Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1895-12-05
nAkING BIG GUNS.
hat b Being Dose ct one of
Uneie Sam's Dig dun
k1epories.



Wsshingtos, d. c., Dec. 2.-Peo.
No visit washiBgton are always
Hat among the places Of inter.
1T they should visit Il Tie Wash
- Navy Yard. They have nc
lily in finding the place, and
10 dosbs look 1t the many oh.
phieh azs - exkihitioa 4 thi>
~ - - = aeay nuoh ploss.
|0 Nh 1T Nh Il might not
|oscar, however, TO every visitor that
|lt = sot . navy yard 1t all that they
havs ben expecting. This, however,
y the iast.
For the pest seven or eight years
there has been no savy yard st Wash
ington, - ct the beginning Of tha.
period this celebrated naval station
was changed into naval gun factory.
Here have been made large part Of
she armament for the equipment Of
the vessels Of the new navy. The
great l3-inch guns are being made
here, and the immense buildings and
costly machinery, ~hich is required
in the manufacture, have been sup
piled with . great outlay of money.
Each year this plant. hes been i'm
proved and enlarged until to-day it lie
the most important in the country.
The ordinance supplied for the naval
vessels arc equipped with intricate
mechanism which requires the skill Of
trained workmen TO bring TO perfec-
ton, - well a. that supervision which
Il secured by the detail Of naval Off
ces who are specially qualified for
such duty.
The change in the character of this
naval station il a significant one, as
indicating the differences between the
old navy and the new. When this
yard was established, in the fret year
Of the present century, IL vas designed
TO BE- . place where naval vessels
could b constructed. During the
ysan that have followed . large num-
Der Of vessels have been built there,
and fully equipped for the service.
ns old wooden vssssls, which were
in uss In the early days, were built
BY ths government at the govern
ment yards, bot nowadays the man-oi
war or cruiser, which 10 mainly com
posed Of iron. is, al rule, construc-
ted at . private yard, where there are
special faci,ities for carrying on this
work. This, however, was not the
reason for transforming the old Waah-
ington Navy Yard.
Il is located on the Eastern Branch,
q short distance from the point where
il enters into the Potomac. That
tributary Of the Potomac has in latter
years gradually dwindled away, until
nov Ii would be impossible tor q
vessel of any depth to be brought "a
| the yard.
Besides this ii was important that
the government should have . gun
factory, and this point has proved Of
special advantage since the acquisition
LOT the proving ground at Indian
Head, . few miles down the Potomac
where experiments are made with al
new guns. II the proposed additions
to the M sal armament stand the test
they are accepted, and their mauufac
ture begun.
Some idea of the extent Of the worl
done at the gun factory here may b.
had from the figures showing the mum
Der Of guns manufactured during thu
past year. There was q total Of 3St
guns maoe, aud Of this number l:
we're the great l4inch guns, II ver'
the IL inch guns, 20 were 10 incl
guns, 81 were 8 inch guns, l4l wer'
s inch guns. II we're 5 inch guns, ant
SO we're 4 inch guns. The outpu. fol
last year was about the same, - thu
records for several yean previou
shoe, and 1t b . significant fact tina
since 1885, when the navy did no
posses q modern gun, it has beer
supplied with $50, large number o
the finest types.