The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-09-29
WOOLWICII ARSENAL,
VISIT TO THE FACTORY WHERE
BIG GUNS ARE MADE.
English Methods of NIanuf:lcturin. Long
Range Canion-Woolwich's Famous
'Infanvs"-The Zsuli Machiuc-Cop
and Cartridge Making Shops.-Thc OUTPUT.

As it is mainly to Woolwich that the coun.
try must look for formidable weapons and
improved war material, Wen. down to the
;.f>t nal n te" days ago to see what was to be
seen Having satisfactorily established our
i,ent.ty, we We're furnished with Il capable
Guids from among the skilled wor.llncn and
ut o1i.e started upon our tour oil observation
and inquiry. The huge chimneys one of
them several feet higher than the mouu-
l.lentl, the enormous blast fuli,aces belchng
forth sheets of SAVAGE tame the din of the
steam hammers, the rat,l,. of gear and
wheels all about us, and the, coalv. sootv
aspect of the place generally, were very much
more suggestive OF Lancashire OF q bit of the
Black country than of peaceful, pastoral
Kent.
Today the boundary walls embrace an area
OF iii;3 acres, not including the proof marshes
and torpedo creeks. atl'i the number OF .iien
and lads in daily employ reaches often To
li,GoO even i'll these piping times Of l,cace."
The weekly wage sheet mus, average some
thing like 100000 The men are divided
into two shifts. and they take day and night
turns in alternate weeks, ,o that the ma
chinery of the arsenal may Inc said never TO
rest.
MECHANICAL. APPLIANCES.
The mechanical appliances in use at Wool
wich for the manipulation of The masses OF
molten steel and hammered metal used III
gun making are p.<.ect Specimens of rare
constructive skill They have, indeed, been
pronounced 10y eN~rts To he the best exam
pies of operative Ingenuity i'll use anywhere
Al the present time We Were amused. and
at the same time astonishcd. for instance. lt
The absurdly easy manner i'll which the huge
| travelling cralie> moved hther and thither III
-hc rolling and boring shops. picking up and
carrying about tons Of metal ju>i Us easily
As child carries about Il hall. Both these
departments, where the metal is prepared
Tor the gun factory proper, were WORKING at
lish pressure. In the she'll turilcry, >hran-
acl, Palliser and other projectiles of divers
| weight and pattern Were shown lis III vast
quantities.
Passing on to the gun factory proper, Which
IS the great center of attraction lust Huw to
all visitors, whether military OF civilian, we
ind ourselves surrounded by huge masses of
glowing metal i'll process Of forging. welding
and shrinking, or undergoing !; curlou,
process of disemboweling by means of q pow
.rfully constructed borer Gangs of work
nen We're busly engaged i'll heating, slw;n.
and planning sections of guns "f all sizes aryl
shapes, which are intended for tie navy, the
ield as occasion may require. and hall,or
and home defense Tie great o!,jer; in view
here at the present time is to provide rs soon
rs possible for the needs of the coaling st;l-
ions, upon the security of which much
would depend in time of wax The guns lro
'!lipleCl off from the arsenal pier rs they are
nrned out, but the work of constructing Il
Woolwich infant is by no means as c,s,e-
iitious as could le desired. Thi, new form
II weapon is not made orit of one solid cast
| ms. but of several distinct hoop, OF rings uf
solid and carefully prepared steel The base
ii the gun is upenicCl, and one rim after AN
'tlier is fitted upon it while the metal j. in
red hot state. each hoop slightly overlap g.
the other and shrinking it coolS. lh"
';ireful preparation of the metal and the cor.
struction of the splendid machinery for III,
adjustment Of tho rings of which ,l2 gun l.
| built up are matters about which the arsenal
/ tuthorltieS are wisely rctlcci!t In fact. next
t' no information is given i'll these depart
NontS to visitors, and II i; scarcely 20 h".t
i cted in these days of International com, ,o-.
| iition for the possession "t the 'r W"al'o