The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-01-25 00:00:00

%mu nub ab°.

The series of lectures on coast defences and other
artillery subjects, intended for ths edification of the non.
commissioned officers and gunners in Woolwich garrison
was on Wednesday evening resumed by Colonel
Bartley Wilmot, R.A., Superintendent of Royal Gun
Fadones in Woolwich Arsenal. The subject selected
for the occasion was the art of gun-founding. The
Colonel confined his lecture entirely to cast-iron guns.
He toinmenced by pointing out the great advantage
possessed by Woolwich as an artillery station, and the
responsibility which devolved upon each of his audience
to do justice to the opportunities affonled them, and
said that he had seen many of the artillery stations of
continental countries, and knew none that combined so
many branches of professional interest and practice. He
then detailed the rise and progresa of the science of
artillery, and gave an historical definition of its early
connexion with naval warfare, explaining the manner
in which Woolwieh elaimed a special interest, as being
the place where the most celebrated ship* of the earliest
days were built. The lecturer described, with the
assistance of diagram sketches, the primitive forms of
iron cannon, he retuarked that the system of breech-
loading, now revived, was one of the earliest inventions,
and formerly possessed an advantage which was of much
value, inasmuch as the charging cylinder was distinct
Irons the chase. He then gave a scientific account of
the manufacture of cant iron, and exemplified the
necessity of employing considerable care and discernment
in its manufacture, otherwise the material would be
burdened with impurities and dross, which would
render the article totally useless, as, even with the
material very pure, and in every way suitable, the
slightest earelewiness in the manufacture would occasion
the moat variable results. He then commented on the
value of charcoal in the promo of smelting ore, and the
general superiority of iron thus made to that made
with coals and other fuel, as verified by the tests to
which the iron had been subjected by himself and col-
leagues at the Royal gun factories with the bar iron
mixtures. The Colonel proceeded to a description of
the labour and process of lding and casting a gun,
the boring, turning, and finishing, and exhibited
samples of iron in illustration of his theory, as well as
specimens which had been subjected to the tensile
strain, from bars cast with the several guns, and which
had broken at 30,0001 b. to 32,0001 b. on the square inch.
Specimens of I and 2 inch round wrought-iron bars,
made from the borings and turnings of the guns, were
also produced, which, when cold had been doubled
under the Eammer without evincing any indications of
fracture, but, on the oontrary, having the appearance
of remarkable toughness and solidity. The Colonel con-
clnded his lecture by telling the non-coinniissioned
officers and gunner* that his object was to interest them,
and to induce them to look with more perspicuity into
the manufacture of warlike stores, as there was seine
difficulty in arranging for classes to attend at the
Arsenal, where several of the officers of that establish-
ment have volunteered to deliver lectures regularly in
the soldiers' school-room on professional matters. He
cloud his lecture by explaining the use of the various
models which were exposed on the table below the plat-
form, and appeared to interest the non-commiuioned
officers and men extremely. The desire inanifested.by
the artillery soldier* to be present at this lecture
exeeeded that of any former evening, and upwards of
100 were unable to obtain edmission. It is in contem-
plation to erect a spacious room for the purpose of these
and similar lectures.