Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-02-09
The Indian Head Proving Grounds.

We made 8 visit on last Friday to tho L. s. nave.
ordnance proving grounds, recently established ~
Indian Head, and upon which work tie ~cGnstrCc.
| ton of the necessary excavation and appliances
for the inten led purpose has beer going on for
| some months. We were cautiously received by
Ensign Deshields, u. $. N, the officer in char. e,
who WAS worry kind in explaining the plans ot the
work, as far as it has progressed, And tho modts
opersndi OF testing the guns, which will tO)n i'
in full op Jratio1. A great deal Of work his a.
resdy been done, bIt there's much sill! 10 be dJaa
before the grou Ids will be ready for the final test
ing Of the ordnance "a 10 range snf sccurscy.
| Tho eutire river front of the grounds is covercl
By a substantial sos wall, q strong and well cor
structed wharf has been built, which extends ont
10 the stream 10 twelve feet of water, much cxca-
vation aud leveling has been done and a great ppr
| ton of tho railways and turntables for c~arrying
the heavy guns to and from the wharf to the plat
| forms whore they will be tested, has al ready be- n
completed. One gun platform foe the testing po
cess has already been completed. Upon this pat
form, which stands near the western slope Of the
valley about 100 feet from the river aud connect
ing with the wharf by the railway AM tnrntab 9
one Of the mel breech loading six inch riff pisccs,
| constructed at the ord shops OF the Washing
ton navy yard, is in position. This piece is cln.
structed on The built up" process OF reinforcement
which is approved by the naval authorizes, has
a the latest improvements and is a mode! OF me
chanical beauty and excellence. 1T was tested last
week as to It's strength an working properties ahd
| performed admirably. The recoil OF the piecn Is
| counseracted by the improved srp'isnce c fhJdro-
static resistance. Two cylinders filed with wa,or,
with an easy fitting piston, similar to the old style
churn, are fixed on each SIDE of the gun CARR ago
80 az to connect the upper and iow-r carriage and
receive the shock of the recoil. Thes, cylinders,
on the six-inch gun, are two f-et in length and the
r%ecoilis perfectly n~eutraliz. d By two feet Of elastic
resistance affordei by them On the opposite bank
of the valley. diagonally across, is deep tunncl,
extending some forty feet into the bank. This
tunuol will be fl led with sand. and into this viii
be fred the prcjectiles discharged from the guns
durirg the short range trials. which will after
wards be recovered and ex ,mined. When the
grounds are fully equipped. another gun Platform
will be erected on the east bank of the valley. in
close proximity to the river. From this platform
there will be- a Gear water range past Stump Met,
some niue miles down tho river in the direction
OF Qu.ntico. From this point tho pieces Of ord
nance will be tested for rarg 20 and accuracy. The
thorough and scientific manner in which The
works and the equipments appear to have bcen
constructed reflect much credit upon Ensign De-
shields, under whoie direction the entire work
has been carried on. He hopes to have The grnr MS
ready to begin the testing i, f thu guns in sboRt 2
month, though it will be some time to come before
the work on the grounds will be completed Port
Tobacco, Md Times.