The sun., 1894-12-18

work ~ wstsrvHet, wstertow-. spriue-
aeid, Rsek 1sisss. sna Benieis.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-At the present time
whom appropriations are under consideration in
Congress for the manufacture Of guns and am
munition, both for the forts and the field army,
interest attaches to the official summaries Of the
condition Of the arsenals and armories.
watervliet Is the great factory for seacoast
guns. IL has a complete plant for the calbrcs
up TO and including the 12-inoh, and contracts
have been made for the tools needed In the
manufacture Of 1e-inch guns. During the last
fiscal year it's output was eleven s-inch, eleven
1o-inch. and six 12-inch guns and 1o-inch
wire-wound Crosier has also been completed,
while work is in progress on seven 12-inch NOR
tars. The future output will probably be
twelve s-inch, fifteen 10-inch. and fifteen
12-lnch guns each year. besides twenty
hve field pieces. ten b-inch siege rifles
and ten Finch siege howitzers, or, in place
Of the two latter. nifty field pieces. The guns are
weighed on portable scale Of 100000 pounds
capacity. mounted on broad-fsced wheels. The
FIVE cranes are operated by electricity, except
the two originally installed. The water power IL
furnished free by the State from the Erie Canal,
and new water-power plant will be partly used
for obtaining electrical energy, saving perhaps
one-third Of the fuel In the gun shop. The chief
need Of watervliet seems TO be that Of proving
ground for large guns, since IL Is now necessary
TO send them 10 Sandy Hook for proving, and the
transportation is expensive. Besides, II the firing
test shows defects the guns must be returned
from Sandy Hook TO West Troy, which IL another
expense. The cost Of the tract Of land, the
railroad thither. the butts and the whole in
stallment is estimated at SOS, $40; but IL is be-
lleved that the outlay would be offset by savings
1wstertown is the great gun-carrieee plant.
rlages for 10-inch guns. S-inch carriages, and
also carriages for the muzzle-loading 15:Inch
smooth bOres and 8-inch converted rifles. These
muzzlc leaders have q value for narrow or shall
low channels which will not allow several
vessels to pass at onoe or together, There
Flagler, who gives these details about the ord.
nance factories, mentioning the Rigolets and
chartrain as instances. Another advantage in
such guns is that they can be left without the
jectiles OF high quality and other castings are
produced at Watertown. and the testing ma
Snps and onemSa a & G are or great use
as navy chains, shackles, and swivels, and life
saving service & shot Lines some impor,sSnt tan re-
durance OF metals under repeated stresses in
rotating shafts.
carriages, with battery wagons. forges. &c. and
carriages and limhers for 5-inch guns and q
quired for equippng the infantry, cavalry, and
artillery are largely supplied here.
Springfield makes the new magazine small
was sixty guns per day, with prospect Of
eighty per day.
Frank ford manufactures tho ammunition for
the new small arm, its output being recently
about 5000 cartridges per day for that arm
alone. although this was small part OF Its
work. For example. during the past year there
were manufactured 2.5J7, 900 cartridges, ball
and blank, for the 45-calibre rifles and carbines,
still go on for some time. and 2,15O.000 for the
3s-chlibre reyolyers, The manufacture OF
shrapnel for field guns, fuses, gun sights, and
various other articles is found at Frankford.
where also the test OF smok eless powders In the
chemical laboratory is an i'm portant work.
At Benicia there are facilities for making bal
listic tests Of powders manufactured on the Pa
cifc coast for small arms and field guns. The
Peyton powder manufactured by the California
Powder Works is the brand now regularly fur
nished for the new magazine rife and some
promising samples OF smokeless powder have
been offered by the Giant Powder Company
Company of San Francisco Ii third in that
region that has submitted samples. The main |
tenance OF this arsenal In good condition Is one
OF the elements of protection to that coast.
A word may be added In regard to the Sandy |
Hook proving ground, although this Is not a |
establishment. All guns ex-
cept field guns and all carriages that require |
proof arc proved here. and reception tests are
made for armor- piercing shot and deck -piercing
she'll The TRANSPORTATION facilities have been |
increased, and, as is known. n powerful search |
light has there been mounted. A total Of 1900 |
rounds from guns and mortars was fired during |
the last fiscal year.
These points suggest the value of the various |
ordnance establishments and the need of giving |
them liberal support in carrying on the work OF |
coast defence,