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52 Guns of Old Ironsides (Continued from Page 21) make the experiments, and the owner of the works, or any person whom he may appoint for that purpose. 9. That to ascertain the strength of the trunnions the cannon must be placed on two pieces of wood having indentations large enough to receive two thirds of the trunnions. and with the hinder part at a sufficient dis- tance from where the trunnions lodge, so that the breech may be inclined in any direction, but never so as to rest on the ground. The proof, by powder must be made on these pieces of wood. 10. That the cannon which shall have stood the proof by powder, shall be raised from off the temporary and placed upon a carriage, sup- MARINE REVIEW nations in Europe they may be con- sidered as guides that ought not to be departed from. It is requested there- fore, that the contract shall be so formed, as to ensure a strict and punctual compliance with each and all of the above mentioned conditions.” P. S. “The draft for the 12-pound- ers, which is in hand, will be fur- nished in a few days.” The “water test” prescribed in paragraph ten was deemed to be of sufficient importance to merit a special letter of instructions. These were issued about two weeks later. War Office Sept. 27, 1796. “Secretary of the Treasury. Sir: “T believe the best explanation, rela- tive to the proofs by water, will be to U. S. S. CONSTITUTION FROM BROAD OFF THE PORT BOW—THE GUN DECK BAT- ' TERY AND THE ANCHOR WITH ITS CABLE LAID HAWSER IS PLAINLY SHOWN—THE ORNAMENTAL SCROLLS ARE NOT REPLICAS OF THOSE porter, so that they may be filled with water. That should the water on being compressed filter through any part of the cannon, it cannot be re- ceived though it has stood proof. 11. That the cannon which shall have stood the aforesaid. examination and proofs, shall be subject neverthe- less to be re-examined and _ should new holes be detected, or the ones tolerated found to have been enlarged by the firing; all such cannon must undergo a second proof, but of one dis- charge only; then if the holes exhibit no further enlargement, they shall be admitted, and receipted for, after being weighed.’ 12. That the weight of each can- non received, shall be marked on the left trunnion. “As cannon which have not under- gone the above examination and proofs, cannot be used by the United States without putting the success of those military undertakings in which they may be engaged, at risk; and as the principles and regulations here laid down, have been the result of much experience, and long adopted for the verification of cannon by the principal OF 1812 give Mr. Hughes a more detailed view of the mode in which the experiment will be directed to be made. “The object of the water proof is, to discover whether there are any holes which penetrate through the sides of the cannon. For the purpose, the examiners will be instructed after the cannon have undergone the proof by powder to place them upon a thick piece of timber so they may be easily made to turn upon it. The touch-hole will be stopped with a wooden peg covered with tallow. The cannon will then be raised and the case sur- rounded with linen so that any water which may fall down the sides, on filling the bore, shall not be confounded with drops that may filter through the metal and with the same view the water will be poured into the cavity by means of the spout on a watering pot. The water will then be pressed on by a rammer covered with thick - cloth so as to fill exactly the muzzle of the cannon. During this operation, the exterior will be attentively watched to see whether any water passes through the metal. If the least fil- tration appears the cannon will be December, 1926 refused.” It is evident that the “watering pot” method of test adopted by our war office for marine guns was a long step in advance of the “smoke test” for discovering cracks used in the English service fifty years earlier. We know this because Mountaine’s Seaman’s Vade Mecum and Defensive War by Sea published in London 1744, has two sections in his book which tell 4. How to find the flaws and cracks in a piece of ordnance. 5. How to determine if a piece of ordnance be honey combed. The author of this work, William Mountaine, a teacher of mathematics tells one to proceed thus when wish- ing to determine whether a piece of ordnance contains flaws or cracks. “Take a large piece of dry touch- wood and set it on fire in several places at once; when half its super- ficies smokes put it into the chase and stop the mouth and touch-hole both together: If the gun be without cracks, the touch-wood will be ex- tinguished for want of air, otherwise it will burn out; and perhaps you may see the smoke.” When it comes to finding out if a piece of ordnance is honey combed, he advises: 1. “Take a:looking glass, and re- flect the beams of the sun into the chase, which will illuminate and render visible the pores in the concave super- ficies; but if the sun do not shine, put a candle upon the end of a half- pike and thrust it into the piece, and that will show the pores. 2.0 Op: this: Take a_ searcher made with several springs with points bending outward; contract the springs, until the instrument will enter the mouth of the piece. Move it in a spiral or circulating manner on the chase and if there be any honey-combs the point will find them out.” On March 19, 1798, the iron 24- pound cannon intended for the frigate UNITED STATES, a sister to the Con- «STITUTION, were found unfit for ser- vice. At the instance of the President of the United States, a request was sent to John Jay asking for a loan “of thirty of the iron 24-pound cannon which the state of New York had obtained from a foundry in Connecti- cut.” Did any such experience befall the thirty 24-pounders for the Con- STITUTION? The answer is: The gov- ernment failed at first to get the 12- pounders intended for her upper deck battery. This is shown by the follow- ing letter—sent out in preparation for our war with France: : War Department May 30, 1798 “His Excellency The Governor of Massachusetts. Sir: . “It is extremely desirable that all the naval forces the United States can command should be put into a