From

1 to 200 rounds, Parrott shells, percussion case, from metal stock. 201 to 334 rounds, Parrott shells, percussion case, from New York. 335 to 401 rounds, ordnance shells, metal-stock fuzes.

402 to 476 rounds, Parrott shells, percussion case, from New York. After 476 rounds, navy metal-stock fuzes.

'Gun No. 256:

From

1 to 200 rounds, Parrott shells, percussion case, from metal stock. 201 to 333 rounds, Parrott shells, percussion case, from New York. 334 to 400 rounds, ordnance shells, percussion case, from New York. 401 to 475 rounds, Parrott shells, percussion case, from New York. After 475 rounds, navy metal-stock fuzes.

In all the firing there were fired alternately twenty-five rounds from each gun fitted with percussion and time fuzes.

The board added the following experiments (by authority of the bureau) to the foregoing:

Fifty (50) rounds were fired with loaded long shells without fuzes, and securely plugged with wood and metal to exclude from the shells the flame of the discharge, of which number forty-three (43) exploded by concussion in striking the bank, at 1,760 yards distant, one (1) in the gun, six (6) failed to explode on striking the bank, and but one, therefore, exploded prematurely.

Remarks.

Five of these shells had one to five 6d nails placed in them to determine the effects of fragments of iron therein; the one having five nails exploded within the gun, and the remainder exploded on striking the bank at 1,760 yards distant. (Appendix A.)

The board also fired ten (10) loaded 100-pounder Parrott shells without fuzes, and with the fuze-holes open; seven of which exploded outside the muzzle, and none inside, and three by concussion on striking the bank, at 1,760 yards distant. (Appendix B.)

There have also been fired by the board several series, consisting, in all, of one hundred and eight 100-pounder shells, placed successively at 5, 10, 15, 20, up to 75 inches, from the full charge of 10 pounds of powder, (as per appendix,) which show that the position of the projectiles so placed lessen the recoil, and

does not endanger the gun, while it does materially lessen the range of the pro

jectiles.

It also fired ten 100-pounder Parrott long shells, loaded with the fuze-hole securely plugged, and the base-hole open, each of which (of course) exploded within the gun, near the seat of the charge, and were found in each instance, by "star gauge," to have produced an expansion of the bore equal to .028 of an inch. Recovered fragments of shells were also found to have been deeply indented by the grooves of the bore, into which they had been pressed, (as per appendix D,) thus showing the immense lateral pressure which an exploding shell exerts upon the walls of a gun, and its tendency to rupture it explosively when it occurs in discharging a gun. This tendency to rupture, we conceive, must always be reduced to certainty when the fragments of the broken shell wedge within the bore, as was the case on a recent occasion at Cold Spring with a 100-pounder fired for proof in presence of a member of this board. A fragment of the shell which burst this gun was recovered and inspected by all the members of the board, and its forward rounded end was indented by the rifling of the gun to the depth of .08 of an inch, clearly showing the great force with which it had been turned and jammed into the grooves.

In the foregoing trials all the precautions prescribed by the Bureau of Ordnance for loading rifle guns were carefully practiced, and impressions and measurements of vents and bores made at every twenty-five fires, and always after an explosion within the bore, to ascertain the commencement and progress of defects. And it further appears that all of these trial-guns have withstood the tests of the thousand fires and more to which they have been subjected, under rapid and, when circumstances permitted it, of very rapid firing, frequently averaging two to the minute, and seldom less than one to the minute, which is far in excess of action firing in ships-of-war.

Of the three guns used in these trials all were more or less scored or cracked around the lower part of the bore, while No. 239, that from which the sandloaded shells were fired, was the most deeply so. This gun (by the authority of the Bureau of Ordnance) has been opened, and found to have four cracks, as per appendix annexed (E,) clearly demonstrating that the wrought-iron band materially aided in its endurance.

That this gun should have exhibited deeper cracks than those subjected to the straining effects of premature explosions of shells within the bores in addition to the strain of 1,000 fires, we attribute to a slight variableness in the qualities of the metals composing them, although their fabrication and composition, as exhibited by their recorded history, (appendix F.) and by mechanical tests, show them to be as exactly alike in every respect as it is possible to make them.

After due deliberation upon all the facts elicited by these experiments, and especially on the effect produced upon the three 100-pounder rifle Parrott guns used in this series of firing, with the former trials of this class of gun, where due care has always been observed in loading, we are of the opinion that the Parrott rifle guns of 6.4 inches calibre, and those of lesser calibres, are as reliable as any

guns at present within our reach, especially as the 100-pounder, as now used, with the short shell of 80 pounds, and 8 pounds of rifle powder, which charge and projectile have been verified in practice (upon the enemy since the report of the first attack upon Fort Fisher) as having been very accurate and free from accident, during a course of 15 hours' firing, as appears from the reports of RearAdmiral Porter, of February 10 and 22, 1865. (Appendix G.)

The subject of wrought-iron guns, and other methods of manufacture, have not yet reached that point of perfection in this country as would justify our recommendation of their introduction into the naval service in substitution of the Parrott system-the Ames gun, heretofore recommended to the bureau for experiment, having failed to meet the expectations heretofore formed of them.

The method of Mr. Ames, although producing a gun of great strength, appears, from the results of the trials already made, to be deficient in certainty of welding, and no means exist of discovering or remedying these defective welds; two out of fifteen of these guns having burst explosively, in proof, by blowing out the breech.

When the board was at West Point foundry the members inspected a wroughtiron gun in progress of manufacture, which was very favorably considered, as the parts of which it is composed can be examined in all the stages of manufacture, and defective parts rejected or replaced. For this reason we recommend that a trial be made of a gun on this principle, with a view to test its endurance, under the supervision of ordnance officers.

With respect to foreign rifled cannon of wrought-iron, a semi-official notice has appeared, that the charge of the English naval 110-pounder has undergone a further reduction, and is now established at 10 pounds of powder, with a shell of 80 pounds, reducing this gun to the equivalent, in power, of the Parrott 100-pounder, so far as we have any information.

With regard to the accidents to the 100-pounder Parrott rifle-g -guns, which have elicited the convention of this board, the board can only say that where a failure to lubricate occurs, a residuum (of a slaty texture) of the powder forms so rapidly as to soon afford a means of jamming the projectile, and so completely, as to resemble the iron itself.

It is within the knowledge of the board that guns have been returned from service with their bores decreased by that cause, and where it was extremely difficult to detect a difference between the highly polished residuum and the iron itself, thus inducing error as to the actual condition of the bore.

As a point, having a direct bearing on the premature explosion of shells, we think it proper to here refer to some experiments conducted at Cold Spring since the first meeting of the board, by authority of the bureau, with a view to determine the effect produced on the powder charge of the shell in firing.

A 60 pounder shell (recovered) filled with powder, the fuze hole plugged with wood, was cut lengthwise, and exhibited perfectly the action that takes place at the moment of discharge while the shell is in the gun. The powder is driven to the base of the shell (or, strictly, the shell is driven upon the powder) with such violence as to compress it to the hardness of slate, the form of the grains almost entirely disappearing.

Fortunately, the driving in of the wood plug and sand, when the shell struck the bank, retained the powder almost entirely in the place it occupied after the first action of the charge of the gun, being only broken a little towards the fuze The coating remained perfect between the hard mass of powder and the

hole.

shell.

In shells recovered, where the powder had not been retained in its place by the driving in of the sand and plug on striking the bank, the powder was found completely pulverized.

This would, in our opinion, indicate that the heat generated by the compression of the powder in the shell by the shock of the discharge must be sufficient

to raise the temperature of the powder nearly to the explosive point, viz: 600° Fahrenheit, and that but little more would be needed to produce explosion, which may be effected by any slight abnormal cause, such as unusual friction, &c.

From the great number of premature explosions which occurred in shells fuzed with the navy metal-stock time fuzes, referred to, page 4, the board tried a number of unloaded shells fuzed in this manner, in which, on their being recovered, the safety plug was found in all cases at the bottom of the shell flattened, (having passed through an inch of the composition lining,) which may be another cause of premature explosions.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

J. S. MISSROON, Commodore U. S. N.

R. B. HITCHCOCK, Commodore U. S. N.

T. A. HUNT, Commodore U. S. N.

R. AULICK, Commander U. S. N.

WILLIAM N. JEFFERS, Commander, U. S. N.

Commander HENRY A. WISE,

Chief of Bureau of Ordnance, Washington, D. C

BUREAU OF EQUIPMENT AND RECRUITING.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF EQUIPMENT AND RECRUITING.

November 6, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the estimates for this bureau for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1867. The cessation of hostilities and the consequent reduction of the naval forces will leave a surplus in the appropria tions at the end of the present fiscal year, which enables the bureau to ask for comparatively small appropriations for the ensuing year.

An appropriation for fuel is not required. The contract price of coal the present fiscal year is $5 21 per ton, at Philadelphia, against $8 42 per ton last year. The cost of coal for the navy, including the incidental expenses of freight, demurrage, and payment of war risks for captured and destroyed coal vessels, during the past two years, is $11,452,155 49. Three coal vessels have been captured and destroyed by the enemy. The number of coal vessels, during the past two years lost, destroyed and never heard of, was twenty-one (21.)

Notwithstanding the extent of coast blockaded, the interruptions of winter, disturbances at the mines, want of vessels at times, and large quantity supplied to the army, no serious inconvenience has been experienced from want of coal. A coal depot has been established at St. Thomas, W. I. Supplies of coal for the use of the Brazil squadron will have to be sent from the United States. The commanding officer of the Brazil station has been directed to examine the Falkland islands with the view to establish a depot there for the supply of coal to vessels on that station and to those bound to the Pacific. Coal can be purchased on the Pacific station cheaper than to transport it, and the same probably with the East Indies. The bureau is not yet advised as to the necessity of a coal depot for the Mediterranean squadron.

The rope walk has consumed during the last year 2,204 tons of Russian and other hemp, amounting to $971,442 67, and has supplied the greater part of cordage for the navy.

The rendezvous and recruiting stations have been reduced to correspond with the present requirements of the service. Reviving commerce is absorbing the seamen and firemen, and although at present there is no particular want of men, it may be that an in crease of pay will be required to induce skilful firemen to` enlist in the navy.

The general introduction of the use of wire rope in the navy for rigging in

duces me to refer to your consideration the propriety of establishing a manufactory of this rope at one of the navy yards.

Fraudulent withholding of bounties, and deceptions practiced upon enlisted men, especially in the west, have given rise to much complaint and dissatisfaction. A board of naval officers, recently convened at Cairo, Illinois, to investigate claims for bounty, have recommended reimbursements in many cases, which are being speedily settled, and it is believed that the amount of these claims will not exceed the amount of bounty money left by deserters and credited to the appropriation for bounty.

The number of men enlisted in the naval service from the 4th of March, 1861, to the 1st of May, 1865, was one hundred and eighteen thousand and fortyfour, (118,044.)

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. GIDEON WELLES,

A. N. SMITH, Chief of Bureau.

Secretary of the Navy

BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR.

NAVY DEPARtment, Bureau of Construction and REPAIR,

November 3, 1856.

SIR: In compliance with your instructions, I have the honor herewith to enclose the estimates of the appropriations necessary for the civil purposes of this bureau.

I would respectfully state that, in consequence of the prompt reduction of expenditures resulting from the close of the war, no further appropriations for construction and repairs will be required, as there will remain an unexpended balance amply sufficient for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1867.

A considerable number of the vessels on the navy list are unsuitable for foreign war, should the country be engaged in one; and to supply this deficiency, new classes of steamers adapted to that purpose have been authorized, and are in course of construction, for all of which the steam machinery is under contract and in progress of manufacture. Nine vessels of these classes are now launched, and there are thirty-two others of similar classes, as well as four wooden vessels, to be iron-clad, that have not been launched, but are in various stages of construction. It is obligatory on the part of the government to provide these vessels, on account of the contractors for their machinery; but they will not be pressed to speedy completion, and those vessels for which the machinery is being manufactured in the navy yards will be still more retarded, giving an opportunity for selecting more seasoned materials.

The appropriations that have been made from year to year have been strictly limited to the maintenance of the vessels in commission, and to those actually building, and there has been no surplus fund from which a stock of materials for future use could be provided; so that our vessels, particularly those built within the last eight or ten years, have been mostly made with unseasoned timber. The supply of yellow pine in the navy yards is quite exhausted, and the white oak is but little else than the refuse of the past years. Of white-oak knees we have no supply, as they are procured with much difficulty, and at exorbitant prices. If means are not provided for the manufacture of these knees, as has been already suggested, the work on some of the vessels must be suspended. Our navy yards are liberally provided with shops and storehouses for all the other bureaus, but the timber sheds and shops connected with and necessary for building ships are far from adequate to the wants of the navy which we now have and will be compelled hereafter to maintain.