Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-23
WHAT DIR. MUNCAsTER SAYS,
AT THE NAVY YARD,
Work of Deepening the Channel-Matters In
the Gun Shop.

eCnann6l-mAtt6ra
the Gun Shop.
Work preliminary to widening and deepening
the navy yard channel is begun. The con-
tractor, Thos. P. Morgan, is to dredge the
Eastern branch channel directly in front of the
navy yard SO as to form basin twenty-five feet
deep at low tide. The channel line is to be
parallel to and twenty-five feet distant from the
wharf. line. The central portion of the basin
for 400 feet is to be 210 feet wide and narrowed
to 100 feet at the extremities. The material to
be dredged is believed to be soft mud,
but the contractor will be bound if it
should prove not to be, except where solid rock
is struck. All shoals, Jumps or ridges left be-
hind by the dredges must be removed. The
excavated material is to be deposited behind
the embankment now being built channelward
from Poplar Point. This is I'm accordance with
plans approved by the engineer in charge of
the Potomac river Improvement. Trenches are
now being cut through the Eastern branch
flats, so that the plan may be carried out. This
embankment is to be six feet above low tide
and there must be three feet Of water at
low tide along the trench line. The estimated
length of these susn channels is fifteen feet and
the amount of dredging estimated as necessary
to complete the work IS. 900 cubic yards. The gov
eminent inspector Of the work is Thomas Jenk-
ms and he will be provided with quarters and
board on one Of the dredging machines. The
limit Of cutting has been staked off and the i'm
provement is to be completed in ITO days from
the contract date, April %, 1892. The contract
price per cubic yard is 14.9 cents.
WORK IN THE GUN SHOP.
The gun shop, the center of interest at the
yard, is running on full time. Forgings for the
thirteen-inch steel rifle have been received from
Bethlehem, Pa, and the work Of finishing the
tr1la TO- Gato tn Al
parts will be prosecuted with vigor. When
completed it will be the heaviest gun of the
navy. The finished product of the gun shop
comprises eighteen ten-inch, 1873 six-inch and
nineteen eight-inch rifles. Under cOnstruc-
ton, but practically finished, are four ten inch
and two eight-inch guns. This ordnance will
constitute primary batteries As ordnance for
secondary batteries there are, completed or
nearly SO, twenty-nine five-inch and thirty-five
four-inch rifles Master Mechanic Of the Gun
Shop Robinson is authority for the statement
that the latter branch of naval ordnance is in
an experimental stage owing to the evolution in
ammunition and breech mechanism for rapid
fire guns.
Several hundreds Of four, six and twelve
pound brass guns are being cut into requisite
lengths to be smelted for use in the gun car
riage shop. These instruments were made dur
ing the late war and are said to be of an espe-
cially fine quality of gun metal.
THE EXPERIMENTAL BATTERY.
The experimental battery at the southwest
end Of the yard has been abandoned and prob
ably will be soon removed. There are in this bat
terry four six-inch and two three-inch converted
rifles, all without breech blocks; one Dahlgren
underground boat howitzer and two eleven
inch iron muzze-loading guns. A number of
carriages also here. Gunnery experiments
and tests Of new weapons, breech mechanisms,
carriages and the like were formerly conducted
here.
THE MARINE GUARD.
The strength of the marine guard at the yard
is seventy-six, rank and file, divided as follows:
Commissioned officers, captain, heutenants;
non-cOmmissioned officers. 10 sergeants, 10
corporals; musicians, 48 privates. The men
are doing double guard duty, one day off and
one on. In addition to drills and household
duties thi' is considered hard work. There il
no complaint among the men. They speak well
Of their rations Of beef, bacon, mutton beans,
coffee, bread and potatoes. There have been
seven assertions from the garrison during the
past two months. The officers declare the
force too small.