861, and that deponent was so
present as the adviser of the said Wiard, and also at the request of Messrs.
Tugnot, Dally & Co., who were interested in the manufacture of guns.

And deponent further says, that said Wiard did then and there represent
and state to said Com. Harwood, that he could not profitably undertake less
than fifty guns.

Thai tha taid Ckirf of BugrmULdi4 confer^ to gm an order for that nurrHber^ bid ofUr-
vmd itaffd thai he vfithett to reserve the prmUge to stop the work upon, the eompUium qf
any ^un, to which Mr. Wiard obfeded, that, not less, than five yune could be in course of
construction at any one time. And that U teas finally decided and agreed both by the Chitf
and. Mr. Wiardf that an order should be gioen for five, and be renewed for the same number
as fast as five were completed.

Deponent further says, that doubt was expressed by Oom, Harwoodj whether such heavy
guns could be properly welded, but no doubt as to the quality of the guns if the welding was
successful.

When the subject of the charge was referred to, Com. Harwood siud distinctly
fhsiX the proof was to be ten servkechargts fired from each gun, and made nomentionqf
risk, on^on^ gunff^amthe fault of another t but .on. the contrary it was acknomUdged by. Mr,
Ward, that th^mlMT^rf « giPit^ or /est. nwn^ (i, iHfirstfinkor Us^gwu might

during the test, bid no apprehension was expressed hy either party as to Iks ntfdy (f those
thai should pats the examination and test, and that after making fine or toi, ihs proeess
would be to perfected as thereafter to insure uniformly good guns* And thai Com, Bat'
wood gave frequent assuranees thai a large number of the guns would be wanted,

DepoDent farther says, that no mention whatever was made, that any gun
was to be rejected for the failure of another. And that neither deponent nor
Mr. Wiard, as deponent believes, had any intimation whatever to that effect,
and that if sach had been th^ case, or if any intimation had been given to that
effect, either by Com. Harwood or the Department, deponent woold not have
advised the undertaking of sach fabrication by Mr. Wiard.

Sworn to before me, this 26th day of Jan., 1863.

M. F. MERRITT.
Joseph G. Leir, Notary Public,

[l. b.] New York City.

In reply to my application for payment for those guns, in
which I mentioned the circumstance related in the foot-note,
page 29, 1 received the following letter from Capt. Dahlgren,
Chief of the Ordnance Bureau :

Bureau of Ordnance, )

Navy Department, Washington City, Jan, 26, 1863. \

Mr. Norman Wiard, New York : ^

Sir, — Your communication of the 20th was received on the 24th, in answer
to mine of Jan. 19, wherein I apprised your agent, Mr. Stnart, that I saw no
reason to reverse the decision of my predecessor in relation to two semi-steel
guns for which you claim payment.

As' you appear dissatisfied with my conclusion, I can only offer you the
opportunity of an opinion from the Hon, Secretay of the Navy, and, suppos-
ing that course acceptable to you, will make the reference accordingly.

I have no remembrance of the conversation to which yon allude ; but if
Assist. Secretary Watson has said so, it must be so.

It was of course official — therefore supposed to be confidential — and must
have been said in the necessary course of business.

When this took place you do not state; but you will perceive that if I did
speak of this part of the transaction, which you yourself characterize as an
'' outrageous fraud" I must naturally have considered it in connection with
the contracting party, not knowing at the time that there might be others
who were responsible for the act.

On receiving your letter I caused the files to be examined, when a letter of
Captain Hitchcock was found, in which the following passage occurs :

'* I have no cause to think that Mr. Wiard had any knowledge of this tran-
saction," which I presume is what you allude to.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. A. DAHLQBEN, CAfe/^J?ur<att.

On the receipt of this letter I made an application to the
Secretary of the Navy in reference to my claim, and he told mo

that ^^Dahlgren knew aU about it, and he would ther^are have to
r^er the matter back to him" This occurred on the 14th of Feb-
ruary, 1863. Upon this I became satisfied that I had no chance,
for a proper settlement of my just claims, short of an appeal to
Congress, and in some sort to the country. There is justly due
me at this moment the sum of $20,000, for the two guns at the
Navy Yard, and the two lying in the workshop yet uninspected,
from no fault of mine ; and by the referring of the whole mat-
ter by the Secretary of the Navy to Admiral Dahlgren it will
be seen that it is only to the fairness and justice of his irrespon-
sible decision can I look for relief, and that he has once refused.

In justice to myself ai^d others involved with me, I ask that
the two guns now lying at the Navy Yard be paid Tor, and *
that the inspection of the two guns in the foundery be completed,
and, if found satisfactory, that they be also paid for. All of
these guns were made upon the faith (f the contract from the
Ordnance Bureau, and it is a crying injustice that a private
citizen should be so deeply involved^ through the bad faith and the
unjustifiable acts of oppression on the part of government officers.

The following article from the JVeio York Tribune, will give
some idea of the necessity for the passage of the foregoing res
olution of inquiry, as it sets forth inconsistencies and income
petency that would disgrace any private individual and ruin
any private establishment.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE NAVAL ORDNANCE BUREAU FOR 1862.

Our ordnance officers very properly commence their reports with a general
confession of Jgnorance ; they occupy page after page with information of
what has not been done, giving copious details of costly experiments which
have failed, and sum up the total results of their experience in a confession of
particular ignorance. Such is the character of the report of the Navy Depart-
ment, rendered by Capt. Dahlgren, Chief of the Ordnance Bureau, at the close
of last year. It may be divided into two heads, namely : advice to the
Department to do certain things, and a labored endeavor to prove that it is
almost impossible to do them ; and in this respect it is the counterpart of
Bodman's work on Ordnance, one of the most important chapters of which is
headed '' What We Do Not Know" As a knowledge of our own ignorance
is *the beginning of wisdom, this should have been the first chapter of the
work.

Gapt. Dahlgren's report sets forth some curious facts. It states that the
Monitor was armed with 11-inch guns, and that in its action with the
Merrimac ** shot were used with an initial velocity of 1,120 feet per second ;"

bvt tbftt " iinte that timci the same dau qfgm has Been a$eiriained tohe eaptp-
Jdeof tkrovring solid shot of \^ Ibs.y with a- charge of 39 lbs,, of powd^p
giving an inkial velocHi^ qfli4tQ%feet per second.^* By tins we aodentandtliftt'
the capaeity of the ll-ioch Dahlgren gun haff only just beendiseeTered/not^
withstanding the vast amount of money^ giu^wder» and gnn^xBetaU expended
in experiments and trials, bat wbich might hay^ been expended to greater
advantage. A similar dtscoyery has been made with regard to the 9-inch
Dah^ren gnn ; but it wonid seem that we owe these (asserted) ^^seoteite
more to accident than to the intelligent purpose of their designer tmd patentee*

€apt. Dahlgren qisotes a detailed account of various trifde made m England
with heavy guns upon iron-plating, showing that guns carrying shot wei^ng
from 156 pounds to 280 pounds, projected by a heavy charge of powder,
were capable of penetrating the thickest armor at present considered prac-
ticable. From this, he draws the conclusion (about the only one in the
report, and that made to his hands by the En^ish press,} that plated ships
can not withstand large guns. Then, as if determined to overthrow bis second*
hand conclusion, he states that, though the Monitor and the Merrimac ** sns-
tained for four hours the lUmost efforts of each others batteries," neither ship
was injured I This is a sad overthrow to Capt. D/s solitary conclusion, and
still further strengthens our impression of ignorance, when he, the inventor of
the 9 and 11-inch guns, speaks of their *^ utmost efforts " in that action, and
acknowledges that he found out, shortly after, that they could be fired with a
heavier charge, and thus project the shot with a greater velocity. If he
had known this important fact sooner, and if the conclusions drawn from the
English experiments are correct, the guns on board the Monitor should have
annihilated the Merrimac within half an hour.

Upon reading the English reports, we have arrived at a different conclusion
from Capt. Dahlgren's, viz., that the offense (ordnance) has the advantage
over defense (iron-clad ships) ; for this reason, that the resistance to the pene-
tration of shot is equal to the square of the thickness of the plate. That is, if a
plate four inches thick will resist a shot moving at the velocity of 1,500 feet
per second, a plate eight inches thick will resist a shot of the same weight and
diameter, moving at a velocity of 6,000 feet par second ; a velocity which caa
not be attained, while it is very possible that modds for ships may be made to
accommodate plating of eight inches in thickness. Consequently, as Capt.
Dahlgren's famoua 9 and 11-inch guns have but recently attained, as their
highest velocity, 1,400 feet per second, and that only by doubling the charge
beyond what he heretofore considered safe, viz., fifteen pounds, what becomes
of his condusions that ordnance is superior to iron-plating ? — or how, in oppoi-
sition to these facts, can we receive his self-complacent remarks, while eulo-
gizing the power of his patented guns, and the immunity they afford against
all attacks — " we have the leisure to consider and devise any other species of
ordnance that may be better adapted to the purposey and are not precipitated
into hasty or questionable measures" We are compelled to believe that Capt.*
Dahlgrea has been devoted to leisure ; as, by his own statement, it has takirn*

him several years to find out' what charges of powder and weight of shot the
guns of his own invention would endure and carry.

To what end, then, we would ask, has Oapt. D. devoted years to literally
paving the eastern branch of the Potomac with thousands of tons of iron shot
and shell in his trials and experiments ! What are the results of his ex-
perience 7 Thousands of guns burst ; millions of money uselessly expended,
and our large guns, up to this time, a failure I The Navy Ordnance officers
burst the Army guns ; the Army Ordnance officers burst the Navy guns ; and
the struggle seems to b? which shall decry the other the loudest ; but out of
this struggle comes no trustworthy gun — out of official incapacity comes no
light upon the subject. If the Chief of the Ordnance Bureau was ignorant of
the (now stated) power of the guns by himself invented, patented, tested, of
course approved, and now through his position forces upon the Government,
what have we to expect from the Department ? We know the inviolability
which surrounds the Bureaux ; we know that they are sacred from outside
intrusion ; that talent, enterprise, and genius would feel strange if they should
surreptitiously get in there (the only possible way to do so) ; but we believe
that the exigencies of the country demand that routine, for once, should be
set aside, and that light from the outside should be let into the mental dark-
ness which misgoverns and misappropriates the ample means placed at the
command of those incapable of using them to the advantage of the country.

The following is from the JVeto York TrUmne of March 10,
1863:

DAHLGREN ONCE MORE.

The inevitable impression left upon the mind after reading Dahlgre'n's
Report, is, that we are the most inefficiently governed people in the world.
That our rulers have been hopelessly blind and besotted, without caution and
without foresight. At the commencement of the Rebellion we had but few
good guns, and were obliged to *'fall back upon artillery which had been dis-
carded from the service,** Dahlgren acknowledges that our Navy was not at
that time ** on a footing commensurate with the obvious wants of the country
for ordinary purposes." A clear acknowledgment that our Navy, even as a
peace establishment, was not up to the proper standard. We had scarcely
any niter, an article so important in the manufacture of gunpowder that, as
Dahlgren says, '* It may be said to be gunpowder itself. Almost our entire
supply came through England, and its exportation thence was entirely stopped
during the Trent excitement." The scarcity of so important an article must
have been known to the Department, and yet, although armed rebellion had
been stalking through the land for two years, the Ordnance Bureau has
** secured, after resorting to all possible means, a stock of niter, domestic and
foreign, sufficient to place our Navy beyond the danger of immediate necessi-
ties." Cold comfort this, with possible serious complications looming up in the
immediate future.

ITie eflSciency of our Navy, that arm of public service which has been our
particular pride and boast, may be jntdged of from a fact related by Gapt.
Dahlgren himself, namely, that out of a detachment of three hundred able-bodied
seamen^ placed by him to defend an important point, it was found that only
ten or fifteen of the men had ever served at a gun before ! Dahlgren naturally
suggests that " some course of instruction in gunnery may be instituted as a
part of the system of the Navy." After a century of national existence as one
of the foremost maratime powers of the earth, it is suggested, by a high official
that the fiandling of guns should be iNSTrroTKD as a part of our Naval system !
Upon what a shallow foundation have we rested the boasted glory, efficiency,
and invincibility of our Naval power I

Upon the subject of iron-dads and ordnance, Admiral Dahlgren acknowledges
the most gratifying ignorance. He does not know whether the armor for ships
should be one solid plate or many thinner plates 1 He does not know haw the
plates should be fastened to the wood backing I He does not know how to
economize the open space of the ports when the gun is out, or to close it when
in 1 He does not know, the number of cannon being reduced to a third of the
number be is accustomed to rely upon, how he shall supply the loss of force by
the weight and kind of those which remain 1 He does not know whether he
shall use rifle or smooth-bore, breech or muzzle-loaders 1 He does not know
whether it would be better to pierce, or crush and break bolts and strip off the
armor, or to attempt to. pierce the interior with shells.

This is a formidable account of what our principal ordnance officer does not
know ; and yet, with all these acknowledgments under his own hand, he states,
with rare coolness, in a paragraph on a following page, that '' The operations
that have been condu4Aed here with reference to the power of different cannon
and projectiles, as well as the resistance of iron plating, have been so far satis-
factory that the results derived have been consistent" Results consistent with
what 7 We look in vain for a single result derived from the experience of
Ordnance Officer Dahlgren. We, however, disclaim any emotion of surprise*
for we could not reasonably expect a practical result from an officer who, after
trying for years guns of his own invention, manufactured under his own supervis-
ion, left it to accident to discover that they were capable of bearing double the
charge of powder that he considered safe I It should be remembered that to this
fiital ignorance may be traced the failure of our arms before Richmond ; for had
the Monitor destroyed the Merrimac in their first encounter, which she could
have done had her guns been charged and shotted to the extent it is now as-
sumed they can bear, the James River would have been free for our gunboats
to have co^ierated in a victory, instead of arriving just in time to cover a'
defeat.

We have a reasonable sympathy with ignorance which is unavoidable
through adverse circumstances, but we feel justly indignant when a well-salaried
officer, educated to his position at the public expense, having at his command
unlimited means to solve all doubts by extended and complete experiments,
acknowledges in an official document his total want of knowledge on every

,35

point whicb one in Iiis position ought to know thoroughly. We feel more
indignant still when we know that, while conscious of his own incapdcitj, he
persistently refuses to examine the labors of intelligent minds directed to the
elucidation of the very points respecting which he emphatically declares that
he knows nothing. Routine abhors Progress, and Routine in the Ordnance Office
ia the rule to which, unfortunately for our country, there is no single exceptioti.
Admiral Dahlgren has invented guns, of whose capacities he is entirely un-
conscious, and has taken out patents for the same in his own name, contrary to
all official rule, and with these guns, of unknown qualities, he guards the Ord«
nance Department from all innovating, patent-damaging improvements. Over
bis official door should be placed, in letters of brass : "All who enter her^
leave Progress behind P*

It gives Admiral Dahlgren " pleasure to bear testimony to the promptness
with which the private founderies have met the demands on them from the
Government." This is a generous acknowledgment of merit, but we receive it
with much suspicion. The demands are met undoubtedly ; but how ? What
is the per centage of failures ? What is the cost to the Government for the
countless experiments to arrive at these failures ? The experience of Captain
Rodman, Chief of the Army Ordnance Bureau, is totally adverse to the spirit
of the above compliment to " private founderies." He says, after frankly
enumerating a fearful list of failures, that

** These facts, to my mind, are conclasive as to the fact that we are at present far
firom possessing a practical knowledge of the properties of cast4r6ik iii its application
to gan-foandering ; and it is too mnch to expect of prirat^ «ntei^rise to take upiMid
prosecute so intricate and expensive an inquiry."

He further suggests that a series of experiments should be entered upon, at
tbe expense of the Government, as early as practittMe / For what are the
millions of public money expended upon our Ordnance Departments, if not foe ,
tbe purpose of arriving by experiment at the very knowledge which our ^^fii,
confess they do not possess? The Secretary of the Navy did not Bimtain '
Dahlgren*s compliment to " private enterprise," when he applied ta Congress '
for $30,000,000 to establish vast Governnient founderies to perform what^'
Dahlgren asserts is so well performed by seven private firms. We are loth to ^
attribute motives to others which are only remotely disoenilble, but we are
forced to inquire if there can be any mental connectioa betw^n the ^* coWplf-
ment " and the concluding paragraphs of Dalilgrei^'s report, whiih are ' as 1
follows:

" lo concIi|pion, I beg to ask your consideration of tbe. present organization of this
Bureau. The nature of its dutiels are militiuyai well as eivil^ and the minutest j^^iia
of a cannon or its management on 8hipboai4» are sal^ecfs of ita 'coghizanc^,'' as well ^
as the directions for making cannon and aU their eompUcatsd appliaa'ces.

'* It is thas necessarily in the closest professional contact Wil^ coinmanders of fleets
and of ships, as well as of founders and mechanics^"

If further powers were confirmed to this Bureau, the " seven private firms "
could hardfy fail to find a friend in the officer who so handsomely.complimented
them.

Resolvedf That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, requested to re-
port and inform the Senate, what improvements, if any, have been made
or proposed and adopted by regular ordnance officers under the auspices of his
department since the rebellion commenced, or since the adoption of large rifled
guns ; in materials for,, or methods of construction of, heavy ordnance, rifled or
smooth-bore.

What failures have occurred daring experiments upon heavy ordnance, and
what failures of the same in services, whether jof guns furnished under contracts
with his department, or obtained from the Navy Department.

What was the weight of powder and shot, the calibre, material and weight
of heavy guns that have failed.*

What was the rate in time of firing, what the^ state of the atmosphere by
the thermometer, and what the condition of the weather, fair or rainy, at the
time of firing of each gun, so far as observations were taken and reported to
his department.!

What number of rifled field guns have been mounted on the standard 6-pdr.
field carriage, and what changes have been made, if apy, to adapt the 6-pdr.
. carriage to rifled guns.

How many of the 6-pdr. field carriages, on which have been placed rifled
field guns, have been disabled or injured by breaking or bending of their axles ;
and how many 12-pdr. field carriages,*on which rifled guns were mounted, have
been disabled or injured in the same manner in service, or during experiments
coDducted in presence of ordnance officers.

What number of 10-pdr«Parrott rifled guns have been placed on 6-pdr. car-
riages, and what number of 20-pdr. Parrott guns have been placed on 12-pdr.
carriages, and what elevation can be attained with Parrott 10 and 20-pdrs.
when mounted on such carriages.

What is the recoil, when fired wiih service charges of the 3-inch wrought-
iron gun, and 10-pdr. Parrott gun on 6-pdr. carriages, and how much the re-
coil of the 20-pdr. Parrott gun when mounted on the 12-pdr. carriages ?

What rifle projectiles have been used in service in these guns, and at whose
requisition or recommendation in every case, with the name of the designors
or manufacturers, and with what results in each and all cases ?

How many rifled guns of the above named sizes have been left on the field
of battle, or captured by the enemy, from the disabling of the carriages ; and
what number of rifled guns have been recovered from battle fields, after hav-
ing been buried, to hide them from the enemy, in consequence of the breaking
down of their carriages from causes other than hostile shots?^ *

What number of rifled or smooth-bore muskets have been purchased from
foreign countries since the war commenced ?J

• See Wiard's Pamphlet ** Great Guns," pp. 14 to 19 inclusive,
f " " " " " 44 to 66 "

t " " « ' "Field Artillery," pp. 20, 21, 22.

§ " " *' " Small Arms."

And how many of them would interchange with the Springfield rifled
nmsketT*

How many woald interchange with each other in all their parts, and how
many of them would interchange with the Springfield musket parts, bayonet,
stock, lock and barrel only ; and how many would interchange with each other
for that number of parts, viz., bayonet, stock, lock and barrel ?

How many Springfield muskets have been repaired on the field from parts of
other damaged Springfield muskets, and how many Springfield muskets have
been returned to the arsenals to receive lost or damaged parts ?

Has it been the practice of the inspectors to receive what are called English
Enfields, or guns similar in appearance, without the test of firing barrels with
powder, and were they so received because of the careful and reliable iospec-
tion and stamping of all English made barrels, at official proving-houses estab-
lished by the British government, at which all English made bain-els are
proved ?

And what exertion has been made by the Ordnance Department to have
fiuch a system adopted by the United States Government to facilitate the
production of guns of home manu&ictare ?

What number of rifle muskets, Springfield pattern, have been ordered, and
how many received from private contractors of the manufacture of the United
States f

And how many of United States manufacture have been ordered to be made
of uniform appearance with the Enfield rifle, and to interchange to the extent
of lock, stock, barrel, and bayonet ?

How many have been offered, (if contracts coukl be made,) of this last class
of gun?

How many have been contracted for, and how many delivered, and at what
prices, and what is the highest price paid for Enfield rifles (so called), exchange
and transportation added ?

And how many have been purchased at that price ?

How many have been purchased of which the whole cost, with transporta-
tion, exchange, and commission, amounted to more than $14, how many above
i$16, how many more than $18, and how many over $20 ?

ON U. S. STANDARD GUN CARBU6ES.
{Firom the N, Y, JQaUy Tinus, Od. 30, 1861.)

Over 1,200 new standard carriages have been ordered by Gen. Ripley, a ma-
j ority of which ace^tatedto be designed for the Parrott guns of different calibres*
These carriages are made so as to allow but fourteen degrees of elevation to the
standard bronze guns, which are much shorter, lighter and smaller in diameter
at the breech than the Parrott guns. The effect of this has been found
to be as follows : Not more than eight degrees of elevation can be obtained
on the 10-pdr. guns, and not more than from six to eight on the larger guns ;
it also necessitates a change in the location of the elevating screw on the trail,

4 _

* JSee Wiard's Pamphlet <* Small Arms."

while the weight of the gan is very much greater than that. of any other field
gans of similar calibre and weight of projectile.

With rifled guos and saitable projectiles there is no difficulty in working
the extreme theoretic elevation of the gan, thus placing shot and shell with
accuracy and efifect to the extremest ranges, if the carriage be properly con-
sti^cted to allow of the requisite degree of mobility and elevation. Thurty-six
degrees is the theoretical maximum of elevation fixed for cannon, while the
standard mechanical adjuatment on all United States field carriages is under
15 degrees, much less than is required for rifled guns properly worked. The
tenacity with which army ordnance officers adhere to standard forms is
illustrated by the fact, that of the 800 carriages designed for rifled guns of
entirely different sizes and forms, all have been constructed on the old unchanged
models, specially desigDcd for smooth-bore guns of uniform standards. Another
fact has been developed in this direction which is still more singnlar. Two
United States Army Inspectors, for instance, will order . carriages ; one
will direct the constructor to imitate a standard carriage in all its measurements
and details exactly to the 200th part of an inch. The other will direct that
the constructor shall exactly follow the standard drawings prepared by the
Ordnance Department, without the least deviation. Now, upon making a
careful examination of some of the standard 6-pdr. carriages, which the stand-
ard drawings make exactly 9 6- 10 inches between the cheek-pieces or trun-
nion bearings, the constructor finds that the cheek-pieces are 10 inches apart,
together with many other differences. On examining the standard drawings,
the constructor will find errors even there, and that, as in the case of the
arrangement of the spare pole and the spare wheel drawings for the standard
6-pr. caisson, it will be impossible to follow the standard drawings.

These are facts — and are they not disgraceful facts 7 And do they not
properly lead to the inquiry whether there is not a vast deal of pretensions
ignorance hid beneath official uniforms and reticence?

THE BANKS EXPEDITION.

136 East Thibtt-third Street, New York, ) ,

March 7, 1863. \

Pbteb H. Watson, Esq., Assist, See, of War,

Sir, — On the 12th day of December last, I procured a discount for $18,000,
which enabled me to pay cash for part of the stores I had furnished the Gov-
ernment for the Banks Expedition, and at that time I paid $223 51 interest
for the loan at sixty days. Nearly all the supplies I furnished, were from
drawings carefully prepared originally by myself, at considerable cost of time
and money. These drawings, copies of which I furnished to the War Depart-
ment, anc| for which I received no remuneration, were exhibited to Gen.
Banks, who approved of them, ana ordered the supplies to be got ready, with
the condition that they should be completed within two weeks. Twelve

lnQBchM had to be made, but on applying to boat-bQildas, 1 was assofedthat
it would take six week, at least, to baild one launch. But us the order from
Gen. Banks was imperative in regard to time, I refused to listen to such
conditions, and did succeed by great personal exertion, in having these
launches ready in season for the expedition. To achieve this^ I had to pay
cash down, or in advance, for the best mechanics in this City have no &ith in
the prompt payment of the Ordnance Department. For myself, I had confi-
dence that Qen, Banks would see me promptly paid, although I had no
conversation with him on the subject from want of time, as, in addition to my
severe duties of putting stores on board, I had magazines to build on the
transports, and articles to manufacture, in almost every branch of mechanical
business, and all t3 be completed in a limited time.

While I was attending personally to putting stores on the steamer North
Star, on December 6, 1 was informed that Gen. Banks would leave on that
day. I at once called upon him at head-quarters, to say that my accounts
would require to be audited by him before he left. He said if I would be on
board the steamer as she moved down the bay he would come on board off the
Battery with a tug, which he would detain for my return, and that as we went
doWn he would audit or attend to the accounts. I prepared a copy of my
accounts, and remained on board the steamer when she left the dock. Gen.
Banks did not come on board, but the small steamer conveyiug him and some
of his friends moved alongside the North Star as we sailed down the bay.
When the General did come on board, I met him at the gangway, and re-
minded him agiun of my accounts. He directed tlie small steamer to wait for
me, and examined my accounts, with the assistance of Col. Holabird, and
wrote

JppToued,

N. P. Banks, H. G. 0.

I forwarded the accounts, approved by the General, to the Ordoaoce De-
partment, accompanied by a copy of a letter from him to me, speaking
approvingly of my manner of performing my duties, and of my services.
These accounts Qen, Eipley refused to pay, and they were returned, for the
alleged reason that no receipt of a U. S. officer accompanied the account.
This is a mere quibble, as Gen. Ripley should know that Gen. Banks would
not approve these bills unless the stores were delivered. He also knows that
I have always sacrificed myself for the interest of the Gorenunent ; and he
does know that I was directed by the War Department to take a position
under Geo, Banks, in which I must obey his orders. The result is» that I
have had to renew my note of $18,500, and again pay $219.97 interest. I
have large means and credit involved for the Government, and, after nearly
two years' faithful exertion to do it good service, I am left to bear the most
oppressive difficulties, without either aid or sympathy ; and I am payhig
interest for a large amount of money on 'Government account, for which no

allowance will be made to me at any time, even if I shoald eyentaally be paid
the principal. In a few days my second note will fall due, and I write to
ask that you will see that my jast claims are settled, and that I am relieved
from the oppression arising from the obstacles thrown unnecessarily in the
way of my payment by Gen. James W. Ripley.

Respectfully,

Norman Wiabd.

LETTEB OF GENERAL BANKS.

New York, December 4, 1862.
My Dear Sir, — I desire, at the moment of my departure, to make to yoa
my unqualified acknowledgments for the valuable assistance you have rendered
me in fitting out my expedition. Your suggestions have been most important
and your services valuable. When I can, you may rely upon my fully recipro-
cating your favors. As soon as time will permit me I will make known to the
Secretary of War my opinion of your efforts. I remain, most truly and
sincerely, Your friend, etc.,

N. P. BANKS.
Norman Wiard, Esq.

CONTRACTS WITH THE WAR ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT.

The contract system at the War Ordnance Department
under General Ripley, is exemplified in the following statement
of facts. It would probably be characterized by all honorable
men as an instance of gross corruption and favoritism. It,
at all events, offers a good and sufficient reason why no honest
man can hope for a fair competition in any business with the
Department, although the proposals are publicly advertised
for competition.

In the month of May, 1862, an advertisement from the Sec-
retary of War, appeared in many papers, for 5,000 tons of
lead. In the month of June, the order was modified to 1,666
tons, sealed proposals to be opened on the 5th day of August.
Early in July, the firm of Naylor & Co., New York, addressed
a letter to the Ordnance Department, oflfering to contract for
lead, and were assured by the Ordnance Department, through
Gen. Ripley, that no open proposals could be received, but
inviting sealed proposals, to be opened 5th August. About

the 19th July, one of the firm of Nay lor & Co., Mr. Huntington,
appeared at the Ordnance Department, and remained there
several days, until the 25th of July, on which day he made an
offer to the War Department for 3,590 tons of lead. It was
referred the same day, to Gen. Ripley for report. On the same
liay a contract was recommended ; on the same day a contract
was approved, which contract stipulated, that 897 tons were in
store, and 2,693 tons were at sea, and to arrive. At that
period there was in store belonging to the Government, 2, 800
tons, equal to 50 to 55 day's supply. On the 5th day of
August, the farce of opening the sealed proposals was supposed
to have taken place. The commission on Ordnance and Ord-
nance stores, in the elaborate decision of the Mason case. No.
71, decided that all contracts for prospective deliverly, should
be by public advertisement only, and to be given to the lowest
bidder. By this decision, every contract approved by the Hon.
Simon Cameron, Secretary of War was declared null and void.

The present case of Naylor & Co., as passed by the Ord-
nance Department, under Gen. Ripley, was a deliberate act of
maJfeajsance (f office : 1st. In violating the Act of Congress of
March, 1809. 2d. In violating the honor pledged to those who
sent in sealed proposals. 3d. A gross favoritism to this firm of
Naylor & Co. The act of Gen. Ripley actually nullifies the
action of the commission on ordnance and ordnance stores in
every case, and deters honorable merchants and manufacturers
from presenting sealed proposals, from fear of such violations
of public faith. Naylor & Go's, contract was purely pro-
spective, as 2,693 tons were to arrive. The original advertis-
ment for 5,000 tons having been reduced to 1,666 tons, together
with the fact that 2,800 was in store belonging to the Govern-
ment, shows that an exigency did not require such a contract.

I have been informed that Huntington was an old Spring-
field friend of Gen. Ripley.

When a lot of tenders for small arms were opened. Captain
Balsh broke the seals. Captain Benton read the contents, while
a clerk recorded. A similar ceremony took place at the time
of opening sealed proposals for infantry goods.

But when the proposals for lead was recorded, they were

brought to the clerk on the 6th of August insriead of the 5thr
the seals already broken ! Q uery . — Were fhejf opened^ owthe 5tk
of August of <m the 25th of JulyT

For a corroboration of these facts, examine the National
Intelligencer, Washington, for advertisment for sealed proposals
for Lead, May and June 1862. Also —

Call for the letters of Nay lor & Co., early in July, with^ tho'
replies thereto.

Call for the contract passed on the 25th of July, 1862;

Ask what number of sealed proposals were received aad
opened on the 5th day of August.

Ask fbr the supply of lead on hand on the 25th' of July and
what is the rate of consumption.

Another gross deception practiced by the Army Ordnance
Bureau under Gen. Ripley, with a view to blind the public to
a siense of the utter exclusiveness of that oflSce, may be found
in the system of advertising for Proposals for camion, after
the following manner :

ARMY AND NAVY PROPOSALS FOR CANNON.

Proposals will be received by the War and Navy Departments until the
2dd day of Jane, 1862, for the fabrication of the following heavy cannon, viz :

1. XV inch smooth bore — not to exceed 50,000 pounds in weight.

2. XII inch rifle — to be of the same exterior form and proportional weights
as the XY inch smooth bore gun. The length of the guns over all, are not
to vary essentially from standard gans of same calibre, viz., about 16 feet.

3. The ship guns to be constructed with a preponderance one^xteentfa of
the weight of the piece, and to have a cascable for an elevating screw.

4. The fbrtress guns to have ratchets for elevating, but to be without pre*
ponderence,'as is the case of the new pattern Columbiads.

5. The first gun of each kind to stand a proof of one thousand rounds with
a charge of powder of one-fourth the weight of the shot for the XV inch, and
one-fifth for the XII inch. The shot for the Xv inch gun to be not less than
450 pounds in weight, and to have an initial velocity not less than 1,500 feet ;
and for the XII inch rifle not less than 500 pounds^ with an- initial velocity
not lesi^ than 1,300 feet.

Should the trial guns pass the prescribed proof and inspection, each brancb
of the service will contract for twenty of each kind, to be made precisely like
the trial gun in every respect ; provided, that each gun stands a proof of one
hundred rounds with service charges.

7. Should the trial guns stand the required proof, the Gorerdment will pay

the expenses attending the proof, and for the gnns. Should th6y fail to do so,
the costs, wi^ the exception of the powder, will fall on the contractor.

8. The price pfeach gun is to be stated, and the proposals are to be accom-
panied by sketches showing the form, dimensions, and calculated weight of
the guns, and likewise the material proposed to be used in their construction.

9. The time of completion for inspection of the trial guns is not to exceed
ninety days, and the limit for the completion of the remainder to be within
nine months.

10. The Government reserves the right to reject any or all the proposals if
not satisfactory.

11. Proposals should be addressed to the ''Navy Department," and be
indorsed " Proposals for Heavy Gnns.''

EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.

GIDEON WELLES, .

Secretary of the Navy,

We will pass over paragraphs from 1 to 4. The fifth para-
graph exhibits the cloven-hoof, as follows : The 15-inch gun is
to carry a shot not less than 450 lbs. in weight, and is to stand
1,000 rounds with a charge one-fourth the weight of the shot, or
112 and a half pounds of powder. The 12-inch rifle gun, is to
carry a shot weighing 500 lbs. and to stand 1,000 rounds with a
charge one-fifth the weight of the shot, or 100 lbs., the initial
velocity being respectively 1,500 and 1,300 feet ! The Ordnance
Department and Bureau knew, when that advertisement was put
forth, that no gun ever made in this country or elsewhere, could
'stand the proof required. When it is remembered that the great
11-inch Dahljgren giin, was onli/ capable of Sustaining a charge (f\5
Rs,^ powder t although it has recently been discovered^ so the inven-
tor Dahlgren says, that it can now stand a charge cf " 30 lbs. <f
powder " for a few rounds^ it will be understood that the Depart-
ment could not expect to receive an outside proposal ; they re-
quire outside contractors to furnish guns which will respectively
endure 1,000 rounds of 112^ and 100" lbs. Of powder, (the regular
service charge of the 15-incA gxins being only 40 Ibi. (fshw burning
powder) and if they fail under this outrageous test, all the expenses,
except the powder, are to fall upon the contractor. Advertise-
ments asking for tenders for ordnance are, therefore, bare-faced
shams or worse, and the only party deceived by them is the puMic.

The efficiency of our Nayy, that arm of public service which has been our
particular pride and boast, may be judged of from a fact related by Capt.
Dahlgren himself, namely, that out of a detachment of three hundred able-bodied
seamen, placed by him to defend an important point, it was found that only
ten or fifteen of the men had ever served at a gun before ! Dahlgren naturally
suggests that " some course of instruction in gunnery may be instituted as a
part of the system of the Navy.'' After a century of national existence as one
of the foremost maratime powers of the earth, it is suggested, by a high official
that the handling of guns should be instituted as a part of our Naval system !
Upon what a shallow foundation have we rested the boasted glory, efficiency,
and invincibility of our Naval power I

Upon the subject of iron-dads and ordnance, Admiral Dahlgren acknowledges
the most gratifying ignorance. He does not know whether the armor for ships
should be one solid plate or many thinner plates I He does not know how the
plates should be fastened to the wood backing ! He does not know how to
economize the open space of the ports when the gun is out, or to close it when
in I He does not know, the number of cannon being reduced to a third of the
number he is accustomed to rely upon, how he shall supply the loss of force by
the weight and kind of those which remain I He does not know whether he
shall use rifle or smooth-bore, breech or muzzle-loaders 1 He does not know
whether it would be better to pierce, or crush and break bolts and strip off the
armor, or to attempt to, pierce the interior with shells.

This is a formidable account of what our principal ordnance officer does not
know ; and yet, with all these acknowledgments under his own hand, he states,
with rare coolness, in a paragraph on a following page, that '' The operations
that have been conducted here with reference to the power of different cannon
and projectiles, as well as the resistance of iron plating, have been so far satis-
factory that the results derived have been consistent" Results consistent with
what ? We look in vain for a single result derived from the experience of
Ordnance Officer Dahlgren. We, however, disclaim any emotion of surprise*
for we could not reasonably expect a practical result from an officer who, after
trying for years guns of his own invention, manufactured under his own supervis-
ion, left it to accident to discover that they were capable of bearing double the
diarge of powder that he considered safe I It should be remembered that to this
iktal ignorance may be traced the failure of our arms before Richmond ; for had
the Monitor destroyed the Merrimac in their first encounter, which she could
have done had her guns been charged and shotted to the extent it is now as-
sumed they can bear, the James River would have been free for our gunboats
to have cooperated in a victory, instead of arriving just in time 'to cover a*
defeat.

We have a reasonable sympathy with ignorance which is unavoidable
through adverse circumstances, but we feel justly indignant when a well-salaried
officer, educated to bis position at the public expense, having at his command
unlimited means to solve all doubts by extended and complete experiments,
acknowledges in an official document his total want of knowledge on every

.35

point whicb one in his position ought to know thoroughly. We feel more
indignant still when we know that, while conscions of his own incap&citj, he
persistently refuses to examine the labors of intelligent minds directed to the
elucidation of the very points respecting which he emphatically declares thiat
he knows nothing. Routine abhors Progress, and Routine in the Ordnance Office
is the rule to which, unfortunately for our country, there is no single ezceptioti.
Admiral Dahlgren has invented guns, of whose capacities he is entirely un-
conscious, and has taken out patents for the same in his own name, contrary to
all official rule, and with these guns, of unknown qualities, he guards the Ord-
nance Department from all innovating, patent-damaging unprovements. Over
his officisd door should be placed, in letters of brass : *' All who enter ker4
leave Pboqbxss behind !^*

It gives Admiral Dahlgren '' pleasure to bear testimony to the promptness
with which the private founderies have met the demands on them from llie
Government." This is a generous acknowledgment of merit, but we receive it
with much suspicion. The demands are met undoubtedly ; but how ? What
is the per centage of failures ? What is the cost to the Government for the
countless experimenta to arrive at these failures 7 The experience of Captain
Rodman, Chief of the Army Ordnance Bureau, is totally adverse to the spirit
of the above compliment to "private founderies." He says, after frankly
enumerating a fearful list of failures, that

" These facts, to my mind, are conclusive as to the fact that we are at present fir
from possessing a practical knowledge of the properties of cast-iron in its application
to gan-foanderiDg ; and it is too much to expect of prirat^ enteli)rlBe to take up and
prosecute so intricate and expensive an inquiry."

He further suggests that a series of experiments should be entered apon, at
the expense of the Government, as early as practicable f For what are tho^
millions of public money expended upon our Ordnance Departments, if notfocs,
the purpose of arriving by experiment at the very knowledge which our chiefii.,
confess they do not possess ? The Secretary of the Navy did not nmtain '
Dablgren*s compliment to " private enterprise," when he applied ta Congress '
for $30,000,000 to establish vast Govemnient founderies to pf rform what^^
Dahlgren asserts is so well performed by seven private firms. We are loth to '
attribute motives to others which are only remotely disceniible, but we are .
forced to inquire if there can be any mental connection betwieen the ^* comple-
ment " and the concluding paragraphs of Dahlgret^'a report, whi^h are as j
follows :

" In concli|pion, I beg to ask your consideratiaa of the. present organization of this
Bureau. The natore of its duties are military ii well as eivtt, anid the minutest j^Aaiia
of a cannon or its management on ahipboai^, are int^eo^ of its 'coghizancd,'' as well ^ ^^^
•a the directions for making cannon and all their complicated appliances*

" It is thus necessarily in the closest professional contact tri^ commanders of fleets
and of sbJps, as well ai of founders and mechanics^"

If further powers were confirmed to this Bureau, the " seven private firms "
could hardly fail to find a firiend in the t>fflcer who so haodsomely.complimented
them.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, requested to re-
port and iDform the Senate, what improvements, if any, have been made
or proposed and adopted by regular ordnance officers under the auspices of his
department since the rebellion commenced, or since the adoption of large rifled
guns ; in materials for, or methods of construction of, heavy ordnance, rifled or
smooth-bore.

What failures have occurred daring experiments upon heavy ordnance, and
what failures of the same in services, whether^of guns furnished under contracts
with his department, or obtained from the Navy Department.

What was the weight of powder and shot, the calibre, material and weight
of heavy guns that have failed.*

What was the rate in time of firing, what the" state of the atmosphere by
the thermometer, and what the condition of the weather, fair or rainy, at the
time of firing of each gun, so far as observations were taken and reported to
his department-t

What number of rifled field guns have been mounted on the standard 6-pdr.
field carriage, and what changes have been made, if apy, to adapt the 6-pdr.
carriage to rified guns.

How many of the 6-pdr. field carriages, on which have been placed rifled
field guns, have been disabled or injured by breaking or bending of their axles ;
and how many 12-pdr. field carriages,'on which rifled guns were mounted, have
been disabled or injured in the same manner in service, or during experiments
conducted in presence of ordnance officers.

What number of 10-pdr»Parrott rifled guns have been placed on 6-pdr. car-
riages, and what number of 20-pdr. Parrott guns have been placed on 1 2-pdr.
carriages, and what elevation can be attained with Parrott 10 and 20-pdrs.
when mounted on such carriages.

What is the recoil, when fired with service charges of the 3-inch wrought-
iron gun, and 10-pdr. Parrott gun on 6-pdr. carriages, and how much the re-
coil of the 20-pdr. Parrott gun when mounted on the 1 2-pdr. carriages ?

What rifle projectiles have been used in service in these guns, and at whose
requisition or recommendation in every case, with the name of the desigoors
or manufacturers, and with what results in each and all cases ?

How many rifled guns of the above named sizes have been left on the field
of battle, or captured by the enemy, from the disabling of the carriages ; and
what number of rifled guns have been recovered from battle fields, after hav-
ing been buried, to hide them from the enemy, in consequence of the breaking^
down of their carriages from causes other than hostile shots?! *

What number of rifled or smooth-bore muskets have been purchased from
foreign countries since the war commenced ?J

* See Wiard*s Pamphlet ^* Great Guns,'' pp. 14 to 19 inclusive,
f " « «« « « 44 to 66 "

t " « « ' "Field Artillery," pp. 20, 21, 22.

§ *' " *' " Small Arms."

r»

Ad9 how many of them would interchaDge with the Springfield rifled
musket T*

How many would interchange with each other in all their parts, and how
many of them would interchange with the Springfield musket parts, bayonet,
stock, lock and barrel only ; and how many would interchange with each other
for that number of parts, viz., bayonet, stock, lock and barrel ?

How many Springfield muskets have been repaired on the field from parts of
ether damaged Springfield muskets, and how many Springfield muskets have
been returned to the arsenals to receive lost or damaged parts ?

Has it been the practice of the inspectors to receive what are called English
Enfields, or guns similar in appearance, without the test of firing barrels with
powder, and were they so received because of the careful and reliable inspec-
tion and stamping of all English made barrels, at official proving-houses estab-
lished by the British government, at which all English made baerels are
proved ?

And what exertion has been made by the Ordnance Department to have
«ach a system adopted by the United States Government to facilitate the
production of guns of home manufacture 7

What number of rifle muskets, Springfield pattern, have been ordered, and
how many received from private contractors of the manufacture of the United
Statesf

And how many of United States manufacture have been ordered to be made
of uniform appearance with the Enfield rifle, and to interchange to the extent
of lock, stock, barrel, and bayonet ?

How many have been offered, (if contracts could be made,) of this last class
ofguti?

How many have been contracted for, and how many delivered, and at what
prices, and what is the highest price paid for Enfield rifies (so called), exchange
aod transportation added ?

And how many have been purchased at that price ?

How many have been purchased of which the whole cost, with tntnsportar
tion, exchange, and commission, amounted to more than $14, how many above
j$16, hbw many more than $18, and how many over $20 ?

ON U. S. STANDARD GUN CARRUGEB.

{FVomtheK T. JQaUy Timet, Od, ZO, 1661,)

Over 1,200 new standard carriages have been ordered by Gen. Ripley, a ma-

j ority of which arestatedto bedesigned for the Parrott guns of different calibres-

These carriages are made so as to allow but fourteen degrees of elevation to the

standard bronze guns, which are much shorter, lighter and smaller in diameter

at the breech than the Parrott guns. The effect of this has been found

to be as follows : Not more than eight degrees of elevation can be obtained

on the 10-pdr. guns, and not more than from six to eight on the larger guns ;

it also necessitates a change in the location of the elevating screw on the trail,

— ■ #

* See Wiard's Pamphlet <* Small Arms."

to remain j/* Gen. Ripley can keep them there^ which he certainly wiU
do y^he can succeed in keeping himself in his present position.

See letters of commendation from Gen. Sigel and other
officers in my pamphlet entitled " Field Artillery."

THE FREMONT CONTRACT.

I had a contract made in August by telegraph, with Gen.
Fremont, for two batteries, one of 12-pdr. Rifled Field Guns
and one precisely like the Sickles' Batteries, with two 12-pdr.
and four 6-pdr. rifles. At the, request of Gen. Fremont, I sent
two guns to St. Louis, at the cost of several hundred dollars, with
a special representative to have confirmed in a proper manner the
contract made directly with him, and to receive his full instruc-
tions as I found it undesirable to deal vnth the agent who first
opened the subject to me for Gen. Fremont. This contract was
subsequently interfered with by Gen. Ripley, and annulled in
spite of the earnestly expressed wish of Gen. Fremont to have
the batteries. The contract was made with Capt. Callender,
Chief of Ordnance to the Army of the West and Supt. of the
St. Louis Arsenal, on the direct order of Gen. Fremont, who
remarked, " that the guns would be invaluable to him then on
the eve of his brief active campaign," (September 26, 1861.) .

A copy of the contract was forwared by Capt. Callender to
Gen. Ripley, who at once induced the War Department to in-
terfere with its execution. Soon after I sent all of my original
telegraphic despatches and papers received from Gen. Fremont
and my replies thereto, to Asst. Sec. Scott, and he had them regis-
tered as received by him on the 14th of Oct. 1861, in the Record
Department, of the War Office, where the record can be seen.
I informed him they were only submitted for inspection and to
be again returned to me. He sent them to Gen. Ripley.
These papers were mine and only sent for examination to con-
firm the facts in the case, as Gen. Ripley had at the time a copy
of the contract from Capt. Callender. They were my only
means of showing the terms of my contract and all the condi-

tions thereof, with the personal directions of Gen. Fremont,
which led me to incur the expense and trouble of sending two
guns to St. Louis, with a special representative. The price of
these batteries was to be the same as that of the Sickles, Burn-
side and Ohio Batteries. I have since repeatedly made demands
for the return of these original papers of mine, and as a result
have been told by Gen. Ripley, that they couid not be obtained,
except on a call of Congress or an order of the Secretary of
War. Being somewhat surprised at this, I made some inquiries
into the character of Gen. Ripley's method of doing the busi-
ness of his office, and have since, in consequence of results ob-
tained and on the advice of others who had a similar experience
to mine, have concluded not to place any more original papers
relating to business affairs in the hand of Gen. Ripley, without
first taking certified copies of the same. My loss in this trans-
action was considerable, a statement of which prepared as full
as possible, without the original papers, has been forwarded to
the Secretary of War. The only original paper I have con-
nected with this transaction, being the following letter :

St Louis Arsenal, )
Nov. 21, 1861. J

Mb. Norman Wiard, 136 East 33d St. New York.

Sir, — I received, last evening, a letter from the Ordnance OflSce, of which the
following is an extract :

" iSfir, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th inst.
and to state in reply that this Department can not, under the law, recognize
the contracts which you have made by the orders of Gen. Fremont."

I am not aware whether you have taken any measures to carry out the order
which Igaveyou on the 23d of September last, (1861) by order of Gen. Fremont,
but if you have, I give you the information I have received, at the earliest
moment in my power, so as to give you the opportunity, should you think pro-
per to do so, to present your claims before the Commissioner now in session in
this city. Respectfully your obedient servant,

F. D. CALLENDER, Capt. of Ordnance.

By referring to the file of papers connected with the two
last batteries made for the Excelsior Brigade, it will be seen
that the Secretary of War, several times, ordered the settle-
ment of the account, and Gen. Ripley as often referred it back

for further consideration ; and at the time an extreme proof of
4

one of mj guDS belonging to these batteries vaa ordered, in
which it was to be fired five hundred rounds, at a coat to the
Government of more than one thousand dollars, there was Ja
the Arsenal six guns of the 12th Ohio battery that had beea
fired more than that number of rounds in service, which fact I
communicated to Gen. Ripley, but it did not have the effect to
deter him from tiiis waste of public money.

NOBUAN WIABD.

This book should be returned to
the Library on or before the last date
stamped below.

A fine of five cents a day is incurred
by retaining it beyond the specified
time.

Please return promptly.

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