Evening star., 1897-01-30

IL all the others together contain as much
powder the Dover magazine, where
100000 pounds are regularly stored, and
where, in time, much more will be kept.
The staff that guards the great store Is a
very small one. 1t consists of Gunner Cor
nelius Duggan and half a dozen men. Their
all that life is mighty dreary in this win
ter weather among the lonely hills.
Powder Is shipped from the Dover sta
tion to Norfolk and to California, but the
next stage In the career Of the hexagonal
blocks Is likely to be Fort Wadsworth. in
New York harbor. where most of the am
munftiOn for the present needs of the ma
val service Is prepared.
Preparing the Charge.
Don't imagine that it is an easy matter
to prepare the charge for a big gun, or
that the powder is poured In haphazard,
as you used to do when you went squirrel
hunting with your fathers old musket.
On the contrary, the loading of the charge
Is task requiring the greatest nicely and
care. For the smaller calibers wooden
frame containing a number of upright
wires on which the powder is strung are
used; for the larger guns a form is pro-
yided to hold 1t: The powder is then put
In by dropping the hexagons over the wires
or laying them carefully in the form; first,
tier of the black powder, and then many
more of the brown. When the column has
ooSii uuAt " proper nSlSnt, Wh1ch
for the large guns requires some 600 of the
largest hexagons shown in the illustration
a cloth bag, OF exact width to fit, is drawn
| over the top. Then the column is turned
upside down, the wires are drawn out or
the form removed and the top of the stout
bag Is tied up. Next, it is taken to where
the cartridge shells are standing, the bag
rs cropped In. and small piece Of wadding
placed on top OF 1t.
| The bag of powder In It's metal case
travels next to the place where the loaded
shell. the actual death-dealing portion of
the charge, awaits 1t. The case Of the shell
| Is made large enough to Just lap over the
powder case and Is forced down on the lat
ter by means Of screw tightly that
notning but the power that lies behind It
can drive 1t OF. Then the mounted shell Is
| slipped into a form Of the exact size of the
| gun for which It ts intended, to make sure
that 1t Is perfect fit and will not stick at
the critical moment.
When the charge is fused and ready for
the gun 1t is placed in a rectangular wooden
box Of the exact size to fit 1t and Is ready
for shipment. The old ammunition cases
We're square wooden boxes, but they were
not waterproof and have been superseded
by the rectangular boxes and cylindrical
| steel cases, into which 1t Is Impossible for
ar or water to penetrate. Another advan-
tage OF this new form for storage is that
the powder, being protected from moisture
will keep for any length Of time.
For the small bore, rapid-fire guns
smokeless powder is used almost wholly at
| present, and 1t comes in strips or tubes. as
| shown in the accompanying cut, and these
are tied together into bundle In prepar-
| Ing the charge. much as one would tie a
bundle of kindIing wood.
From the supply depot the ammunition,
| packed away In the cases, is sent to the
vessels, on order Of the Navy DEPARTING at,
| as 1t happens TO be needed. In time of
peace the ships Of our navy are required to
| carry 100 rounds for each gun. That means
for cruiser Of the Indiana's class some
| thing over 100000 pounds of powder and a
total ammunition load Of some $50 tons in
| all.
| This Is slowed away in the magazines
| built below decks In the ship and Is SO
| carefully protected that even If fire were to
| start among the powder cases there would
| be no serious danger to the vessel. 1t is
| impossible for the fire to get at the powder
| and the magazine can be automatically
flooded until every spark is quenched Then
the water can be drawn off, leaving the
| ammunition uninjured.