Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-26

government foundries then were Ayers,
South Boston, Mass. hemble's, west
Point, N. Y: Knaps, Pittsburg. Pa, ana
the Tredegar, Richmond, va. Inc IN
specting and proving ofhcer IN a,,STs, easn 1Ise
was Major William Wade, representing
the ordnance department OF the army.
The series began with the usual service
charge and ended with charge thdt en-
tlrely filled the bore-there being as nlahy
as six or seven different sizes or charse,
and large number OF rounds with each
charge.
TRIUMPH OF VIRGINIA IRON.
I will not detain you with further de-
tails-suffice IL 10 say that the Ireoesar
gun proved TO be the strongest. All OF tne
others broke without standing slhgie
round with the last charge, while the
Tredegar gun stood two rounds with that
charge, breaking with the third. Passing
other government experiments, al Oh
which were complimentary TO NlSlina
iron, we will come down TO the year lSoV'
when the first Dahlgren guns were mace @maae.
IL was a large order OF 9-inch and larger
calIbre, and was divided by the Bureau
of Ordnance and Hydrography between
all the foundries. The result Of the IN
spection and proof was that the guns
failed. at all the other foundries, In inc
powder proof. and all were condemned.
The Tredegar guns all stood the poWder
proof. and all were received and PAID
for The inspecting officer was Captain
Thomas A. Dornin, OF the United states
navy. assisted by Lieutenants George
Minor and Terry Sinclair. On TINS oeca-
sion. after the guns had all been subject
ed to the prescribed powder PROOF, anu
all stood that proof, the bureau directed
one-a 9-inch gun-to be proved 10 eA-
tremity This gun, after being nred soIle
eighteen or nineteen hundred times Will
ont breaking, was ordered by the bureau
TO be sent TO the Washington navy-yard'
where, L presume, il may be seen now.
The iron for these remarkable guns was
made at the Cloverdale and Grace tur-
naces. in Botetourt county, va
While / give the history OF these opera
tions from memory, and therefore am
liable to make trihing errors, L am re-
snonsible for its substantial accuracy
which may be verified by reference 10 the
records of the ordnance Office or the
army and of the Bureau Of Ordnance ana
Hvdrographv of the navy. Washington.
ADAPTED FOR VARIOUS USES.
T have referred specially 10 the articles
named above. as | have observed pe-
cause IL was through their Manufacture
that we have had exact tests hldue VI
virginia iron. OF course, theIe remains
the great mass OF articles mace az ms
works OF Virginia iron, for Whlch our
own experience shows ii Is weli auap'eu,
and among these are pre-eminent plates
for boilers and for the hulls or vessels.
During the war, especially, we had ihuSn
Of this TO do. .,.,u ,sr-
ceive that my own personal experience IN
making iron fully satisfies me lhat W.
have the material In Virginia, ana con-
venient 10 Richmond of best quallty anu
I'm amplest quantity, for the Supply VI
any shfDvards that the future wants ol
tbe country may demand. And not only
this but so rapid is the increase In the pro
duction of pig-iron i'm this State-ttnree
blast furnaces averaging over nului tu "a
tons per day having been put In piast III
the last six months. and all OF easy nc
cess to Richmond)-that we may now sly ',
that Richmond is an iron centre OF sun.
cient importance to encourage lnEeathlcnt
IN all the industries necessary 40 Supply
shipyards with material. And so iree IIoIl
pb6snhorus are many OF our ores, we
.htntt the time has come when capitalists
nav risk money i'm the Bessemer pant
or other systems Of producing steer LOT
the plates as well as Tor rams, "itnou'
even resorting TO eXpedients Tor eilnh
mating the phosphorus that nave pioNvu
so successful I'm England. l ahuue par
tlcularly TO the Basic process.
| am yours very truly, .,,,nco,,
JOSEPH r. ANDERSON.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
Tho TRANSPORTATION facilities are exceP-
tional virginia has more steamboat
navigation than any Of the old States,
and three of the great railroad systems
~ the Union were chartered by the
Legislature Of the State. The great
trunk lines having lines and systems ex-
tending North, South. and West through
many states. are the Chesapeake ana
ohio the Southern. and the Norfolk and
western. The great Atlantic-Coast Line
makes the connection between New York
and Florida.
The Armor Board will be entertained
during their visit by the Cnamoer OF
Commerce and every facility will be
Afforded them OF arriving at full, true,
and satisfactory estimate Of the ad-
vantages that the city offers for such
an enterprise as they have in mind