Wichita eagle., 1888-08-05
W0OLWICH ARSENAL.
VISIT TO THE FACTORY WHERE
BIG GUNS ASE MADE.

OsG GlNS AM
English Methods of Manufacturing Long
Range Cannon-Uootwich's Famous
''Infants''-The Bullet Mach;nc-Cas
and Cartridge Making Shops--The Output
As il is mainly TO Woolwich that the coun-
try must look for Formidable weapons and
improved war material, wen: down 20 thu
arsenal few days ago 10 see what was 20 bS
sesn Having satisfactorily established orf
identity, we were furnished with u capaels
guide from among the skilled worknen, and
at once started upon our tour Of observation
and inquiry. The huge chlmueys tore ~
them several feet higher than the raonu-
nient), TIE enormous blast furnaces belckins
forth sheets OF savage flame, the din OF ths
steam hammers, the rattle of gear an.
wheels all about Us, and the ccaly, sooty
aspect OF the place generally, were very much
more suggestive Of Lancashire or 4 bit Of thu
Black country than of peaceful, pastoral
Kent
Today the boundary walls embrace an area
of s333 acres, nos including the proof marshes
and torpedo creeks, and the number Of men
and lads 10 daily employ reaches often 10
Il, 200 even in these piping times of peace
The weekly wage sheet must average sorie-
thing Ike $4,000 The men are divide3
into two shifts. and they take day and night
turns in alternate weeks. 50 that the ma
chinery OK the arsenal may lie said never 10
rest.
MECHANICAL APPLIANCES
The mechanical appliances in use 1T Wool
witch for the manipulation of the masses OF
molten steel and hammered metal used III
gun making are perfect specimens Of rare
constructive skill They have. indecd, been
pronounced by experts IL be the best exam
pies of operative ingenuity IN Use anywhere
at the present tiEne. We were amused, and
81 the same time astonished. Tor instance, az
the ahsurdly easy manner il which the hugo
travelling cranes moved hither and thither in
the rolling and boring shops picking mp and
carrying about tens OF metal just rs easily
as "a child carries about a ball Both thes,
departments, whero the metal IS prc0arcI
for the gun factory proper, were working as
high pressure. In the shell turnerv, shri;,-
mel, Pallser and other projectlles OF divers
weight and pattern were shown US in yast
quantities,
Passing on to the gun factory proper, which
is tho great center Of attraction just now to
all visitors, whether military or civilian, we
find ourselves surrounded by hugo nasscs OF
glowing metal ia process OF forging, welding
and shrinking, or undergoing a curious
process of disembowel;Hg by means Of q DOW
erfuily constructed torqr Canes OF work
men were huSiiy enca ell in heating. saving
and planning sections as Guns of 81 sizes and
shapes, which are iH;caJ,, FOR the navy. tho
field as occasion may require, and barbor
and homo defense. Tho -rett object In view
here at the present tine is 20 provide es soou
as possible FOR the needs Of the coaling STA
tions. upon the security of which SO much
would depend in time Of war. Tho guns AFRO
shipped of from the arsenal per a. they arc
turned out, but tho work OF constructing a
''Wooiwich infant is b. no means rs expe-
ditious as could be desired. This new form
of weapon is not made out Of one solid cast
ing but Of several distinct hoops or rings q
solid and carefully prepared steel. The base
Of the gun Is upcnded, and one ring after an
other is fitted upon II while the metal Is in n
red hot state, each hoop slightly overlapping
the other and shrinking ~ il cool. The
careful preparation Of shc metal and the con-
struction of the splendid machinery for the
adjustment Of the rings OK which the gun Is
built up are matters about which the arsenal
authorities arc wisely reticeut. Ia fact next
u no information IS given ~ these Depart
ments 20 visitors. and il IS scarcely 10 be ex-
tcctcd in these days of international c0ulpe-
tition for the possession OF the De t weapon
which can bc made at any cost.
wooLwTcHs FAMOUS "ITTANrs"
The speciality Of Woolwich IS lie hi- guns,
its now famous and historic ''iufantsn This
particular class Of gun IS made nowhere else,
and, In fact, IS a iocal production altogether
of the brains and siceus OF the arsenal bands
themselves, the inventor 81 the most import
ant process connected with It's manufacture
being a foreman IN tbs works Ia the weld
ing OF these huge monsters Of destruction,
which viii carry a bail Of toE weight over
q distance Of seven ard half miles. the lar
pest steam hammer IN the world, with
striking force OF a thousand tons, is en-
ployed
The bullet machine Is always m attraction
to visitors. II IS worked IA tie simplest way
10y lad, who, 10y turning a handle. hour
after hour produces an uaendinS stream Il
these glittering messengers Of death, which
drop from the lirs q tho clever ooEtrivaacs
without CESSATION from morning TIL night
heard q curious fact in connection with our
English b0iiets-nALnely, that ono only in
every hundred and scventy four finds ia
billet" in the body q the unfortunate enemy.
The German average is even lower. Il "a
comforting, therefore, ~ think, ~
one gaIes On The silver death shower, rainin.
from the bps Of INC Hundreds Of bullet una-
shines in tie arBe1el, tlaGt after oil, every
bullet We saw Dreaming 20 yiciossly ia tho
assPs before us I'D aos rv-pr.se-l. the HE ~ {.
human being, be be German, Turk or Kafiir.
l. 10 q striking s-zb. ~ watch the ulaniyula-
.ion Of the tiny bitz u metal by the irua
fingers and suvpls A2ads Of tie deaf ma
,hinery in the cap and cartridge making
shore. Each OF these de.iczteiy c0nztruetei
sooa viii turn out. il Is said, Coz 0cD csl@ per
voek The raiDEtest portion Of each cap ard
Is carefully e-n:nited Uss, indeed. 10
sery detail Of tho OUTPUT Of tie ar~s-1aI 20
'ec that nothing imperfect end. il way into
he pouches OF handk Of Cur brave soldierz in
.hc rao-nen. Of dxnger when face 70 ssce With
be enemy ''i1 the d>efly breach or on tbs
led Of battle. Tie cartridges which Jamrssi
Id tLe syone.s ~tzica bait n tLosso terrible
t<ugz,es In tas SoE3aa were supplied by
contractors and L5s OF tie Ar2rxl Pal
ea1 EGagr.-
The Idio;ie Topical sonk.
he irnpre<z.ou that al TYPICAL son-A
rh1rt firm Z rrgrr rs. fentxsr.. ~ IL 0>.-..x