The morning times., 1895-10-19
MUTE PAGES OF HISTORY
Relics Of Fights at Sea in the
Navy Yard Museum.
RARE OLD GUNS AND SWORDS
Early Breech Leaders Side by Side
With Modern Small Arms-CannOn
Captured In Notable Battles Where
Old Glory Was Victorious Hilary
Inventions Illustrated.

Situated in a remote corner of the U. 8.
navy yard In this cit is a small
structure, which by reason of its modest
style of architecture, and the site 1t &C.
cupies, attracts but little attention.
Many of the visitors who daily inspect the
various buildings connected with the yard
fail to recognize in it museum in which
have been gathered various relics of his
torical value and arou nd which clusterm many
memories connected with leading events in
our country's history.
This museum was started shortly after the
navy yard was established and mas steadily
grown, until now it is recognized as being
one OF the best repositories for relics connect
ed with naval affairs nthe country. The gov
ernment thorougblyrealizingth
OF this fact, ordered number of the relics
sent to the Cotton States and International
Exposition now being held in Atlanta, Ca.
SO that the eoutside world cangain an idea OF
the many valuable specimens which are
constantly being collected FOR exhibition
in this museum.
A number of shots and shells OF varf-
GUS forms and shapes that were captured
from the Confederate army during the late
war have been artistically arranged out
side of the building, and solitary weeping
willow which was started from a slip
cut from tree over the grave OF Napoleon
at st. Helena, stands guard night and
day, seeming to protect the quaint old build
ing and the sacred treasures it contains.
GUNS OF ALL SORTS.
On entering the building one is i'm
mediately seized with the idea that he
has gained entrance into some ordnance
factory SO numerous are the guns and
other accoutrements of war which are
to be seen on every side. Almost every
one of these has a history, which is OF the
most Interesting character. On the cell
ing swords aud bayonets have been ar
ranged in fantastic shapes. and the one
pervading idea is that of a military work
shop.
If the visitor will only take time. how
ever, to make visit of inspection TO the
cases which are grouped about the room
he will find much of interest and instructive
One of the first relics which strikes the
eye is a breech-loading gun made in Spain
in the year 1890, brought over by Cortez
during the conquest of Mexico and captured
by Capt Hunter, United States Navy, dur
ing the Mexican war.
The gun is of great historical value and
never fails on account OF its past associa-
tions to attrast attention
Another interesting gun to be found here
lisa repeating swivelfliutlock, madein 81 4.
1t has seven barrels, which will hold about
eighty charges, the first one of which is
fired by the flint which ignites port fire
in the central barrel, thus exploding each
charge as the fire reaches it. The mechan-
ism of this famous old gun is most Intricate,
especially when contrasted with the iatese
improved gun used at the present day.
In the same case with these two guns are
old torpedoes, percussion and time fuse,
rockets and signal lights, and three swords,
captured on the Confederate steamer Florida
at Bahia, Brazil.
KEARSARGE's sTERNP OsT.
Another relic to be found In this museum
that attracts much attention Is part Oh
the sternpost OF the famous Kearsarge, which
was struck by q she'll weighing over
fifty-five pounds during the ceieofateo
naval engagement off the coast or Cher-
bourg, France, with the Confederate
steamer Alabama. The shell failed to ex-
plode and lodged in the stern post, both OF
which have been preserved and are trea sured
in this naval museum
Had the shell exploded. this fight would,
perhaps, have had q different termination
and history would have recorded a victory
instead of defeat for the Confederate cruiser,
a the shell would have completely shattered
the middle of the Kearsage and she would
have been left without this most necessary
adjunct and likely been entirely at the mercy
of her opponent.
Another ca sc contains, English, French,
Austrian, and American makes OF guns
and is most interesting, as IL demonstrates
the difference between the firearms manu-
factured in these countries as contrasted
with those manufactured here. Another
exhibit that is worthy OF notice is case
containing a model of a submarine gun
that was intended for the torpedo boat
Destroyer which was built by Ericsson
and sold to the Brazilian government dur
ing their civil war In 1888.
Still another valuable relic is a fifteen
inch shrapnel which was invented by an
artillery officer in the year 1873. 1t is
hollow shell filled W ithlead or iron bullets:
this shell is so constructed that it explodes
at about three hundred feet from the gun
and scatters the contents in every direction.
The shrapnel of today, however, is an
elongated shell which contains charge
of powder in its bottom and is fired by
striking.
RELIC OF YORKTOWN.
There Is a small brass mortar made in
Philadelphia in 1913, and still another
taken from Lord CORVALLIS at the sur
render at Yorktown in 1881. One of the
first Gatling guns invented by Dr.. Gatiing
in 1862, and which fires about 800 shots
a minute, is also preserved. The improved
pattern now in use will fire about 1,20O
or about four times as many as the gun
first invented.
The museum also contains valuable
collection of small firearms starting from
the year 1898 to the time of the civil war.
.umber of barpoons which were used in