Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-09-19

Gibbes commanded the Artillery, aud
showed the enemy what we could do in
that line. We did not use our rihed piece
we were too close to them for that.
The Washington Navy Yard.
Since the success of the expedition tc
Fort Hatteras, renewed and significant
activity and preparation have sprung up a
the uavy-yards of the Federal Government
A New York paper thus notes the opera
tions of the yard at Washington.
At this yard the most unparalleled activi
ty prevails. Capt. Dahlgren and his off
GERS are almost deluged with business, while
the former alone is besieged with callers on
business of public, private and curious
nature.
There are employed in and about the
yard between fourteen and fifteen hundred
men, not including marines and sailors
A portion of this force is engaged in ac'
tive operations both night and day, inc'u'
ding Sundays.
Of course the ordnance foundry is the
peculiar institution Of the place. The cast
ing of guns at this shop is often witnessed
by large crowd of eager spectators, not
excepting droves of officers widows and
cousins of the ninth generation. The en-
ployees of this shop commence their daily
course of labor at five o'clock in the morn.
ing, and continue it with very brief in
termission for dinner, which latter is carried
to them) till seven o'clock in the evening
The number thus employed is forty-four'
A portion of these mould and cast one gun
Generally twelve pounder) during the
above specified working period each day.
1t is roughly estimated that between
three and four thousand twelve Founders,
and FIVE hundred other sized guns, have
been cast in this building since its construc.
ton.
Next to guns, the casting of shot and
shell occupies the greatest amount of atten'
tiop.
In the ordnance foundry (refcrred to a.
bove) sixty-four rihed shell are cast on an
average each day. Twelve and sixty-eight
Founders are also manufactured in large
numbers Here they make both carriage
work and composition straps for riflea guns.
ONLY one is prepared day. Fuses are al
so attended to. Of these six hundred and
forty-eight are made in a day. On this
work nine persons are employed, some of
whom are mere boys. The moe1us operondi
is thus: One man does the moulding and
casting, two or three makes the cores or
holes, while the remainder scrape and brush
away the adhering sand.
As to the iron foundry, about fourteen
shot are cast per day, inclusive
of all sizes and kinds, from canister to fifty
Founders. A days work for a single indi-
viduaI is, of canister, eight hundred; fifty
Founders, twelve; and of grape, one hun
dred
In various other places throughout the
yard the moulding and casting Of imple-
ments of war is prosecuted with great Wig
or, on various scales, to suit the convenience
or capabilities of each respective place
Owing to this popularity, it would be a
matter of almost utter ;mpossibility for a
reporter to obtain accurate information of
the total weight of shot cast at this yard
during the period of one week, or even the
lesser time of one day.
The rapidity with which shells are fuish-
ed off and boxed up at the Shell House is
astonishing compared with times gone by.
The ordnance and machine departments
are the scene of labor night and day.
The lofts of the buildings in the yard
have been turned into kind of quarters
for the marines These are here in ex-
,eedingly large numbers, and the cry is
astill they come" Physically, they are
not as fine set of men as one was wont to
see at this yard prior to the war. Yet, on
the whole, they are hardy set, and evince
an unusual amount of quickness aud close
perception.
Everything that is necessary to keep a
,uip in repair or build new one is being
prepared in abundance
A great number of anchors are on hand,
md what is more, great number are be-
ng made. To make set of frigate an
,hors, (four,) each weighing between seven
md eight hundred pounds, it takes about
, month.