Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-01
Old Point Comfort, &c.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch

Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch
OLD POINT, Aug. %, lSj9.--'rhe Board
appointed by the Secretary of War for the
non that had been sent to Old Point, have
been inactive for several days, but will re-
sumo their abors in three or four days.
Col. Wheat's new breech-loading rifle-can-
non, which weighs several tons, is now being
mounted on carriage, at the brcak-water,
near the Lighthouse and will be the next
gun to receive attention. One of these guns,
much smaller than this one however, has
already been tried by the officers, with con-
siderable satisfaction. Col. Wheat, himself,
undertook to operate with it on one occasion,
in tie absence of the Board, and, getting Il
ball damned in it by some means, fired and
bursted it. The one now being mounted,
however, looks as if it would stand any kind
of usage.
The Ordinance Department are engaged in
testing the qualities and strength Of three
guns, two of which are from Richmond, aud
the other from West Point. One of the Rich
mond guns is from the Tredegar Works. and
the other from Belona Arsenal. One thou
sand shots have been fired from one, with u
sixteen-pound charge Of powder at each shot.
/ Thus we see that sixteen thousand pounds of
powder have been used in testing the quality
of iron, of which this gun is composed the
other gun has had about eight hundred shots
with the same charge of powder, and has only
two hundred more to pass the test Balls ure
used i'll each charge, which are fired into II
sand bank, and afterwards dug out and used
over and over again.
1t is u gratifying fact that the guns made
of Virginia iron have stood the severest tests,
and stand higher with the Ordinance Board
than any other which have been subjected to
their inspection. This is no doubt owing 10
the fact that the quality of the iron is supe-
rior, coupled with the fact that the manutac-
turers in Richmond understand casting guns
better than any one else.
The operations ON the Rip-Raps are pro-
crossing slowly, and from present appearan-
ces it will take fully twenty years to complete
Fort Calhoun. There are sixty or seventy
men at work, which is probably rs large
force rs could be worked in that limited space
to advantage.
The late contractor for stone. having found
that he had taken the contract too low, has
been released by the Secretary Of War, and
simple engagement now exists with gentle
man in the upper part of the State for the
supply of stone This gentleman has sub-let
IL portion of the job, and this fact accounts
for another tact--that part of the stone
comes from Petersburg, and part from
Richmond.
The Granny Island light-boat is to be super
eeded by a screw-pile lighthouse, similar To
those now in use in James river. The piles
are already down and the frame braccd, and
week or two more will find this light shin
Ing out from the top Of neat substantial
house.
The large building close by the hotel, which
is being built for the Ordinance Department.
is nearly done, and hands are now engaged
in covering the roof. This, we learn, is 10 be
Il workshop, and is to take the place Of the
armory which was burned in the garrison
some wears ago.