Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-29

inside and turned down outside to the ex-
act dimensions required by the patterns.
Then the chamber is also finished, and
thereupon the gun is put into rifing ma
chine and rifled by cutting spiral grooves
into the interior surface of the bore. to
give the Drojectile a rotary motion, which
inSureS greater accuracy in firing and
keeps the projectile pointed head-foremost
during its entire fight. Upon the compile
ton of the rifiing process, the breech-
mechanism is fitted to the gun, and then
1t is ready for its mount. This is a COM
plfcated apparatus, and takes almost as
much work in its construction as the gun
itself, although it does not cost nearly as
much. and its various parts are made by a
considerable number of workmen at once.
1t requires at least seven months to make
thirteen-inch or twelve-inch gun after
the receipt of the forgings Less time is
required to make smaller guns but in all
cases the processes must be allowed their
own time and cannot be hurried beyond
certain clearly defined limits.
As Near Perfect as Possible.
Perfection of workmanship distinguishes
all the products of the naval gun factory,
and nothing short of perfection will suffice
The big guns here fabricated are not made
to sell or to realize pecunary profit from.
but to use; and in their fabrication they are
under constant supervision of that branch
of our military service that is Entrusted
with the use of them and the responsibility
for them. Hence none of the guns here has
ever broken down in service. English ord
nance experts have calculated the average
i1fe OF heavy guns in the English navy at
from 40 to 10 rounds, after which the
guns would either be destroyed or become
worthless. The great l20-ton Krllpp gun
that was exhibited at the worlds fair in
1893 has been fired only sixteen times, and
now for fear it will blow apart it will never
be hred again. Some of the earlier guns
turned out at the Washington factory and
winch did woman service in 10 In q ~
lSh war, have thus far survived over 300
rounds without suffering the slightest detri-
inent, and are in as perfect condition now
as When they left the factory. Many of
cur ordnance experts believe that all the
guns made at the Washington factory will
be Serviceable after as many as 40 firings.
and some place the figure much higher still.
And there is no doubt that this wonderful
superiority is due we'll to superior craft
and workmanship as to superior materials,
which, in conformity with the law, are Sc
lected from American products exclusively.
in this connection 1t is worth noting. on the
personal and human side, that the mechan-
les who make these guns our cunning sons
of Tubal-Cain recruited from all over the
country, swart with the scots of the fur
mace and dripping with the Sweats of toll,
infuse into their work spirit of patriotism
perhaps as keen as that which animates the
gunners and officers whose business it is to
Zeal with them after they made. AS
they operate the giant lathes, as they ma
ntpulate the huge cranes, as they bend over
the flaming FORCES and patiently fashion the
delicate fittings of steel and copper and
brass that accompany the guns, they are
conscious that these "war-talkers'' are des-
tined in all probability TO be eloquent at
some time or another and to held high
faith with the state" and hence they are
prompted to exercise the most ScrupuOus
care and accuracy in their fabrication. And
ir awarding praise to the men behind the
gums" whose success is in so large meas
ure dependent on the character of those
self-same guns, share should be given to
the experts and workmen whose Skill pre-
the guns so good.