The Washington critic., 1890-01-31

TWELVE HUNDRED MEN WORKING
ON MUNITIONS OF WAR.

All the cast Iron Shells Used In the
Navy Cast There--The Extent of
the EquipmeDt--The Making of "a
Naval Gun.
A visit TO the Navy. Yard discloses
scene of encouraging activity. There
is now force Of 1900 men on duty,
and. while no more laborers are needed
II is not improbable that skilled me-
chanics will be gradually added until
the force is much larger than the pres
cnt one. These ! 200 men represent
capacity for output equal to that Of
three times their number few years
ago on account of new and improved
labor-saving machinery.
THE BUSIEST BUILDINGS.
The Navy Yard has been trrned over
TO the manufacture of ordnance and
shells exclusively. The principal and
busiest buildings are the carriage shop,
the proieetilc shop and the ordnance
shop. In the former gun carriages are
built, in the second shells are made and
in the latter cannon are turned out.
There Is also an experimental or in
ventors' shop, employing seventy men,
and tool roem The room where
every description of tool used in the
shops are made is recent addition and
a great improvement. Formerly GER
tain men were detailed at irregular in
tervals to make tools, or every man
who could made his own. Now the
men are given checks and when q tool
is needed the check is taken in lieu of
the article and strict account kept of
the transaction.
Another improvement in regulations
has been introduced. Heretofore o
roll-call lasting twenty minutes was
had each morning and noon, Now the
workmcn simply deposit in box a
brass check bearing their number, the
time-keeper making up his report at his
| leisure.
ALJ CAsT-IRoN SHELLS MADE HERE.
All the cast-iron shells used in the
L. s. Navy are made in Washington.
The shells are cast, turned down tc
proper shape, loaded and fused at the
yards. Steel shells are cast in the
rough elsewhere and finished here. In
the proiectile room may be seen great
number of new armour-piorcing shells
These missiles are tempered here, by G
process belonging to the yards, to 9
degree of resistance defving the slight
est impression from file. The Navy
Ordnance Bureau, after patient expert
ment, has succeeded in devising an ar
rangement by which they fuse thes'
terrors at the base instead of at thu
conical end as in other shells. Thi
will keep the sharp end solid and fit 70
active business in its line.
MAKING A NAVAL GUN.
A naval gun is made in layers, like
jelly cake. The first piece, which i
the centre of the gun, comes to TIL
yard solid, which, after being bore
out, is called the tube. The seconC
layer, extending from the breach NOR
than half way to the muzzle, is tn
jacket, the other layers outside of thi
being known as hoops. The whole ar
of the finest steel, and have been cas-
abroad. The first hoop cast in Amer
lea for a ten-inch gun can now be see
at the Navy-Y ard in this city and i
pronounced "a beauty"
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE YARD.
The Washington Navy Yard
equipped for building ordnance of an
size up to sixteen-inch guns. The
have not yet made anything larger tina
ten-inch, but expect to do so. 1t take
three months to make gun and ther
are now in course of construction twely
handsome affairs. One ponderous eigh
inch, twenty-ton gun is about fiji
ished and ready for shipmen
In addition to these, orders have bee
received to make siXty-eight siX-ine
guns, six eight.inch guns and ten foul
: inch guns. This order will soon be il
I creased to 100. When it is remem
bered that three months work is pit
r on gun, it will be understood TIL,
! this means healthy activity at the Yart
5 The carriage shop is where the gu
!. carriages are made and is devoted e
| clusively to that department of h
9 ordnance building. The project
+ shops are partly given over to the repa
/ and remodeling of Hotchkiss and Gf
+ ling guns. 1t is in this department tn
+ a neat copper rim is shrunk around &
r base of all shells. These shells a
il loaded at the breech of the gun and
{ not fit snug because the steel won
wear out the rifiing. To prevent this
soft copper rim is placed around Il
base, so that this fits to the rifling
It the gun and protects it from the ste
:. The old ship-houses are deserted a
= the old cannon lying about the yard
familiar rows are being rapidly melt
- over or consumed in other ways. 7
general appearance of bo.h the exteri
/ and interior of the buildings was ney
> better. Numerous new additions ha
y been made, new machinary, shaft
- and belting placed in nearly all I
), shops, and the whole tastefully paint'
e presenting pleasing transformation
d eyes grown weary viewing nothing
decay.
SECRETARY TRACY PRAISED.
p. Secretary Tracy is praised by all
:, his manifest intention to act for
- best interests of the Navy and
e. Washington yards. as eXemplilied
Il his demand that the work shall be pr
rs ecuted as fast as possible, without
A gard TO the politics or the relations
le workmen. He does not consider d
le this feature should affect questions
Or purely technical or mechanical en-
" neering.
st THE WASHINGTON BANKS.
A Sure Sign of the Prosperity of