WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, August 16, 1861.

His Excellency Henry T. CLARK,

Governor of North Carolina:

SIR: You are requested to cause to be forwarded without delay to Mobile, Ala., thirty 32-pounder guns for the defense of the city.

Very respectfully,

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

[6.]

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Raleigh, N. C., August 20, 1861.

Honorable L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War:

SIR: Yours of the 16th duly received, requesting me "to cause to be forwarded without delay to Mobile, Ala., thirty 32-pounders guns for the defense of that city." Your communication is so briefly stated that I am at a los to know to what guns you allude. As far as I am informed our extensive line of sea-coast every gun that we have there or that are destined for the coast. I understand there are some 32-pounder guns at the navy-yard in Norfolk that have been set a Part for North Carolina. If you allude to those, your order must issue to that place.

Very respectfully,

HENRY T. CLARK.

[6.]

ENGINEER BUREAU,

Richmond, Va., August 22, 1861.

Captain LOCKETT,

Corps of Engineers, Fort Gaines, Mobile, Ala.:

SIR: The Secretary of War directs that the 32-pounders at Forts Morgan and Gaines be rifled, as proposed by Messrs. States & Co., of Mobile. It is presumed that a certain proportion of them should be excepted and be kept for firing round and grape. The mode of rifling pursued here is substantially this: For a 3-inch bore one twist in ten feet, and for larger calibers in the same ratio. This would give for the 32-pounders one twist in twenty-one feet four inches. There are six grooves - the lands and grooyes being about equal. The depth of the latter for an 8-inch gun is one-tenth of an inch. For a 32-pounder they might be a trifle shallower. The twist is uniform. The rifled motion is imparted by a wedging-ring of brass or pewter at the rear end of the shot, wedged into the grooves by the explosive force. This ring may be two inches wide, one-quarter inch thick at the rear edge, and very thin in front. It is cast on, and the shot has grooves or cavities on its conical part to retain the ring. But the details of the shot will be forwarded to you by the Ordnance Bureau.

Some columbiad carriages (four) are expected for you from Charleston without delay. You are authorized to have made any gun carriges which are necessary for mounting your guns, whether columbiads, flank, casemate, or siege. It is only requisite that your action herein be promptly reported to the Engineer Bureau. A Mr. Chamberlain, of Mobile, advertises to do such work promptly. Skates & Co. may be available. It is my opinion, corroborated by that of Major Gorgas, that on