Telegram-herald., 1890-03-18

1HB WORKSHOPS AT klLlNANDJARO-
two hundred and seventy-four kilo-
grams of powder. Barbicane & Co.
did not think OF these difficulties. 1t
was not cannon. not even a mortar.
which they intended to make, but
simply a gallery bored in the massive
rock of Kilmani iaro-a shaft of a mine,
II you wish to call it so.
Evidently this shaft OF mine, this
enormous elongated mine. could re-
place q metal cannon the fabrication of
which would have been as dear, as difn-
cult, and TO which it would be necessary
to give an unwieldy thickness to avoid
all risk of an explosion. Barbicane e.
Co. had always entertained the idea Of
operating in this manner. and IL the note
book OF ]. I. Maston mentioned a cannon
1t was that of twenty-sevcn centimeters
which had been used in the calculations
as basis Consequently q spot was
chosen at height OF a hundred feet on
the southern slope of the chain. Moth
ing would be in the way of the pro-
jectile when it would fly out of the
mouth Of this tunnel bored in the mass
I've rock OF Kilimanjaro. 1t was with ex-
treme precision and not without very
hard work that the men could dig this
gallery. But Barbicane & Co. could
readily make perforations with simple
machines put in action by means of COM
pressed air which was secured by using
the powerful falls of water from the
mountains. In the holes bored through
the headings OF the shaft were placed
charges Of meli-melonite. And moth
ing moro was necessary than this vio-
lent explosive to shiver the rock, ex-
tremely hard "a it was
The thousands OF workmen, led by his
ten co-operators under the general di-
rection Of Barbicane & Co., labored with
great deal Of zeal and intelligence to
bring the work 70 a speedy end At
tho end OF six months the shaft meas
Ured twenty-seven meters in diameter
and the lining OF IL six meters in thick
ness AS il was absolutely necessary
that the projectile should glide through
a bore perfectly smooth, the interior OF
IL was covered with a casting exactly
prepared. In reality this part OF tho
work was very similar TO that OF the cell
ebrsted Colum bad. of Moon City. which
had sent the proiectile 70 the moon.
But such work as this Is impossible 70
the ordinary engineers Of this world at
present.
As soon IS the boring was finished the
workmen pushed on with the work at
the second workshop.
AZ the same time that this metallic
lining was being made they were also
employed a. making the enormous pro-
jectile. For this operation IL was neces-
ssry 20 obtain a cylindrical mass which
would weigh 60 coo. 600 Kilograms, or
ts0 COO tons IL must be understood
that there was never any idea Of melt
ing this proiectile tn one single piece. II
had 20 be manufactured in thousand-ton
pieces. which would be hoisted one
after the other into the shsi, and On;
in place over the chamber where the
uneli-meionita was stored. After having
been iointed each 20 Tho o.aer these
pieces would form = compact whole,
which would &c the sides of the tubular
lining. IA regard 20 the construction
Of the massive furnaces 70 effect the
melting 81 the metal there vas net
perhaps. The greatest difficulty. Ten
furnaces of ten meters each in height
we're a. Zoe end OF a month in working
o-der ard able 20 prod uce each $50 tons
per day. This would be /. soc tons foT
tvsatY-four hoars-iso, 600 tons after
100 work-daVs
IN regard - he thiri workshop. made
To- the manufacture q the 1eli-melon-
ite. the work was easily done, bit
under such secrs+ precautions hat ths
composition of this explosive it has not
been po<sihl - state perfectly EverI
Ting went along splendidlY. r could
not have hesn possible 70 have net with
more success n snv factory. One Vould
hardly expect 70 escape a. sccidsnt 81
some sort on three-hund red-tboussnt
franc ioh r was easily understood ths'
The Sultan Vas delighted He followed
tie operation vita indefstizable inter
est And ths presence - his Majesty
helped greatly - make these nezroe.
oorx az bad as possible. One Ss7 Bali
Bali asked wbas al these operatioss
rere goszz 81 for. He recsivsd tbs -