Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-06-28
Interesting Facts About United States
ArsenaIs.

ArsenaIs.
One of the most extensive arsenals in the
United States is located at Bridesburg,
Philadelphia. The Inquirer of that city,
gives an interesting account of this arsenal
from which we take q few extracts:
The grounds are trapezoidal in shape, and
occupy an area of sixty acres, surrounded by
a solid wall of masonry ten feet high. The
Superintendents Office is situated very
nearly in the centre OF the grounds, eastward
of which lies the east arsenal or storeroom
for arms. 1t is q handsome edifice, three
stories in hight rough cast, TO initiate grau~
ite. The roof is of slate, and is surrounded
by neat wooden railing painted white
On the first floor are about 10000 muskets,
1000 rifles, 300 Halls carbines, 300 pistols,
and 100 cavalry musketoons. The muskets
arrived last week. On the second floor there
are about 400 rifles, 300 cavalry sabres, aud
100 pistols with holsters, slings and pouches.
On the third floor the arms are ranged most
beautifully in racks, painted a snowy white
ness; 740 muskets of the improved pattern,
and 900 of the old flint locks together with
$50 pistols, carbines and musketoons, are
pivoted on small circular racks, very much
resembling umbrella stands. In one room
are 2, 900 muskets that were brought from
Harper's Ferry. Sights are being fixed to
them, and 1900 of them have been already
rifled.
THE INSPECTION OF ARMS.
On the floor are number of unvarnished
mahogany cases, which upon being opened,
revealed set of eXquisitely finished inspect
ing instruments, consisting of guide plates
for different bores callipers for measuring
shot, also pair of callipers that will meas
ure the thousandtb part of an inch, by means
of the vernier. But the most wonderful Of
all was an instrument for measuring the
"a MI inaccuracies nn tho inuiHa nf q
gun. 1t was made in the arsenal manufac.
tory at cost Of 5000.
GUN METALS.
All the metals employed in gun casting
| have thei- defects. Cast iron is quite tena-
cious, if sufficient weight is employed and
tolerably hard; butts comparative elasticity
| IAN important element of strength) is so small
that its tenacity is invariably destroyed after
a certain number of applications of the
strainiDg force. The difficulty of obtaining
sound castings, by reason of the unequal
shrinkage of the metal, is unfavorable, so
| much so that the strongest thigh" iron, by
its superior contraction, does not as a rule,
! make so strong gun as a metal in itself
| weaker.
Bronze, more tenacious compound, has
also serious defects. Its density and tenacity
are considerable, but its. softness units it,
for reasons already stated, for long SER
vice, particularly when rifed. Wrought
iron has a tensile strength double that
of the hest cast iron, aud is much more
elastic, but somewhat softer. Authorities
generally unite in stating that it was, when
most in use, an improvement on cast iron
but the difficulty of producing large masses
sound and homogeneous, has prevented it!
extensive introduction. In fact, without
such instrument as that referred to, to gag,
the barrels Of guns, the difficulty in the wa
of obtaining reliable weapons would be al
most insurmountable. .,... .-----. -.-.r
PERCUSSION CAPS.
In one of the main rooms of the first foo
the interesting process of making percussion
ont on three presses, which bear the inscrip
tion 'Invented by George Wright, Wash
ington Arsenal" Eighty thousand caps ar
turned out per day. They are constructs
of an alloy of copper, which is rolled on
into thin sheets, and cut into inch strips
These stripes are wound upon reel, whence
they pass beneath dye, which, at one stroke
| shapes their worldly destiny.
They are then made to revolye upon
steel horizontal disk, so rs to pass beneath
funnel filled with Illuminating powder. Re
ceiving their quota Of the detonating dust
they are conveyed to another department
| where they are treated To q coat of varnish
and are then packed up for shipment.
One hundred and sixty thousand percus
sion caps can be turned out at the Brides
burg Arsenal in ont day.
BULLET MAKING.
In the same department is a wonderful
machine that presses out eighty musket-bul
lets per minute-adecidedi improvement o.
the old method OF casting. .'r