The times., 1898-10-19
CrOCker's.
Shoes Shined Free.
O3o Pa. Ave.

Wv u oe lAV$s
stance has there been any attempt at
eXtortion, or disposition shown to take
advantage of the unusual needs of the
Government, due to the war, so far as
this bureau is concerned.
THE resources of the country to sup
ply war material were scarcely touched,
and unquestionably there is no limit to
the amount that can be procured Of all
kinds, In case of need, provided time is
not too important factor.
Congress having appropriated for a
new telephone line from the Washington
navy yard TO the proving grounds at
Indian Head, on the Potomac. 1t is in
process of construction.
New forms of battle-order indicators
have been designed for use on shipboard.
and experimental sets are ordered. No
satisfactory type of range finder for ship
use mas yet been obtained.
while heavy guns in turrets must be
regarded as one of the chief character
istics of modern battle-ships. the lessons
of the day indicate that the greatest exc
cution Except against the heaviest ar
NOR may be expected from number of
quick-iring guns of smaller -caliber
mounted separately in armored classmates,
or in redoubt.
THE larger and heavier the gun the
greater the sacrifice of space and weight
| to accommodate and protect 1t and its
| appurtenances. and the slower and less
accurate its fire, owing to the time re-
| quired to load and to its lack of mo-
| bility."
Powder Factory on Potomac.
| Referring to the manufacture of smoke
less powder the report says:
After many difficulties the manufacture
of a purely smokeless powder, made by
| the bureaus formula from soluble nitro
cellulose dissolved In ether alcohol, uni
form in character and possessing good
keeping qualities, has become an accom-
plished fact Considerable quantities have
already been provided and few vessels
have been given complete outfits; all YES
sells fitted out hereafter will, If time and
money permit, be supplied exclusively
with smokeless powder. except a certain
number of charges of brown powder to be
used for target practice, in order that the
supply of the latter on hand may be used
| up and because il is cheaper than smoke
| less powder.
The bureau could have supplied con-
siderable quantities of smokeless powder
to various vessels during the late war,
|
practicable to supply complete outfits, 1t
seemed useless to supply 1t in part as a
| few guns using brown powder would null
| ify the advantages gained by the use of
smokeless powder in others
1.-The bureau has now in process of man.
| ufacture a large quantity and will en-
deavor TO accumulate a sufficient supply
to gradually introduce it into all vessels
| in the service.
{t- 1oe Ton n a.-itN
propriated a sum of money for the erec-
tion of Government factory for the man
ufacture of smokeless powder Il parcel of
land on the Indian Head reservation. on
the Potomac River, near Washington, has
| been cleared for the purpose. An electric
| railroad is being built 10 connect the site
with the proving ground. and plans have
been prepared and building operations are
now In progress The establishment will
consist of a laboratory and office build
ing, boiler-house, electric-power station,
and buildings for the storage of cotton,
picking and drying of cotton, nitrating-
house, pulping and poaching-house, alco-
hol dehydrating and rectifying, mixing,
pressing and cutting powder manufac-
ture of ether. drying-houses for powder
and packing-house, powder magazines,
acid mixing and storehouse, nitric-acid
factory, and dwellings for principal en-
trio power and will embrace the most ap-
proved types of powdermaking ma
chinery. A standpipe of 100000 gallons
capacity. supplied from artesian wells,
will furnish the water supply.
1.-The land is well situated on Mattowo-
man Creek, an estuary of the Potomac.
being quite remote from any populous dis
tricts. and can be approached by land or
by water.
Washington Gun Foundry.
This important establishment is under
the efficient and immediate charge of
Commander E. C. Pendleton, L. S. N, the
superintendent, and until the outbreak of
the recent war was engaged upon the
current work of manufacturing the guns,
mounts, and outfits for new vessels, etc,
carrying on its work eYgnu hours a day.
As soon as war became imminent, and
until a few weeks ago, it has been operat-
ed continuously, turning out guns, mounts.
and equipments for auxiliary vessels, and
pushing to completion the batteries, etc,
for new vessels. Rapid progress was
made enabling the bureau to supply mod
ern batteries to all auxiliary vessels
placed in commission with such dispatch
that no delay was caused by lack of arm
ament.
IAN immense amount of work, and in
great detail, has been accomplished, as is
shown in the interesting report of the su
perintendent herewith. The present au-
thorized increase of the navy, 10 be un-
doubtedly followed by still further ex-
pansion, renders it necessary that the IA
cilities of this establishment should keep
pace with the probable requirements of
the department. The shops are greatly
overcrowded, impeding the progress OF
work, and from time to time additional
buildings should be erected and equipped
with machinery.
AN allotment has been made for a new
and much-needed machine shop for mis-
cellaneous purposes, and very rapid prog.
ress is being made In its construction.
storehouse for guns is being erected, but
owing to the large accumulation growing
out of the recent war its capacity will be
inadequate to meet the necessities of the
situation, and an allotment has been re-
quested to double its length.
"A new packing and shipping house is
also urgently needed.
Some projected improvements have
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