CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library UF533 .A3 1884 Report of the Gun Foundry Board .Februaf olin 3 1924 030 759 785 This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in cooperation witli Cornell University Libraries, 2007. You may use and print this copy in limited quantity for your personal purposes, but may not distribute or provide access to it (or modified or partial versions of it) for revenue-generating or other commercial purposes. The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030759785 CORNELL UNIVERSITYi Vv ■\ .leRAR' [H. Ex. Doc. No. 97, Forty-eighth CougresB, first session.] REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD, MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TRANSMITTING A report of the Board, of Army and Navy Officers relative to the best location for establishing a Q-overnment foundry. FiCBBTJART 20, 1B84. — Eeferred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. To the Senate and House of Representatives : I transmit herewith to the House of Representatives the report of a Board of Army and Navy Officers, appointed by me in accordance with the act of Congress approved March 3, 1883 — For the purpose of examining and reporting to Congress which of the navy-yards or arsenals owned by the Government has the best location and is best adapted for the establishment of a Government foundry, or what other method, if any, should be adopted for the manufacture of heavy ordnance adapted to moderu warfare, for the use of the Army and Snvy of the United States; the cost of all buildings, toils, and implements necessary to be used in the manufacture thereof, including the cost of a steam-hammer or apparatus of sufficient size for the manufacture of the heaviest guns. CHESTER A, ARTHUR. Executive Mansion, February 18, 1884. Gttn Foundet Boaed, 1727 Pine street, Philadelphia, Pa., February 16, 1884. To the President : In accordance with your instructions of April 2, 1883, issued under the provision of section 1 of the " Act mating appropriations for the naval service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1883, the Board, composed of six officers selected from the Army and Navy, "for the purpose of examining and reporting to Congress which of the navy -yards or arsenals owned by the Government has the best location and is best adapted for the estab- lishment of a Government foundry, or what other method, if any, should be adopted for the manufacture of heavy ordnance adapted to S. Ex. 13 1 2 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. modern warfare, for the use of the Army and IsTavy of the United States ; the cost of all buildings, tools, and implements necessary to be used in the manufacture thereof, including the cost of a steam-hammer or apparatus of sufQcient size for the manufacture of the heaviest guns," has the honor to submit herewith its report and the record of its pro- ceedings. In order to reply satisfactorily to the act of Congress, it was neces- sary for the Board to seek Information in Europe, and visits were made to England, France, and Eussia. It is appropriate to state that your Board was received by both Government officials and by private com- ipanies with much cordiality, and every assistance was rendeied in its nvestigatlons in those countries. -'"': 4-:-"-'.,'i It was the desire of the Board also to visit the large German steel works at Essen, but the permission to do so, which was requested of Mr. Fried. Krupp, was not granted for reasons that will be found stated in the eopy of correspondence attached to this report. -71^ The Board, having completed its duties, have adjourned sine dieT^ Very respectfully, for the Board, E. SIMPSON, Bear-Admiral, United States Navy, President of the Board. REPORT aUN FOUNDEY BOAED, ORGANIZED BT THE I'llESIIDEISrT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACT OF CONGEESS APPEOVED MAEOH 3, 1883. WASHIKGTOK: GOVEKNMENT PEINTINa OFFICE. 1884:. CONTENTS. PflCTP- Message from tlie President transmitting report 1 Letter submitting report to the President 1 BEPOET 7 England 8 Sources from which the armament of England is supplied 8 Elswick 10 Woolwich 11 Steel manufacturers 12 Condition of steel manufacture 13^ Whitworth's Works 14 Basic Process 16 Present condition of the English artillery 18 Material 19 Construction 20 ' Breech-closing 20 Gas-check 21 Vent 21 Form of chamber '. 21 Rifling 21 Rotating rings 21 Wire construction 21 France 22 Sources from which the armament of France is supplied 22 Bourges 24 Euelle 24 Condition of steel manufacture 25 St. Chamond 25 Le Creusot 26 Terre-Noire 28 Present condition of French artillery 3(> Material 31 Construction - 31 Breech- fermeture 33 Gas-check 33 Rifling 33 Rotating rings 33 Wire construction 33 Germany 34 Russia --- 35 Sources from which the armament of Russia is supplied 35 Russian artillery gun factory 36 Aboukhoif Works 36 Condition of steel manufacture 37 Present condition of Russian artillery 37 Construction 38 Rotating rings 38 5 6 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Page. REPORT— Continued. The United States 39 Sources from wliioli the armament of the United States is supplied 39 Condition of steel manufacture 39 Present condition of the artillery of the United States 39 Cost of plant fob the manufacture of guns 40 Machines and tools for steel plant 40 Machines and tools for gun factory 42 Buildings 44 General summary 46 Selected sites for gun factories 49 A. — Copy of circular letter to steel manufacturers 55 B.' — Circular letter to South Boston Iron Company and to Paulding, Kemble &Co - 55 C. — Letter from Nay lor & Co., Boston, Mass 56 D.— Letter from Paulding, Kemble & Co., West Point, N. Y 56 E. — Letter from Park, Brother & Co., Pittsburgh, Pa 56 F. — Letter from South Boston Iron Works, Boston, Mass 57 G. — Letter from Pittsburgh Steel Works, Pittsburgh, Pa 57 H. — Letter from Midvale Steel Company, Nicetown, Philadelphia, Pa 57 I. — Letter from Park, Brother & Co., Pittsburgh, Pa j 58 J. — Letter from Springfield Iron Company, Springfield, 111 58 K. — Letter from South Boston Iron Works, Boston, Mass 59 L. — Letter from West Point Foundry Association, West Point, N. Y 60 M. — Letter from Cambria Iron Company, Johnstown, Pa 60 N. — Letter from Cambria Iron Company, Johnstown, Pa 61 O. — Letter to Fried. Krupp's Cast Steel Works, Essen, Germany 63 P. — Letter from same 63 Q. — Letter from same 64 R. — Telegram to same _ 64 S. — Letter to same , . . . 64 T. — Letter from same 65 U. — Letter from same 65 V. — Letter to same 66 REJCORD OF DPJR.OCBKr)II>rGi-S 7I REPORT GUN FOUNDRY BOARD The act of Congress, approved March 3, 1883, under which the G-un Foundry Board was organized, calls for a report on the following points : 1st. Wlicli of the navy-yards or arsenals owned by the Government has the best location, and is best adapted for the establishment of a Government foundry. 2d. What other method, if any, should be adopted for the manufacture of heavy ordnance adapted to modern warfare, for the use of the Army and Navy of the United States. 3d. The cost of all buildings, tools, and implements necessary to be used in the manufacture thereof, including the cost of a steam-hammer or apparatus of sufficient size for the manufacture of the heaviest guns. The first question presupposes the establishment of a Grovernment Gun Foundry, properly so-called, the establishment to be under the absolute control of the Government, and the details of all work to be supervised and directed by Government officers. The answer to this question involves simply an expression of opinion as to the superior adaptability, for the purposes of a gun foundry, of any navy-yard or arsenal now owned by the Government. The second question imposes no limitation, and calls upon the Board to suggest "any other method" (apart from a Government foundry, pure and simple) by which the purposes of the act of Congress can be achieved. The Board is evidently called upon to consider the subject of joint action between the Government and private parties for the ac- complishment of a national purpose. The Board decided that there were three points of view from which this subject should be considered, viz : 1st. That the Government should supplement the plants of some of the steel workers of the country with such additional tools and implements as would enable them to turn out finished steel cannon. 2A. That the Government should give contracts of sufficient magnitude to enable the steel workers of the country to supply the finished gnus without its direct aid. 3d. That the Government should establish on its own territory a plant for the fab- rication of cannon, and should contract with private parties to such amounts as would enable them to supply from the private industries of the country the forged and tem- pered material. The course of the investigation being thus indicated, the Board ad- dressed circular letters to several of the steel manufacturers in the country and to the two companies employed in the fabrication of can- non. These letters and the replies thereto will be found in the corre- spondence attached to the record of proceedings of the Board, and copies are appended to this report. The replies were unsatisfactory, the subject being a new one to the parties addressed. The expense to be incurred could not be calculated upon any known basis, and the 7 8 REPOET OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Board was unable to satisfy the calls made upon it for further infor mation as to the number of guns required or the probable extent and cost of a plant for the manufacture of such heavy guns as the act of Congress contemplated. It was evident that none of the desired information could be obtained from our manufacturers, because of their lack of experience on this subject. It was known, too, that several of the European Grovernmpnts had had more or less experience of joint action with private artillery establishments. The call by the act of Congress for "the cost of all buildings, tools and implements for the manufacture of the heaviest guns" could only be answered by information and experience obtained from abroad, as no such tools or implements have been manufactured or are in use in the United States. The steam-hammer mentioned in the act was recognized as a subject requiring careful consideration. It is coupled with a qualification, "or apparatus of sufficient size," which indicates that there existed a doubt as to the propriety of the use of a steam-hammer for forging if other " apparatus of sufficient size" could be made more efiBcient. The advances made of late years in the process of forging by compression made this a very important matter for con- sideration. This subject is necessarily connected with that of the man- ufacture of the metal to be forged, and involves a study of the recent developments in steel. The actual condition of the armaments abroad, so far as it illustrates 'the latest ideas, was felt by the Board to be an important part of the information on which it should report, as the char- acter of the new constructions of cannon would necessarily control that of the tools to be recommended for use in their fabrication. The foregoing reasons governed the Board in its decision to represent the necessity of seeking information abroad. Orders were issued and the Board proceeded to Europe. The first visit was made to England. ENGLAND. SOTJROES FROM WHICH THE ARMAMENT OP ENGLAND IS SUPPLIED. Previous to the year 1869 the Eoyal Arsenal of Woolwich was the only source from which the armament of England was supplied. The arsenal was a purely governmental establishment, in which there were several departments. The department of the Eoyal Gun Factories was always under the command of an officer of the Eoyal Artillery ; and here all cannon for the army and navy were fabricated. Since the year 1859, the Elswlck Works at Newcastle on-Tyne has been a source of supply on which the Government has drawn more or less for guns. The experience of the connection of the English Govern- ment with these private works bears directly upon the subject of joint action between a Government and a private firm. This connection dates from the time when attention was called to the improvements in rifled ordnance inaugurated by Mr. William G. Arm- strong. The Armstrong gun was first brought to the notice of the Government in 1854, and in July, 1855, a 3-pounder was delivered, with a report of the experiments that had been made with it. The gun was re-bored up to a 5 pounder, and in December, 1856, was tried ; the report stated that good practice was obtained at 1,500 and 2,000 yards. In January 1857, a second gun was ordered. It was an 18-pounder, and was tried in January, 1858. The report was favorable, and the gun was so far ENGLAND. 9 approved as to cause the recommendation that two should be issued to the artillery to "knock-about, and be reported on as to their endurance of work in comparison with the service guns." In ] 858 there arose a pressure for a supply of rifled field guns for the army, and a committee, after investigation, reported that it was expe- dient to experiment only with the Armstrong and Whitworth guns. There has always been a controversy as to the manner in which the comparison between these two guns whs made. But the result of the trial was the adoption of the Armstrong system for field service, which at this time involved the following combination of construction, viz : breech-loading, rifling, and coating the projectile with soft metal. In order to obtain as soon as possible a supply of these guns, it was de- cided to supplement the resources of Woolwich by entering into arrange- ments with a company set up at Elswick for the manufacture of the guns and projectiles. A guarantee was given to this company on the 16th of January, 1859, to secure them against loss by the erection of build- ings and machinery. The Government undertook to keep them in full work, but reserved the right to terminate the engagement on the pay- ment of compensation. The necessities of the service requiring a larger number of these guns to be provided than was at first anticipated, the original guarantee was increased first to £50,000, and then to £60,000. In October, 1859, owing to increased pressure for guns, the guarantee was raised to its final amount of £85,000. Sir William Armstrong was, on the 22d of February, 1859, appointed engineer of rifled, ordnance, and on the 4th of November, 1859, he be- came also the superintendent of the Eoyal Gun Factories, which office he held until February, 1862. This was the first time that office had been filled by a civilian. In September, 1859, the 40-pounder Armstrong gun was approved for the navy. Proposals were also approved for the construction of a 110- pounder gun, and one hundred of these guns were constructed before any experiments with them had been concluded. The Governmentwas thoroughly committed to the Armstrong system, and the manufacture was carried out at Woolwich by the Government, and at Elswick by a private company. The large expenditures having attracted attention, a committee was appointed in 1862 to inquire into them, and in April, 1863, the agree ment with the Elswick Company was terminated by the Government, which discontinued all orders to it and concentrated its work at Wool wich. The guarantee of £85,000 was paid, the Government, however, being credited with the value of plant and stores, estimated at £19,000. making the amount in money paid £65,534 4s. The committee reported that during the continuance of the agreement with the Elswick Company the following sums had been paid : (1.) The sum of £965,117 9s. Id. for articles supplied. (2.) After giving credit for the value of plant and stores received from the company, a sum of £65,534 4s., as compensation for terminating the contract. (3.) The outstanding liabilities of the War Office to the Elswick Ord- nance Company, for articles ordered, amounted on the 7th of May, 1862, to the sum £37,143 2s. lOd. The whole of these payments and liabilities amounts to the sum of £1,067,794 16s. 5d. During the same period there had been expended in the three manu- facturing departments at Woolwich on the Armstrong guns, ammuni- 10 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. tiou and carriages, the sum of £1,471,753 Is. 3d., makiug altogether a grand total of £2,539,547 17s. 8d. A statement prepared by one of the assistant accountants- general of the War Office shows the cost of certain guns and projectiles obtained from the Blswick Ordnance Company compared with the rates of those produced at the Eoyal Arsenal at Woolwich. According to this state- ment, taking the class of stores which have been supplied from Bls- wick and from Woolwich, and which therefore admit of a direct com- parison, the sum of £242,173 10s. 6d., on an expenditure of £593,275 10s. 11^.. would have been saved to the public had these guns, projectiles and fuzes, supplied by the Elswick Ordnance Company, been manu- factured in the Eoyal Arsenal. The evidence on this subject is acknowledged to be somewhat con- flicting. Colonel Boxer, who was the superintendent of the Eoyal Laboratory at Woolwich, and the accountant-general of the War Office state their belief that the statement is substantially correct, while Mr. Eendiel and Captain Noble, E. A., partners in the Elswick Company, object to the basis on which the prices at the Eoyal Arsenal were ascer- tained ; but there seems no doubt a saving would have been effected if all the articles had been manufactured at the Eoyal Arsenal. The above is a statement of facts which exhibits the experience of the English Government in its experiment of joint action with a pri- vate company. The plant put up by the Government became the prop- erty of the private company at a nominal valuation, and the Govern- ment paid about £65,000 to break the agreement, besides paying an increased price on articles manufaotuired for it. Elswick. — The subsequent history of the Elswick Ordnance Com- pany under the control of Sir William Armstrong is well known. The plant for the manufacture of cannon has been kept employed by orders from foreign Governments, and during late years much work has been done for the English Government. The enterprise and ability in its management has been of great assistance to the country, and, at the recent readoption of the breech-loading system, the Government found Elswick prepared to assist in advancing the manufacture. Thus, though there seems to have been no profit to the Government in working jointly with the Elswick Company, much aid has been de- rived from it as an independent assistant, and it may be said that it is the only one which supplements the royal factories in finishing guns. The establishment at Elswick is thoroughly equipped for heavy work and has produced the largest guns in the world. The shops are sup- plied with an abundance of fine tools, and the forge arrangements have been, up to the present time, all that was required for the manufacture of the guns heretofore turned out. But a change is being made in some of the details to better accord with the demand for steel cannon, and steel works are being erected capable of casting 100-ton ingots. Blast furnaces are also in operation. The fact that the Government has abandoned the wrought-iron gun impairs the usefulness of the broad tup-hammer with which the wrought- iron coils were welded, and this is being modified to be more effective for forging steel ingots and hoops. The advantages of the Whitworth manufacture are also recognized and a forging ])ress is being introduced. The use made of hydraulic power is probably greater at Elswick than at any other estabhshment in the world. This might naturally be ex- pected, when it is borne in mind that the world is indebted to Sir Will- lam Armstrong for the advance made in this direction. ENGLAND. 1 I The system of Lydraulics at Elswiek extends to all parts of the grounds, reaching all the shops, wharves, and water front. Pump- ing-engiues are established at convenient intervals, only one work- ing at a time, and the connection of pipes being continuous, the uni- form working of the system is established by iive or six accumulators with 18-inch rams. The working of the puraping-engine is made auto- matic. The accumulator nearest to it is slightly more heavily loaded than the others to give a lead in rising to the distantone, and is connected with a steam regulating; valve to act as a governor for adjusting the speed of the engine to the varying demand of the hydraulic machines. The pressure sustained throughout the system is 750 pounds to the square inch. The pipes are usually 5 inches in diameter, the largest being 6 inches. Hydraulic power is used for the forge and foundry cranes, also for the movable cranes which operate along the water-front. For the accommo- dation of these last, pipes are run, in junction with the pressure main, with hydrants from 18 to 36 feet apart, from which connection is made with the cranes by means of telescopic tubes. Tm'o or more cranes can thus be brought into operation on any vessel at the water front. On the east end of the wharf are erected large hydraulic shears, worked by a direct acting hydraulic cylinder, 40-feet stroke, lifting 120 tons. The back leg moves so as to bring the lifting cylinder about 30 feet out; the foot is moved by a screw 50 feet long, with hydraulic en- gine and gear. The most notable hydraulic crane that has been produced from these works is the one erected in the Italian naval arsenal at 8pezzia, which is capable of lifting 160 tons through a range of 40 feet. It is carried upon a ring of line rollers supported by a pedestal of masonry, and the slewing is effected by an hydraulic engine applied to a pinion which gears with a circular rack. The rake of the jib or projection from the center of rotation is 65 feet, and its height from the quay-level is 105 feet. The crane is counterbalanced on the side opposite to the load. About the grounds at Elswiek, particularly at the approaches to the shops, there are numerous small capstans worked by hydraulic engines, which are of great service in hauling heavy loads into or out of shops, and in transporting them from shop to shoj^. It is almost unnecessary to add that it is at Elswiek that the applica- tions for working heavy guns by hydraulic power have been designed and manufactured. No foundry or gun factory can be considered efficiently equipped with- out being provided with arrangements for the plentiful supply of hy- draulic power. Woolwich. — The Eoyal Gun Factories at Woolwich are of very extensive proportions, and have, in the course of many years, become so well equipped that the present change which has been inaugurated in the system of manufacture of the English gun does not find it unjDre- pared. In a Parliamentary report of 1878-"79 a balance sheet states the value of all the property and material in the three departments at Wool- wich, as follows, viz: £ s. d. Land 2,805 9 4 Buildings 97,684 7 11 Mactinery Itj6, 110 11 3^ To one year's interest, at S-J per cent, on invested capital, viz, sti)res and semi-mannfactured articles in stock, April 1, 1878 196,949 15 3 Total 463,550 3 9i 12 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. The capacity for production in the gun factory is stated in 1873-'74 to have been 6,00o tons of guns of various calibers per year, or 7,500 tons of rough forgoiugs (wrought iron). An approximation to the number of tools may be reached by citing the number of boring-machines now in place, viz : 2 of 72 inches swing, 4 of 51 iucLes swing, 4 of 42 inches swing, 4 of 36 inches swing, 6 of 30 inches swing, 6 of 24 inches swing, 12 of 20 inches swing, besides 50 or 60 others of various smaller sizes. Of other machines there are — 6 planing-machines, 12 shaping-machines, 12 milling-machines. 12 drilling-machines, 12 slotting-machiaes, 6 radial-machines. 2 dividing-machines. Of traveling cranes there are — 4 of 60 tons capacity, 6 of 30 tons capacity, 6 of 25 tons capcity, besides several of from 20 to 9 tons capacity. The steam-hammers are comprised in the following list: 1 of 40 tons, 1 of 12 tons, 1 of 10 tons, 2 of 7 tons, 2 of 6 tons, besides many of from 3 to 1 ton. The steam power in the Eoyal Gun Factories is supplied by 40 boilers of 40 horse-power each. The uniform capacity of boilers is found con- venient in case of repairs, when substitutions have to be made. At one point there are assembled 24 boilers in one group. The new feature about the gun factories at Woolwich is the establish- ment of a foundry for casting steel. The development of this branch of the manufacture is still in its infancy, but already there are several Price's retort furnaces in operation, having a total capacity of about 18 tons. The tests of the metal have proved to be very satisfactory, and already some tubes have been accepted for the manufacture of 6-inch steel guns. It is expected, in a very short time, that tubes for 8-inch guns will be produced from this foundry. The 40-ton steam-hammer, which has been used for welding the large coils of wrought iron used in the late manufacture of the Woolwich gun, is undergoing a change, by having the face of the tup reduced in area in order to be made more efficacious in forging steel ingots. Op- portunity is also being taken to reconstruct and repair a portion of the foundation and the anvil block in order to suit the new conditions. In this connection it may be well to state the cost of this hammer, includ- ing that of the four cranes used in connection with it, furnished by Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. : Hammer £4,980 Cranes and framing 13,500 Expended in department 10, 915 Inspector of works, charges for building foundations, furnaces, &c 9, 245 Floor plates 3,683 42, 323 Steel Iflamifactui'ers. — While considering the sources from which the armament of England is supplied, the steel manufacturers who provide the tubes, jackets, and hoops should be named. They are: Thomas Firth & Sons, Sheffield. Charles Cammell & Co., Sheffield. Vickers, Sons & Co., Sheffield. Sir Joseph Whitworth & Co., Manchestei". ENGLAND. 13 A foundty for steel casting is now being added to the plant at Els- wick. Heretofore the gun-carriages for both the army and navy have been provided from the gun-carriage department at Woolwich on their own designs ; but since the adoption of the Yavasseur gun-carriage by the Admiralty, the works atElswick, as well as the London Ordnance Works of Mr. Vavasseur, have been called upon to supplement Woolwich in the production of a supply of these carriages. At the present time the Ad- miralty have on hand, or under construction, about 450 of them suited for all calibers of guns. CONDITION OF STEEL MANUFACTURE. The Board visited the following works, viz : Thomas Firth & Sons, Sheffield. Sir John Brown & Co., Sheffield. Charles Gammell & Co., Sheffield. Vickers Sons & Co., Sheffield. Sir Henry Bessemer, Sheffield. Sir Joseph Whitwortli & Co., Manchester. Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., Eston. Until within a very few years, the steel for gun metal has been con- fined in England to that produced from crucibles, and it is only since the general application of the Siemens-Martin Process that Open-Hearth steel has come into competition with it. The uniform results that are now attainable with this process show that the period for the exclusive use of crucible steel for cannon has passed. Some of the steel manu- facturers have advanced very far in the use of the open-hearth, and all are making arrangements for embarking in this system of manufact- ure. This process is much cheaper than that by the crucible, and, its success being established, that reason alone would be sufficient to cause the change in the system ; but there are other reasons now operating in England which make the change of manufacture necessary in order that the steel works shall retain their position in commerce and be en- abled to answer the calls made on them by the Government. As long as the demand for steel was confined to orders which required small ingots, the product of the crucibles was sufficient, and the force of laborers required was not excessive; but since the introduction of steel into the process of forming armor-plates, and the corresponding increase in the size of parts requisite for the guns to pierce the new armor, the organization of a force to cast, from crucibles, masses to answer these demands has become a difficult matter. The changes that were commenced a few years ago in some, and which are now being in- troduced in all the works at Sheffield, are necessary to prevent the pur- chase from other sources of the masses of steel now required by the Government. The new departure in the system of gun construction, described far- ther on in this report, will demand from the Sheffield steel manufact- urers increased effort. Up to the present time the only portion in the construction of the Woolwich gun that required steel was the tube; ihe breech-pieces and hoops, being made of coiled wrought iron, were fab- ricated at Woolwich. The new construction requires that steel shall be used throughout, and the castings for the jackets for guns now in hand at Woolwich can hardly be supplied from Sheffield. It is well known that the tubes for the 100-ton guns, manfactured at Elswick by Sir 14 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. William Armstrong, which required an ingot of 42 tons, had to be maile in two pieces because the capacity of Sheffield was not sufficient to make the casting in one, and it is fair to suppose that the use of the coiled steel breech-pieces, now used at Woolwich to build up the 43 ton gun, was induced by the difficulty of procuring masses ofsteel of suffi- cient magnitude to make proper jackets for them. If this be not the case in regard to the 43-ton guns, the embarrassment is very likely to arise with the 62-ton steel gun now in contemplation. But whether any serious embarrassment has yet arisen or not, owing to the limited ca- pacity of Sheffield for casting gun-metal, it is evident that whatever margin the manufacturers now have, it is very slight, and it behooves them to increase their plant for casting. The question of forging steel ingots is one which is evidently otcnpy- ing the attention of the steel manufacturers in Sheffield, but on which they are reticent. The important works are all supplied with steam- hammers of greater or less weight, varying from 15 to 25 tons, and each manufacturer claims that his works are thoroughly equipped in this respect for accomplishing the necessary work on an ingot of any size ; but it was observed that in one important establishment preparations were being made for the introduction of a large press to take the place of, or to supplement the work of, the hammer. The success of Sir Joseph Whitworth's process of forging by hydraulic compression, and the en- viable character acquired by the products of his works in Manchester, have induced the Sheffield manufacturers to take into consideration the probable advantages of the process. As to the advantage or prac- ticability of the compression of steel in the liquid state they are entirely skeptical, but the efficacy of forging under hydraulic compression is conceded, though it is claimed that this must be done under a heat much higher than that required for forging under a hammer, which is considered an objection to the process. Owing to the character of seclusion that Sir Joseph Whitworth has preserved to his works, the maniifacturers of steel at Sheffield have no personal knowledge of the process adopted at Manchester. Their knowledge is limited to meager reports, but the Board was allowed the privilege of carrying on its investigations within the works where, under orders from Sir Joseph, his representatives exhibited, with ex- planations, the operations carried on in this unique establishment. It may be distinctly asserted that the experiences enjoyed by the Board during its visit amounted to a revelation. Whitw^orth's "Works. — Upon its first arrival in London the Board was invited by Sir Joseph Whitworth to examine his works, but with the desire expressed that the visit should be postponed until the close of our foreign investigations. This request was, of course, readily acceded to, and it will be thus seen that previous to the visit to Man- chester the members of the Board had received all the impressions that could be produced by viewing the operations at the chief steel factories in France and Russia, and the great factories of Sheffield, in England. In speaking of the Whitworth establishment at Manchester as unique, and of the process of manufacture at that place as a revelation, reference is specially made to the operation of forging. As to the assorting of ores, and the treatment of metal in the furnaces, there is no intention to draw distinctions ; but as to the treatment of the metal after casting- there can be no doubt of the superiority of the system adopted by Sir Joseph Whitworth over that of all other manufacturers in the world. The process here adopted has been kept singularly exempt from scrutiny. Even in the offices of the chiefs of artillery there can be found no in- ENGLAND. 15 formation, within tlie knowledge of the Board, which is at all satisfactory upon the subject. Whatever knowledge there is seems to come from hearsay — none from personal observation — and it is only from personal observation that the merits of the system can be fully ajipreciated. The system of forging consists in comjiressing the liquid metal in the mould immediately after casting, and in substituting a hydraulic press for the hammer, in the subsequent forging of the metal. The flask is made of steel and is bailt wp of sections united by broad flanges bolted together in such numbers as to accommodate the length of the ingot to be cast. All moulds are cylindrical in form. The inte- rior of the flask is lined with square rods of wrought iron, longitudinally arranged, which form when in place a complete cylindrical interior sur- face. Where the square edges of these rods meet they are cut away, both on the inside and on the outside, and, at intervals of two inches, small holes are drilled through between the rods, forming a channel- way from the interior to the exterior for the passage of gas and flame. The interior is then lined with moulding composition. The flange at the bottom of the flask, as well as that at the top, is perforated with small holes which act as a continuation to the perforations between the segments of the lining for the escape of gas. The casting is made directly into the mould from the top. On the completion of the casting, the mould is moved (by means of a railway at the bottom of the casting-pit, which is a deep trench running parallel to the position of the furnaces) to a position under the movable head of the press, which is allowed to descend until the top is in contact with the metal in the mould, and in this position it is locked; a shower of metal is induced, which ceases almost as soon as commenced, by the complete closing of the mould. The first impress felt by the metal is due to the weight of the head of the press alone. This pressure is gradu- ally increased from below by hydraulic action, applied by four rams upon the table on which the flask rests, until the pressure exerted amounts to 6 tons per square inch. The interval from the commence- ment of the pressure until the maximum is reached varies with the size of the ingot, being for a 45-ton ingot as much as 35 minutes. During this time the flow of gas and flame from the apertures in the 'flanges of the flask, at top and at bottom, are continuous and violent, exhibiting the practical effect of the compression. This pressure is applied by the direct action of steam and pumping engines, and is indicated by a dial. At the end of this time the pump is taken off, and a uniform pressure of about 1,500 pounds per square inch is established by attaching an accumulator to the press, and allowed to remain until the metal is suf- ficiently cooled to insure no farther contraction in the mould. The contraction in length in the mould during the action of the pump, while the maximum jjressure is being reached and sustained, amounts to one-eighth of the length of the ingot. After this effect has been produced, there is no farther advantage derived from the pressure in the way of eliminating impurities, but the contraction, in cooling, still goes on, and the pressure by the accumulator is considered necessary in order to fol- low up the metal as it contracts, for the purpose of preventing cracks being inaugurated at the end and on the exterior of the ingot by the adhesion of particles of the metal to the sides of the mould. When cooled and reheated, the ingot is brought under the influence of the forging-press. This press is hydraulic, with a moving head having the main hydraulic cylinder fixed in it, and it is provided with an arrangement of mechanism for raising and lowering the moving head of the press and for locking the same in any desired position. 16 REPORT OP GUN FOUNDRY BOARD, The press has four hollow pillars screwed part of their length, which are attached to the base of the press by nuts. On the top of the pillars is fixed a cast-iron head or table supporting two hydraulic lifting cylin- ders, the rams of which are fitted with cross-heads carrying four suspen- sion bars. These bars pass through the moving head , and are connected at the lower ends by cross bars, which are fastened to the pressing ram. The moving head works between the base and the top or fixed head of the press, and is raised or lowered by the admission or exit of water from the underside of the rams of the lifting cylinders. The moving head can be firmly and rapidly locked at any height from the base which may suit the work to be operated upon. The moving head, as already mentioned, carries a forging or compressing cylinder, which forces a rara down upon the work. By attaching the compressing cylinder to, and making it part of, the moving head, a short stroke can be employed when forging oijjects which may vary in size from a few inches to several feet in diameter. This in general terms explains the working of the ram. The effect produced by it requires to be seen in order to be thoroughly appreciated, and is altogether difi'erent from that produced by the hammer. The heated ignot resists the blow of the hammer, but the insinuating, per- severing eftbrt of the press cannot be denied. The longer time (several seconds) during which the effort lasts is a great element in its success- ful effect. As pressure succeeds pressure the stability of the particles is thoroughly disturbed and a veritable j^ow of metal induced, which arranges itself in such shape as the pressure indicates ; the particles are forced into closer contact and the whole mass writhes under the con- straint which it is impotent to resist. The Board witnessed the operations of casting followed by that of liquid compression, the enlarging of hoops, the drawing out of cylinders, and the forging of a solid ingot. The unanimous opinion of the mem- bers is that the system of Sir Joseph Whitworth surpasses all other methods of forging, and that it gives better promise than any other of securing that uniformity so indispensable in good gun metal. The latest exhibition of the wonderful character of the Whitworth steel has attracted great attention, and may be stated as indicating the present culmination of his success. Prom a Whitworth 9-inch gun, lately constructed for the Brazilian Government, there was fired a steel shell, which, after perforating an armor-plate of 18 inches of wrought iron, still retained considerable energy. The weight of the shell was 403 pounds, the charge of powder 197 pounds, and the velocity about 2,000 feet. The shell is but slightly distorted. The tests of the metal of which it was made show a tensile strength of 98 tons per square inch and a ductility of 9 per cent. Basic Process. — The manufacture of steel as treated in the Besse- mer converter came under the particular notice of the Board at the works of Sir Henry Bessemer, in Sheffteld, but nothing in the practice deserving of special remark was observed with the exception of the use of a me- chanical stirrer, which is inserted into the molten metal in the ladle after the recarburating charge of spiegeleisen has been added. The stirrer is, in form, a two-bladed propeller on the end of a vertical shaft, actuated by a geared engiae of 6 horse-power, conveniently placed at the side of the casting pit. The revolutions of the stirrer have the effect of more thoroughly incorporating the spiegeleisen with the charge, dis- seminating it throughout the mass. No product of the Bessemer converter has yet been found to answer all purposes for gun construction ; it has been used with success for ENGLAND, 1 7 hoops for light guns, but it is deficient in the hardness required for tubes and has the reputation of want of uniformity. Extensive experi- ments were made in Prance several years ago with this metal, with a view to adopting it for gun construction, but failure after failure caused the abandonment of the effort. Those who are laboring to perfect this process insist that great improvements have recently been made, and that the character of want of uniformity is no longer deserved. Should iinal success attend these efforts, there will be a probable future of great usefulness opened up for the numerous phosphoric ores in the United States, as the Bessemer converter is found to be a most convenient means of applying dephosphorizing elements to these ores when in a state of fusion. For the purpose of investigating this matter, the Board visited the extensive works of Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., near Middles- brough, where, under the guidance of Mr. B. Windsor Richards, the manager, the manufacture by what is termed the " Basic Process" was witnessed. This immense establishment is located at Eston, 5 miles from Mid- dlesbrough, and there is evidence of great executive ability guiding the details of its conduct. The company owns very extensive territory adjoining the works and tributary mining districts of coal and ore, and employs fourteen thousand men. At Eston there are twenty-six blast furnaces ; 11,000 tons of pig-iron are cast per week, and, m addition to other fuel, there is a weekly consumption of 13,000 tons of coke; 8,000 tons of coal and 7,000 tons of ore are raised per day. One point may be mentioned in connection with the manufacture of steel rails at this establishment. The iron is not cast into pigs, but is carried direct from the blast furnace to the Bessemer converter ; after casting, the ingot is removed at the earliest possible moment from the mould, and after a short reheating is carried to the rolls, from which it comes out in the form of a finished rail, the whole operation being completed in one heat. Ten Bessemer converters are in operation, six worked by the Basic Process and four on the usual Acid Process, with a siliceous (ganister) lining. In the Basic Process the converter is lined with a mixture of dola- mite (magnesia limestone), calcined, pulverized and incorporated with coal-tar to make it pasty. The converter is taken to pieces and lined with this mixture 18 inches thick. Before lining the bottom, through which are the perforations for the passage of air during the operation of blowing, long rods are inserted in the holes and the mixture is packed around them. When this operation is completed the rods are removed, leaving holes through the bottom lining. The pieces of the converter are then assembled, and a fire is lighted on the inside to burn out the coal-tar on the inner surface; the whole lining then has a set. One lining of the sides is good for 40 or 50 blows ; one lining of the bottom is good for 10 blows. The converter being in place and heated, a charge of pure, common lime, unslacked, is introduced (15 per cent, of the charge of iron). The molten metal, brought from the blast furnace, is then poured in and the blow commenced. When the phosphorus is removed, which is ascertained by mechanical tests, about three-fourths of the charge is emptied into the ladle, in which ferro-manganese has been previously placed; a charge of 4^ per cent, of molten hematite, imported from Spain and containing from 2J to 3 per cent, of silicon and a mere trace of sulphur and phosphorus, is then brought from a cupola furnace and poured into the ladle, causing a violent ebullition ; this goes on for a 18 REPOET OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. time, more ferro-manganese being added, if necessary ,\ to prevent red- shortening. When the boiling ceases, 4J per cent, of spiegeleisen is poured into the ladle, which Is then brought again under the con- verter and receives the rest of the charge. The casting is then made from the ladle. The ore used in this process is of very inferior quality ; it is called Cleveland stone, has 42 per cent, of iron and high phosphorus, the pig containing IJ per cent. Being very low in silicon it does not destroy the lining, which would be the case if silicon was high. The object of the lime is to take up and hold the phosphorus in the slag. The phosphorus is increased in the charge by adding some of the old slag, making the proportion of phosphorus 1.75 per cent. The amount of silicon in the iron is from 0.75 to 1 per cent. During the operation of blowing this silicon is the first to disappear ; the carbon is then con- sumed, immediately after which the phosphorus passes into the slag. This operation requires about 2J minutes and is timed from the moment the collapse or falling ot the flame shows that the carbon is burned out. Mr. Richards stated that previous to the introduction of the charge of hematite during the operation there was a want of uniformity in the results; that sometimes there would remain traces of phosphorus, but that the introduction of the pure hematite, which has only a trace of phosphorus and is high in silicon, before casting gives such stability to the mass as to prevent the slag from parting with any of the ijhosphorus it has taken up ; the silicon also in the hematite is oxidized in calming down the steel, and it also goes into the slag. The introduction of the hematite also makes it possible to halve the ordinary charge of spiegel- eisen, which,. as si)iegel is costly, cheapens the operation. The Basic Process, thus briefly sketched, has for its object the utili- zation of inferior ores. It is the only one now known by which this injurious element, phosphorus, can be eliminated. For guns the natural prejudice would be against metal made from ore which was originally defective, but the operators of this system hold that their product is as good as if made from pure ore. Whether it will ever be used for gun metal will depend upon the confidence that it may inspire in the future, but the problem of its application for general purposes has been suc- cessfully solved. PRESENT CONDITION OP THE ENGLISH ARTILLERY. It is well known that the essential characteristics of the Woolwich gun were that it was a muzzle-loader and depended for its strength upon wrought-iron coils. The security of muzzle- loading and the safety derived from the wrought iron used in the construction of the gun have been claimed as advantages over other constructions. At the time of the visit of the Board to England it was found that a great change had taken place in the opinions of the English artillerists on these two points, and that the military and naval services were changing the character of their armaments. The first effort was di- rected to the substitution of the breech-loading system. This was induced by the increasing diflSculties attending the loading of large guns at the muzzle both ou shore and at sea. Adherence to the practice of muzzle-loading had imposed much additional expense for machinery necessary for manipulation, and the ever-increasing length of guns and ■weight of projectiles complicated the diflftculties. It was determined that attention should be given to the question of applying the breech- loading principle to guns, and in 1879-'80 plans were made for such ENGLAND. 1 9 constructions and the experiments were inaugurated which promise to involv^e an entire change in the armament of the country. Although the idea of iotroducing the system of breech-loading seems to have been forced by the difficulties attendant upon the use of large calibers, the effort is now b(?ing made to apply the change to all calibers. The Board found that in the gun factory at Woolwich, guns of all cali- bers were being fitted on the breech-loading system. One of the first experiments tried was with a 12-inch 43-ton gun, manufactured at Woolwich, which was built of wroughtiron coils and fitted with the French fermeture, necessarily inserted in the rear of the steel tube. Good ballistic results were obtained, but the construction of the gun does not seem to have given satisfaction. At the same time some experiments with 6-inch breech-loaders were carried on. These were built up in the same way ; several failed, some of them after being fired with battering charges. The reasons assigned refer to bad metal and to errors in manufacture. These failures, however, seem to have convinced the authorities that it was not wise to continue the use of coiled wrought-iron hoops and breech-pieces, and the Board finds that with the adoption of the system of breech loading there is a positive move to the use of steel for all parts of their gun construction. The guns under construction at the Woolwich Gun Factories indicate that this conclusion has been accepted by theGoverameiit, though the differences perceptible in some of them show the gradual growth of the developed idea. For example, though the 12-inch 43-ton gun of latest order is composed entirely of steel, there are other guns of the same caliber and weight which have a portion of their hoops. made of wrought- iron coils. There is no doubt, however, that the use of wrought iron and the system of muzzle-loading have been abandoned. In addition to the 12-inch 43-ton steel guns, there are in hand 13-inch 62-ton steel guns ; also 10-inch 26-ton steel guns designed to throw a pro- jectile of 500 pounds with an initial velocity of 2,100 feet. Much inter- est is also felt in the success of the 9.2-inch 18-ton steel gun, which is designed to supersede in sea service the present 10-inch 18-ton wrought- iron muzzle-loader. Four 8-inch llj-ton steel guns are being manufact- ured in the Eoyal Gun Factories; two of them will be 30 calibers in length and two will be 26 calibers in length, the shorter being intended for sea service. Breech-loading guns of 6-inch, 5-inch, and 4-inch cali- bers are also now constructed of steel. In this transition from wrought iron to steel it must be particidarly noted that the change as thus far made in large guns consists in the substitution of coiled steel for coiled wrought iron ; the reason for taking this intermediate step being the want of experience at the lioyal Gun Factories in the manufacture of solid steel hoops, and the greater certainty of the manufacture of the steel coils. The superiority in strength of the steel coil over that of wrought iron is positively claimed by the superintendent. Jackets (breech-pieces) and hoops of forged and rolled steel are to be used as soon as practicable. What has been recognized by the world as the Woolwich system no longer exists in practice. In its place we find the Vavasseur design, a gun composed of a steel tube, with a steel jacket (breech-piece) supple- mented by superimposed layers of steel hoops. This change has been brought about by public opinion, which has asserted itself in condem- nation of the material and the system of construction so long in use. Material. — It is stated by a very high authority that wrought iron welded into such large masses as are required for the Frazer sjstem loses its fibrous character and becomes highly crystalline. 20 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. The use of the coiled steel hoops, adopted as a temporary expedient at Woolwich, is objected to by high authorities, who, while allowing that steel of an extremely mild quality might be used for welding coils, say that it would be no better than iron, and that at the point of weld- ing no greater strength than that due to iro» can be obtained. All authorities concur that steel, superimposed in layers over an inner barrel, is the best material for ordnauce, and the preponderating testi- mony favors its manufacture by the Open-Hearth Process. This is not due to any objection to crucible steel, which has heretofore been used for all gun-tubes, but because the results of the Open Hearth Process are equally satisfactory and cheaper. Even those who insist in retain- ing crucible steel for tubes are willing to adopt the Open-Hearth steel for jackets and hoops. There is a difference of opinion as to the mode of manufacture of the hoops and jackets. All agree that small hoops should be rolled after haviDg been forged iuto a ring shape from a cast ingotj but for larger hoops and jackets it is recommended by some that they should be cast hollow and then forged, and by others that they should be cut from a solid ingot and forged; while still another authority thinks that hoops and jackets of large size should be bored out of the solid after forging. Comsti'Mctiois. — In the latest designs for steel guns the system of Mr. J. Vavasseur has been adopted. This consists of a tube as thin as is consistent with strength ; a long jacket shrunk on to provide longi- tudinal strength ; and layers of superimposed cylinders or hoops shrunk on, the number of layers varying with the size of the gun. The thin tube develops more thoroughly the principle of a built-up gun, and is less liable to contain concealed defects. It makes the ultimate strength of the gun less dependent on its integrity. Sir William Armstrong advocates a greater number of layers than Mr. Vavasseur or the superintendent of the Eoyal Gun Factories. The latter agree that the thickness of the layers should not be reduced to a point where the mass is not sufficient to compress the structure under it in process of cooling. Sir William Armstrong considers that he increases the end strength of the layers of his guns by interposing sheet copper between the sur- faces, and states that copper has been used in this way at Elswick for two or three years. The superintendent of the Royal Gun Factories and Mr. Vavasseur object to the use of copper as rendering the compression due to shrinkage uncertain in amount. They prefer to rely for end strength on hooking the layers together. In their latest designs the chase of the gun is not reinforced, but depends for its strength on the thickness of the steel tube. Sir William Armstrong, however, considers it desirable to extend the hoops to the muzzle of the gun to provide against the possible premature bursting of a shell in the bore. The pressures to which the guns will be permitted to be habitually subjected will not exceed 18 tons to the square inch. The propriety of lining the tube with a thin steel lining is being closely considered for the purpose of providing a plan for renewing the portions of the metal scarred by firing without having to resort to retubing. There is no doubt that experiments will be made in this direction. Breech-ClosiiJS'.— All the authorities in England now advocate the breech-loading system for cannon. The interrupted screw, com- monly known as the French system, is preferred and has been adopted at Woolwich. In the heavier guns, at least, the breech screw will not engage in the tube, but in the cylinder immediately surrounding it, thus relieving the tube from that portion of the longitudinal strain which ENGLAND. 21 tends to blow out the breecb. The number of interruptions increases with the caliber ; there are four in the breech mechanism of the 12-inch 43-tou gun. CJas-Clieck. — The de Bange gas-check has been adopted at Wool- wich and is preferred by Mr. Vavasseur. It is considered as complying more nearly than any other with the conditions required of a perfect gas check. It requires no seat to be prepared for it in the chamber, is not liable to derangement, and does not require perfect accuracy in its manufacture. Sir William Armstrong adheres to the Elswick cup, as opposed to the Broadwell ring, and objects to the de Bange gas-check because of the additional length of gun required ; in the 12-inch iS-ton gun this amounts to 6 inches. Vent. — The vent is in the axis of the gun and the escape of gas through the orifice after firing is checked by a device by which a plug is drawn into the neck of the primer by the action of pulling the laniard attached to the friction tube. Form of Chamber. — At the Eoyal Gun Factories it is considered that the best results are obtained with chambers not more than 3^ diameters in length, and with an opening the full diameter of the chamber. Sir William Armstrong, though preferring a long narrow chamber as being favorable to strength of tube, thinks that under the present aspect of the powder question the short, wide chamber, with full-sized opening, must be adopted. Kifliiag'. — All the authorities except Sir Joseph Whitworth, who adheres to the polygonal system, agree that the grooves should be nu- merous and shallow. The rifling is polygroove; the grooves are cut to a depth of 0.05 inch, and their non-driving edges are sloped to di- minish the scoring. The twist is an increasing one (from about 1 in 120 calibers to about 1 in 35 calibers) for about half the length of the rifling ; the other half, to the muzzle, being a uniform twist of about 1 in 35 calibers. The number of grooves is determined by the caliber and is the product of 4 and the diameter expressed in inches ; thus, the 12-inch gun has 48. ISotatin^ Kings. — The Vavasseur rotating ring is now adopted by Woolwich and Elswick, the dimensions being determined by experi- ment. Mr. Vavasseur lays great stress on the position of the rotating ring on the projectile. He states that it should be at the center of per- cussion with respect to the front bearing. "Wire Coiislriiction. — The employment of steel ribbon or wire in gun construction has been more or less considered since 1855, when Mr. James A. Longridge brought to the notice of the War Office his proposed method of increasing the strength of guns by this means. Some experiments were made, but they were not satisfactory. Of the strength that was given circumferentially there was no doubt, but the difliculties of providing it longitudinally were so great that the subject was dropped at the time. Eeceutly, however, the matter has been taken up by Sir William Armstrong, who has manufactured several wire guns. A 10.2-inch gun of this manufacture has been purchased by the War Office and is now under trial. In this gun longitudinal strength is ob- tained by disposing some of the wire lengthwise around the tube, and some very satisfactory experiments have been made with it. The gun weighs 21 tons, is 25 calibers long, and the following present some of the particulars of the last reported firing : Charge of powder pounds.. 220 Weight of projectile do 404 Muzzle velocity feet.. 2, 160 Pressure per square inch tons.. 17 22 EEPOET OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. A 6-inch breech-loading gun and a 6.3-inch muzzle-loading howitzer manufactured by the same firm are also about to be tried. In these the longitudinal strength is entirely dependent on the steel tube. The same firm is manufacturing severaie-inch breech-loading guns in which the longitudinal strength is partially provided for by a jacket, the wire wrapping being only called upon to provide circumferential strength. The Eoyal Gun Factory has taken up the subject and has matured designs for experiment on a large scale. In its designs the longitudinal strength is obtained by means of steel segmental hoops placed between layers of wire. The following is the present state of the wire-gun question in England : Manufacture of Sir William Armstroug : Under trial, 10.2-inch bieech-loading gun. To be tried, 6-incli breech-loading gun, 6,3-Inch muzzle-loading howitzer. Manufacture of Eoyal Gun Factories: Under manufacture, 10-inch breech-loading howitzer. Recommended for manufacture, 15-inch hreech-loading gun of 6.S tons. Opinions vary as to the form, size, and other characteristics of the wire. One authority recommends square wire for the first six or eight coils, gradually increasing the size of the wire as the coils proceed out- wards. This authority states that the higher the elastic limit the better, the breaking strain and power of elongation being of comparatively small importance, and that the wire should never be strained up to its elas- tic limit. Another authority recommends a flat wire of 100 to 110 tons breaking strain wound on a tension of 60 tons for the inner and about 70 tons for the outer layers, the longitudinal strength to be provided by the inner tube of the gun and by steel segments divided longitudinally, but, when put together, forming a tube. Another authority states that the full benefit of wire cannot be obtained unless strained beyond its elastic limit. Another authority prefers wire of a circular section, it being impossible to keep any other shape to gauge. For heavy guns he would use wire of 0.0984 section, with a breaking strain of about 125 tons, and an elongation of about 2 per cent. This authority says that the elastic limit of the wire should not be passed in winding it on. He estimates that there would be a saving in weight of about 30 per cent, on the breech portion of the gun, and more certainty of manufacture than with steel hoops. FRANCE. SOXJROBS PROM WHICH THE ARMAMENT OP FRANCE IS SUPPLIED. Previous to the Franco-German war of 1870, it was the custom in France to confide all matters relating to cannon to the artillery corps of the army and navy ; aid from private sources was neither sought nor offered; much secrecy was observed in all things relating to the business of ordnance; admission to the Government foundries was ob- tained with difficulty, and the experimental ground at G^vre, with rare exceptions, was closed to all applicants. For army purposes, the gun factories at Bourges, Puteaux, and Tarbes supphed all demands, while for the use of the navy the found- ries of Euelle and of Nevers, and the gun factories attached to them, provided the entire armaments. With the advent of the war came the proof that a close corporation, such as was constituted by the system heretofore adopted, could not work to the best advantage of the country ; and, with the retiirn of FRANCE. 2a peace and the necessity of re armament, came a revolution of ideas'- which has led the Government to modify its practice. It was recognized that the Government must have under its control some establishments purely governmental; but that, in order to pro- vide for all contingencies as well as to prevent official ideas from run- ning too much in a groove, it was desirable to encourage private in- dustries, so that a spirit of emulation might be excited by competition and a channel afforded through which new ideas and inventions might reach the national works. The adoption of this course was made the more imperative in consequence of the new departure in gun-metal, and this opened the way to the encouragement of the steel industries of the; country. The plan thus decided on has been consistently carried out. The Government gave assurances to the private companies which induced them to expend the funds necessary to erect new arid suitable tools, both for the casting of the metal and the fabrication of the guns. The result of this action can be appreciated by reference to the fol- lowing list of private companies which are now employed in providing armaments for the Government. STEEL MANUFACTORIES PRODUCING STEEL UP TO TUBES FOR 16-CENTtMETRE GUN. Jacob Holtza & Co Unienx (Loire). Marrel Frferes - EivedeGier (Loire). Soci^t(3 des Acieries et Forges de Firmiiiy Firminy (Loire). Compaguie des Forges et Acieries de St.-fitienne St.-Etienue. STEEL MANUFACTORIES PRODUCING STEEL UP TO TUBES FOR 42-CENTIMBTRE GUN. Henri Schneider & Co ...Le Creusot. Acierie de la Marine St.-Chamond. PRIVATE COMPANIES HAVING PLANT OF GUN FACTORY. Henri Sclineider Le Creusot. Cail&Co . Paris. Soci^t^ des Forges et Chanfciers de la M^diterrannge Havre. CompagniedeFivea-Lille. Fives-Lille (Nord). Soci^t^ Anonyme de Constructions Na vales du Havre Havre. Acierie de la Marine .St.-Chamond. STEEL MANUFACTORIES PRODUCING ARMOR PLATES. Henri Schneider & Co. (forged steel) Le Creusot. Acierie de la Marine (compound) St.-Chamond. Marrel Frferes (compound) Elve de Gier. Chatillonet Commetry (compound) Montlufon. The compound plates are manufactured under the patent of Mr. "Wil- son, of Charles Cammell & Co., Sheffield, England. All the gun-carriages for the navy and for the coast defense are made at private works. The above lists illustrate the immense increase of resources that the Government has obtained by encouraging private industries, and they contribute an important historical chapter for the instruction of a Gov,- ernment about to provide an armanent for its military services. The following is the list of the Government works manufacturing for the army, viz : (1.) Fonderie de Canons^ Bourges, in the center of France. At this place steel guns are made of 90 millimetres, 155 millimetres, 100 millimetres and 240 millimetres ; also rifled mortars of 220 millimetres. (2.) Atelier de construction h Tarbes in the Hautes Pyrenees, in the southwest 24 REPOET OF GUN POUNDET BOARD. part of France. At tMs place steel guns are made of 90 millimetres, and 120 milli- metres ; also carriages for field and siege guns. " (3.) Atelier de Construction de Pnteaux, near Paris. At this place all the steel monntain and field guns of 80 millimeters are made; also siege guns of 120 millime- tres, and the Hotchkiss revolving cannon for flank defense. _ (4.) Gun carriages, limbers, Old. Old. 63 tons, 13.5 inches 27 tons, 17 cwt New. New. 26 tons, 10.2 inches 11 tons, 10 cwt New. Now. Hi tons, 8 inches lOJ tons 8 tons New. 38 cwt., 50-ponader 2i tons 1 ton, 18i cwt Ijtoas The forging for the 100-ton gun cited above is that which was sup- plied for the Armstrong gun furnished the Italian Government, the tube for which was made in two parts. That for the 110-ton gun now to be made for the English Government will be in one forging. If tlie cost per ton be fixed for the smaller guns, and an increasing ratio be established per ton as the caliber increases, the approximate cost of the forgings for guns of like pattern can be determined. From an inspection of the table givgu above it will be seen that it is within the resources of many of our own steel works to supply castings for a large number of the different calibers. These works, however, are deficient in forging apparatus. In the above estimates the cost of a steam hammer is not given, as the Board nnanimously approves the adoption of the press ; but it will be pertinent to add that, in order to produce a given amount of work, the hammer is the more expensive tool. machihtes aud tooi^s for gjj-n factory. On the matter of plant for gun factory the Board obtained informa- tion from the principal gun factories of England, France, and Eussia, where machines and tools are in operation, and from the largest estab- lishments where such tools are made, but chiefly from Messrs. Green- wood & Batley, of Leeds, Mr. Hulze & Co., of Manchester, and Messrs. Varrell, Elwell & Middleton, of Paris. In considering this part of the subject it was decided that there were three classes into which guns could be advantageously divided in ref- erence to tools suitable for their fabrication, viz: (I.) Guns of 6-inch and all below that caliber. (ll.) Guns from 6-inch to 12-inch caliber. (III.) Guns of caliber greater than 12 inches. MACHINES AND TOOLS. 43 It was necessary to adopt a tool as a unit on which to base the calcu- lation that should determine the number of tools required under the above classes. The rifling machine was the unit adopted. The object was to so proportion the numbers of each tool as to keep the rifling ma- chine constantly employed. In the solution of this problem the Board has had the advantage of the able assistance of the firm of Greenwood & Batley, of Leeds, Eng- land, whose tools were seen in all the large gun factories visited in Europe. They have spent much time and incurred much expense in pro- viding plans and estimates, and have communicated most valuable con- fidential information. The following estimates, stated in a general way, are the results, and the Board is confident of the essential accuracy. (I.) Cost of Gun Factory Plant up to 6-inch Caliber. This plant does not include rough boring and turning lathes for tubes, jackets, and hoops ; these parts are supposed to be supplied ready for finishing. It includes: Two fiiiisli turning lathes. Three finish boring lathes. One lathe to chamber, cut breech-screws, &c. One rifling machine. One milling and drilling machine. One 10-ton power traveling crane. Tools for above, including — A set of turning tools for each finish turning lathe. One boring bar with head and cast-steel tools for boring lathes. One chambering bar with cutting tools. One steel bar and cutting tools for screw-cutting and shaping out spaces. One hollow rifling bar with cutter, adjustment, and cutting tools. Milling cutters and mortise drills for milling and drilling machines. The total cost will be about |50,000. This plant is capable of producing one 6-inch gun per week, or a pro- portionally larger number of smaller cahbers. (II.) Cost op Gun Factory Plant up to 12-inch Caliber. This plant does not include rough boring and turning ; the parts are supposed to be supplied ready for finishing. It includes: One finish turning lathe. Three finish boring, turning, and chambering lathes. One machine to cut breech-screw, &c. One rifling machine. One milling and drilling machine. Four combined boring and turning face lathes for hoops. One combined boring and turning face lathe for trunnion hoops. One combined boring and turning lathe for trunnions. One slotting machine for trunnion hoops. One 40-ton power traveling crane. Tools for the above, including — Cast-iron tubes with steel head and cutter for finish boring tubes. Cast-iron tube with steel head and cutters for finish boring jackets. One chambering bar. Fifty assorted turning tools for finish turning lathes and machine for cutting breech screw and spaces. Cast-iron hollow rifling bar with cutter head, adjustments, steel tube for actuating tool, and cutting tools. Four milling cutters and mortise drills for milling and drilling machine. The total cost will be about |150,000. This plant is capable of producing one 12-inch gun every three weeks, or a proportionally larger number of smaller calibers. 44 REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. (Til.) Cost of Gun Eaotoey Plant up to 16-inch Caliber. This plant does not include rough boring and turning ; the parts are supposed to be supplied ready for finishing. It includes : Two finish tuiDing lathes. Three finish boring, turning, and chambering lathes. One machine to cut breech-screw, &c. One rifling machine. One milling and drilling machine. Four combined boring and turning face lathes for hoops. Four combined boring and turning face lathes for trunnion hoops. One combined boring and and turning laihe for trunnions. One slotting machine for trunnion hoops. One 100-ton power traveling crane. Tools for the above, including — • Two cast-iron tubes with steel boring head and cutters for finish boring tubes. One cast-iron tube with steel boring head aud cutters for finish boring jackets. One steel chambering bar. Fifty assorted turning tools for finish turning lathes and machine for cutting breech- screw and spaces. One cast-iron hollow rifling bar with cutter head, adjustments, steel tube for actu- ating tool, and cutting tools. Four milling cutters and mortise drills for the milling and drilling machines. The total cost will be about |350,000. This plant will produce one 16-inch gun per month, or a proportion- ally larger number of smaller calibers. In the room allotted to shrink- ing on the jackets and hoops there will be required an additional travel- ing crane capable of handling guns of the heavest weight, which will cost about $17,500. From these estimates, the cost of equipping a gun factory capable of producing guns from the lowest caliber up to 16 inches will be about $570,000. If the tools mentioned above are to be made in the United States, these estimates would have to be largely increased, because there has been no demand to especially direct the attention of our manufacturers to them ; from this want of experience great delay and expense would result in the preparation of plans, specifications, and patterns. A wise policy would seem to demand that the tools required in this first plant should be purchased from those parties abroad who havehad the most valuable experience in their manufacture. Bnilding^s. — At most of the establishments visited by the Board,' the buildings have been constructed successively to meet increasing de- mands for space ; and they therefore do not exhibit that systematic study which naturally would be demanded in planning a new gun factory. In such a problem the first step would be to decide upon the tools to be order^, and their most convenient arrangement, and then the architect would be able to design the most suitable buildings. As the Board will recommend that the manufacture of the metal and the fabrication of the guns shall be separately considered, and that the work shall be done at different localities, it has regarded the proposi- tion of detailed plans for the buildings as inexpedient, not only because there would be little probability of their final adoption, but also because the time required for the estimates would materially delay the comple- tion of the report. The subject, therefore, will be treated in a general manner. The following are the most important points developed by ex- perience in Europe : 1st. Substantial foundations. 2d. Strong but economical superstructures, secure against destruc- tion by fire. BUILDINGS. 45 3d. Carefully considered lighting arrangements. 4th. Dimensions suited to the most convenient use of the tools, but which avoid waste space under cover. Two distinct arrangements are in use abroad. In one, best illustrated by the new shops of Sir Joseph Whitworth, at Manchester (intended for general work), all the operations are performed under a single roof, a plan which has the merit of bringing all the workmen under the eye of the superintendent. The building lias ten bays, each 50 feet wide, and at present 575 feet long, but it is proposed to extend this length 200 feet. Six bays are devoted to the foundry proper where the steel is manufact- ured and forged, and the remaining four to the tools used in fabricating the finished products. A gallery 25 feet wide extends along one side of the building, forming a second story, wkere small tools are made. Overhead cranes are provided, where necessary, to run the whole length of a bay, and the larger machines are disposed longitudinally under them. The height of the run-ways of these cranes is 22J feet above the floor. Each bay is covered by a roof of 50 feet span and 18 feet rise. These roofs unite in valleys 8J feet above the run-ways, to afford room for the cranes; and light is supplied by continuous windows, which on the south |ide form the middle third, and on the north side the lower two thirds of the roofs. The outer walls are brick. The bays are sepa- rated by rows of cast-iron columns capped with wrought-iron trusses, on which rest the iron roofs. These magniflcentshops, constructed very recently, after Sir Joseph's long experience in such work, cost per running 50 feet of each bay : Irou work of supports $1, 250 Eoof plating, glazing, glass, lead, &c 2, 000 JFloors, plates, &c 1,190 Contingencies 560 Total per square 50 feet, about 5,000 Estimated upon this basis, given by one of the engineers, the total cost must have been at least $600,000. In the other general arrangement of shops which prevailed at most of the establishments visited, different buildings are provided for diifer- ent classes of work, with ample space between them for railway tracks, storage of metal, &c. Experience seems to have suggested the impor- tance of the following iJoints: The run-ways of the large cranes should be supported quite inde- pendently of the buildings. As their spans vary from 40 to 64 feet, generally about 50 feet, this is an important matter. There is no econ- omy in constructing the walls' to bear strains thrown upon them by powerful machinery. The true function of the building is simply to cover the tools against the weather. The problem of reducing the cost of roof trusses is an important one. For smaller machines, an economical and convenient arrangement was noted at the army establishment at Bourges. The building was about 260 feet long and 150 feet wide. Advantage was taken of the lesser height required for this class of work to dispense with roof trusses en- tirely. Cast-iron columns, about 17 or 18 feet apart, divided the whole interior into squares and furnished supports for the roof at so many points as to effect this object. The tools were disposed across the shop, and hand cranes overhead and medial railway tracks for cars sup- plied every facility for convenient handling. For the larger tools, how- ever, the spans are necessarily so great that it seems expedient to in- crease their width so as to dispose the machines across the bays. This 46 EEPOET OF GUN FOUNDRY BOAED. enables the arrangement to be very compact, and enough is saved in length of shop to compensate for wide trusses. Thus, in the two new shops at Ruelle, which are good models, the spans of the principal roof trusses are about 50 feet and 82 feet respectively, the total width of the buildings being extended by parallel and lower roofs to 98 feet and 130 feet. Eoof-lighting of gun-shops is general throughout Europe. Some- times, as in Sir Joseph Whitworth's establishment, the ridge-pole is placed centrally between bearings, and one-third of the south and two- thirds of the north surface is glazed. At other places, as at the shop at BourgeS just described, the ridgepole is nearer the north side, and the short and steep side of the roof only is glazed. Another plan is the common device of a ventilator cap over the ridge-pole, with vertical lighting. As a rule all available space at the sides and ends of the buildings are given up to windows. No gun-shops of more than one story were noted. The Board would recommend the erection of fire-proof structures of a single story, designed solely to cover and protect the tools. Their style of architecture should be neat, but not extravagant ; convenience of arrangements and facilities for lighting should receive careful study. It is believed that the cost of such buildings as are required can be safely estimated at $5,000 per square of 50 feet. GENERAL SUMMARY. The foregoing presents the chief points of information that have been gained by the investigations of the Board. As examples of a practical partnership between a Government and a private company in working towards a national object the experiences in England and in Russia are very instructive, and warn against the adoption of such a system. In England, the Gtovernment, in addition to paying, during several years, very high prices for articles delivered, was forced to pay £65,000 to close an agreement ; while the company, besides the profits on manufacture, came into possession of a complete working plant at a mere nominal valuation. In Russia the Government finds itself involved with a stock com- pany, paying excessive prices for what it receives, and discovers no way of relief except by buying up shares and operating the establishment as a Government founEIsrDICES. lOi Appendix A. Navy Department, Washington, April 30, 1884. Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the letter of instructions to Kear- Admiral Edward Simpson, president of the Gun Foundry Board, and respectfully request that you may cause them to be communicated to the Army officers upon said Board, with directions to act in accordance therewith as members of the Board. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. E. OHANDLBE, Secretary of the Navy. Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary of War. Navy Department, Washington, April 29, 1884. Sir : You are hereby directed to reconvene the Gun Foundry Board, organized under the act of March 3, 1883. The Board will prepare a plan and estimate for the preparation and purchase of plant for a gun factory to complete guns from 6-inch cali- ber to 16-inch caliber, including buildings and shrinking pit, and will report the full and detailed estimate for the cost of the work aforesaid, and whether the same can be better and more economically performed in establishments owned by the Government, or by private contract, or by a combined system, whereby the said work can be accomplished partly by the Government and partly by private contract, and in what annual instalments appropriations can most economically be made. In case the Board shall be of opinion that the manufacture of the necessary gun material should be developed in this country by con- tracts with American manufacturers, the Board may commuaicate with, and receive proposals from, such manufacturers, and will cause to be prepared and submitted suitable contracts in detail ready for execution in case they shall be approved by Congress, and will make specific rec- ommendations concerning the same. The plans and estimates herein mentioned may provide for one gun factory for the Army and one for the Navy. Eespectfully, W. E. CHANDLER, Secretary of the Navy. Rear- Admiral Edward Simpson, President of the Advisory Board, Navy Department. 103 104 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OP GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. (First indorsement. ) Eespectfully referred to the Adjutant- General to comply witli the re- quest of the Secretary of the Navy. By order of the Secretary of War. JOHN TWEEDALE, Chief Clerk. "War Department, May 5, 1884. War Department, Adjutant- General's Office, Washington, May 7, 1884. Official copies respectfully referred to Col. T. G. Baylor, Ordnance Department, through the Chief of Ordnance, to Lieut. Col. H. L. Ab- bot, Engineer Corps, through the Chief of Engineers, and to Maj. S. S. Elder, Second Artillery, through Headquarters Department of the East, for compliance with the request of the Navy Department. By order of the Secretary of War. E. C. DEFM, Adjutant- General. Official copies. E. C. DEUM, » Adjutant- General. Adjutant-General's Office, December 19, 1884. War Department, Adjutant- General's Office, Washington, April 30, 1884, Sir: Instructions having been issued for the reconvening of the Gun Foundry Board appointed by the President's order of ApriJ 2, 1883, the Secretary of War directs that you report to Bear- Admiral Edward Simp- son, U. S. Navy, President of the Board, for duty on the same at such place and time as may be designated by him. Eear- Admiral Simpson's address is, Naval Advisory Board, Navy De- partment, Washington, D. C. The journeys to be performed are necessary for the public service. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. C. DEUM, A djutant- General. Col. Thomas G. Baylor, Ordnance Department. Through the Chief of Ordnance. Official copy: E. C. DEUM, Adjutant- General. Adjutant-General's Office, December 19, 1884. Note.— Similar letters -were addressed to Lieut. Col. H. L. Abbot, Corps of Engi- neers, and Maj. Samuel S. Elder, Second Artillery. APPENDICES. 105 Appendix B. IS'ATT DEPAKTMBNT, Washington, D. C, April 29, 1884. SiE : Tou are hereby directed to reconvene the Gun Foundry Board, organized under the act of March 3, 1883. The Board will prepare a plan and estimate for the preparation and parchaese of plant for a gun factory to complete guns from 6-inch caliber to 16-inch caliber, including buildings and shrinking-pit, and will report the full and detailed estimate for the cost of the work aforesaid, and whether the same can be better and more economically performed in establishments owned by the Government, or by private contract, or by a combined system whereby the said work can be accomplished partly by the Government and partly by private contract, and in what annual installments appropriations can most economically be made. In case the Board shall be of opinion that the manufacture of the necessary gun material should be developed in this country by contracts with American manufacturers, the Board may communicate with and receive proposals from such manufacturers ; and will cause to be prepared and submitted suitable contracts in detail ready for execution in case they shall be approved by Congress, and will make specific recommen- dations concerning the same. The plans and estimates herein mentioned may provide for one gun factory for the Army and one for the Navy. EespectfuUy, W. E. CHANDLEE, Secretary of the ifavy. Bear- Admiral Edvtaed Simpson, President of the Advisory Board, Wavy Department. 106 SUPPLEMENTARY RRPOET OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Appendix C. Gun Foundry Board, Navy Department, Washington, D. C, May 15, 1884. Gentlemen: There is forwarded to you herewith a copy of the Ee- port of the Gun Foundry Board, organized by order of the President, April 2, 1883. The report has been favorably received by Congress, and the Board is again in session for the purpose of supplying supplementary informa- tion looking towards the development of gun factories for the Army and the Navy. In addition to what is contained in the report, your attention is par- ticularly called to the following paragraph, incladed in the order under which the Board is now acting : In ca86 the Board shall be of opinion that the manufacture of the necessary gun material should be developed in this country by contracts with American manufact- urers, the Board may communicate with and receive proposals from such manufactur- ers, and -will cause to be prepared and submitted suitable contracts in detail, ready for execution, in case they shall be approved by Congress, and will make specific recommendations concerning the same. The Board is also directed to report "in what annual installments ap- propriations can most conveniently be made." You will see from the report that the Board is very decidedly of opinion that the gun material should be developed in this country, and the object of now addressing you is to request from you such proposals as may guide the Board in its recommendations as to the annual appro- priations to be made. You are requested to consider the classes pre- sented under the head of "Cost of plant for the manufacture of guns," on page 40 of the report. There will be required for the largest guns a capacity for casting an ingot of 100 tons. For 12-inch and for 6-inch guns there will be required a capacity for casting ingots of about 30 tons and 5 tons, respectively. For forging these masses there will be required a hydraulic press, with its accessories ; for the largest castings, one of 36-inch diameter will be necessary ; but for the smaller ones, presses of reduced power and cost may be substituted. For rough boring and turning, there will be required a plant, as shown on page 41 of the report. For tempering, there will be required a suitable furnace and tank. All the above operations will be required at the foundry before the parts will be received at the gun factories, and estimates of the cost of the appliances are stated in the report. In whatever particular your works may be deficient in the appliances required above, you are requested to consider the outlay necessary to efficiently equip your establishment, and to determine the size of con- tract for annual supply of gun material for a term of years, that will APPENDICES. 107 justify you in incurring this expense for plant, your remuneration to be derived solely from the price paid by the Government for the material after passing the tests required. As this subject is now before Congress, you are requested to provide the information asked for, at your earliest convenience. In considering the matter of a plant for the manufacture of gun material, the Board suggests that you do not lose sight of its availability for the manufact- ure of armor, for which a call may be made by the Government. Very respectfully, BDWAED SIMPSON, Bear- Admiral, U. S. Navy, President of the Board. 108 SUPPLEMENTARY REPOET OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Appendix D. REPORT OF ARMY COMMITTEE OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Philadelphia, Pa., December 6, 1884. Sir: The committee appointed at meeting of the Board of May 15, 1884, to prepare plans and estimates for the Army gun factory, reports as follows : BUILDINGS. Tour committee deereied it necessary to visit Watervliet Arsenal for the purpose of examining the grounds for a suitable location for the buildings. It accordingly visited the arsenal on May 30, and, with the commanding ofiicer, inspected what appeared to be the most available sites, and, after consideration, decided upon that marked in red ink on the inclosed map of Watervliet Arsenal. (Appendix F.) The buildings proposed for a plant for the fabrication of guns, from a 6-inch to a 16-inch caliber, will be four in number, viz : Two turning and boring shops for heavy guns, one turning and boring shop for light guns, and a building for shrinking pit. A plan and section of these buildings are shown in the tracing here- with submitted. (Appendix E.) Their estimated cost will be about $350,000, without tools and without the railway and crane tracks, boil- ers and engines, for their service. The general features of these buildings are given in the report of the Board of February 16, 1884, pages 44, 45, and 46. MACHINES AND TOOLS FOE GUN FACTORY. The machines and tools needed for this plant are given in the report of the Board of February 16, 1884, pages 42, 43, and 44, and your com- mittee simply adds to the list there given a one hundred ton crane for shrinking pit, and the sizes of the different machines. The location of these machines in the shops is shown in the inclosed tracing ( Appendix E). If the cost of the boilers, engines, railway tracks, and tracks for the traveling cranes be added to the cost of the tools as herein given it will increase this amount considerably. Your committee deem the above, with the report of the Gun Foundry Board of February 16, 1884, a sufficiently complete presentation of the plans and estimates for the Army Gun Factory. T. G. BAYLOE, Colonel of Ordnance, TJ. 8. A., Chairman of Committee. HENEY L. ABBOT, Lieutenant- Colonel of Engineers, Brevet Brigadier-General, U. 8. A. SAM'L S. ELDEE, Major 8econd Artillery, U. 8. A. Eear- Admiral E. Simpson, President Gun Foundry Board, Washington, D. C. (4 inclosures.) Appendix E. PROPOSED GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF GUN FACTORY B- '. .. . " C— " " ■ ■' " " L/anr " ! ! I i S ^ ^//^^//vG- ^/r. ^^^;^^$$$i$^ I ^^^^^^ :r J" i\\\\\\\\\\\\\\^ ^^^^^^ ;°i./i/v SMOtv/zva A/fJf-t/i/G-£:A'£-/\fr of /? A / e. tyA y.9 ?>^-^\\-\\^\\\^^^^^^^^^^^^^\v^^^^^^^^^^ /a I — I — c ASS£MBL/f^G Qa/vs. ^ czzzq r A33£:M3e.//^G Gums £ \\ /5 /S /is p<:.^^k-<^^^^^ UJ CO/tl S/D//V& ^:>- S-^^>V:^^^^^^^?N^ CO A/, syo/f^c y\\vv\\\\\\v\^v\\\\\\\\vv\\x^\v^^^^ St£AM £://g//>^£ ^OO/fi ^^mk^^i.^^'^i^:^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^-: ^^^^^<-- xXnV- :.xv-^\\\^^-^t^^g:^:;^^?t^^^^»^^:^:^vV^^^^^^^ :>.c:^^;>^^^.« IS llr St, Ifr "A U 9C IZ sz IrZ 0/-tr-y rz 'r-i/r IZ SI II 11 r2-ciT4j-i SI fri £1 11 II 01 i 9 V" M iJ 1 S. EX 4i? , 2, 48. 3v»Me W. \»»M \t»"CV.-^\ \Tt V\o\».\l J -^ ff -r ^ -5 > ^v.> J [ J I Vd-V ava.'Vi' ol /, APPENDICES. 109 Appendix G. LIST OF MACHINES AND TOOLS FOB ABMT GUN FACTORY. 1. For guns up to 6-inch caliber. Two finish turning-lathes, 7 feet wide, 31 feet long. Three finish boring-lathes, 5 feet wide, 56 feet long. One lathe to chamber, cut breech-screws, &c., 5 feet wide, 34 feet long. Line rifling machine, 9 feet wide, 51 feet long. One milling and drilling machine, 8 feet wide, 22 feet long. One 10-ton power traveling crane. Tools for above, including^ A set of turning tools for each finish turning-lathe. One boring bar with head, and cast steel tools for boring-lathes. One chambering bar with cutting tools. One, steel bar and cutting tools for screw-cutting and shaping out spaces. One hollow rifling bar with cutter, adjustment, and cutting tools. Milling cutter and mortise drills for milling and drilling machines. The total cost will be about $50,000. 2. For guns up to 12-inch caliber. One finish turning-lathe, 15 feet wide, 51 feet long. Three finish boring, turning, and chambering lathes, 12 feet wide, 92 feet long. One machine to cut breech-screw, (Sec, 7 feet wide, 58 feet long. One rifling machine, 16 feet wide, 84 feet long. One milling and drilling machine, 8 feet wide, 37 feet long. Four combined boring and turning face lathes for hoops, 10 feet wide, 23 feet long. One combined boring and turning face lathe for trunnion hoops, 10 feet wide, 23 feet long. One combined boring and turning lathe for trunnions, 7^ feet wide, 25 feet long. One slotting machine for trunnion hoops, 8 feet wide, 15 feet long. One 40-ton power traveling crane. Tools for the above, including — Oast-iron tubes with steel head and cutter for finish boring.tubes. Cast-iron tube with steel head and cutters for finish boring-jackets. One chambering bar. Fifty assorted turning-tools for finish turning-lathes, and machine for cutting breech screw and spaces. Oast-iron hollow rifling bar with cutter head, adjustments, steel tube for actuating tool, and cutting tools. 110 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Four milling cutters and mortise drills for milling and drilling ma- chine. The total cost will be about $150,000. 3. For guns up to 16-inch caliber. Two finish turning lathes, 16 feet wide, 75 feet long. Three finish boring, turning, and chambering lathes, 12J feet wide, 135 feet long. One machine to cut breech-screw, &c., 10 feet wide, 82 feet long. One rifling machine, 15 feet wide, 118 feet long. One milling and drilling machine, 10 feet wide, 54 feet long. Four combined boring and turning-face lathes for hoops, 14 feet wide, 32 feet long. Four combined boring and turning-face lathes for trunnion hoops, 14 feet wide, 32 feet long. One combined boring and turning lathe for trunnions, 7 feet wide, 29 feet long. One slotting machine for trunnion hoops, 12 feet wide, 15 feet long. One 100-ton power traveling crane. Tools for the above, including — Two cast-iron tubes, with steel boring head and cutters, for finish boring tubes. One cast-iron tube, with steel boring head and cutters, for finish bor- ing jackets. One steel chambering bar. Fifty assorted turning tools, for finish turning lathes and machine for cutting breech screw and spaces. One cast-iron hollow rifling bar, with cutter head, adjustments, steel tube for actuating tool, and cutting tools. Four milling cutters and mortise drills, for the milling and drilling machines. The cost of above will be about $350,000. To which add one 100-ton power traveling crane for shrinking pit, $17,500. Total cost, $367,500. APPENDICES. Ill Appendix H. secoed of pboceedinas of the army committee of the gun foundry board. Gun Fotjndet Boaed, Army Committee, New York City, May 29, 1884. The committee met in Army Building at 11 a. m. All the members present. The committee examined a tracing of an arrangement of shops for a gun factory prepared from a plan suggested by Messrs. Greenwood and Batley, of Leeds, England. The committee decided to visit Water- vliet Arsenal to examine the ground to ascertain if a suitable site for the space required for these buildings could be found. A letter was written to the president of the Gun Foundry Board for the necessary orders to make this journey. The committee at 12 m. adjourned to meet at Watervliet Arsenal May 30, 1884, at 10 a m. Gtjn Foundry Board, Army Committee, Watervliet Arsenal, West Troy, N. Y., May 30, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. ra. All the members present. The committee, after a personal' examination of the grounds, selected a site which in its opinion seemed most suitable and desirable for the erection of the buildings as represented in the tracing before referred to. The committee then adjourned subject to the call of the chairman, the members rejoining their respective stations. S. S. ELDEE, U. S. A., Major Second Artillery, Member of the Board. 112 SUPPLEMENTAEY EEPORT OP GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Appendix I. report of the naval committee of the guis foundry board. Philadelphia, Pa, December 6, 1884. Sir : In pursuance to the action of the Board, May 15, 1884, appoint- ing Eear- Admiral E. Simpson, Capt. E. O. Matthews, and Lieut. W. H. Jaques, of the Navy, a committee to prepare plans and estimates for a gun-factory plant for the Navy at the navy-yard, Washington, D. 0., the committee has to report that it has given every detail as careful consideration as practicable, has communicated with a large number of the leading steel workers, machinists, and manufacturers, and has vis- ited those shops where it was informed the best systems could be found, and where the latest developments and modern improvements had been introduced. The committee was everywhere received with courteous attention, and was enabled to make such examinations of the different methods of construction of buildings, foundations, drainage, roofing, lighting, veu- tilation, heating, arrangement and character of boilers and engines, disposition of tools, transmission of power, precautions against fire, transportation and storage of material, supervision and economical ad- ministration, as were necessary to reply to that portion of the Board's instructions which directed it to " prepare a plan and estimate for the preparation and purchase of plant for a gun factory to complete guns from 6-inch caliber to 16-inch caliber, including buildings and shrink- ing-pit, and to report the full and detailed estimate for the cost of the work aforesaid." As a basis on which to make a "full and detailed estimate for the cost of" a factory adequate to "the work aforesaid," the committee pro- poses a composite building of iron and brick, of the dimensions shown in the accompanying plans (Appendices J). In designing this building the committee has been guided by the con- clusions reached by the Board and set forth in its report of February 16, 1884, under the head of buildings, page 44, and it has adopted the general features approved in that report, to wit: 1. Substantial foundations. 2. Strong but economical superstructures, secure against destruction by fire. 3. Carefully-considered lighting arrangements. 4. Dimensions suited to the most convenient use of the tools, but which avoid waste space under cover. It was found that similar features had already been embodied in the construction of the new machine shop of the Dickson Manufacturing Company, in Scranton, Pa., and a study of this shop has assisted the committee to its conclusions. APPENDICES. ] 13 To avoid the very large expenditure for suitable foundations which the wet, marshy character of the larger portion of the yard would re- quire, the factory should be erected on the solid ground east of the avenue leading from the main gate south to the commandant's office, the buildings now occupying this site to be removed. To complete the whole structure on solid ground, as represented in the plans (Ap- pendices J), it will be necessary to purchase a plot of ground (about 300,000 square feet) to the eastward of the present limits of the yard, at an assessed valuation of $13,826 for the land and improvements thereon. It may be said in this connection that the purchase of this land has been frequently recommended by the authorities of the yard, as shown by the following extract from the report of the civil engineer for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869 : The previous reports from this office in relation to this subject have all recommended the extension to be made in the same manner on the east and west sides of the yard. Plans for this purpose are now presented, and it is earnestly and respectfully recom- mended that the present limits of the yard be extended on the west as far as Canal street, including all south of M street, and on the east as far as Eleventh street, also including all south of M street. The proposed building will occupy three sides of a rectangle, 600 feet long by 390 feet wide, with an inclosed court-yard 500 feet long and 140 feet in width. The western wing will run parallel to the avenue, at a distance of about 100 feet, the main or southern portion to be advanced towards the river bank as far as the solid ground will permit. The west- ern wing will thus stand on the old ground of the yard, while the east- ern wing will occupy the ground to be purchased. The northern ends of the building and court-yard will be connected by rail with the Baltimore and Potomac Eailroad, and the southern ends of each wing and the exits of the main building will be connected by rail with the water front. The main building will cover a shrinking pit 16 feet in diameter and 18 feet deep, with horizontal re-heating furnaces abreast, and will be provided with two traveling cranes, one of 100 tons and one of 25 tons capacity, of 50 feet hoist and span of 60 feet. The east wing will contain the tools for the fabrication of the larger classes of guns, up to 16-inch caliber, and will be provided with two traveling cranes, one of 100 tons and one of 30 tons capacity, of 40 feet hoist and span of 60 feet. The west wing will contain the tools for the fabrication of the smaller guns, and will be provided with one 25-ton traveling crane of 40 feet hoist and span of 40 feet. The boiler-house, containing six boilers of 100 horse-power each, will be situated in the court yard and will operate four engines, in houses, on the west sides of the wings, as follows : Bast wing, one of 150 horse- power, and one of 100 horse-power ; west wing, one of 100 horse-power and one of 75 horse-power. Exhaust steam will be employed for heat- ing. The lighting will be from the roof and sides, and screens will be fitted under the roof to admit the direct light only from the northward. The proposed factory will incorporate not only the best disposition of the tools and appliances and the convenient and economical handling of the gun parts, but will provide suitable spaces for the manufacture of gun-carriages, the fitting of projectiles and other ordnance equipments, and the braces and crane-frames will afford foundations for offices, draft- ing pattern, standard, and testing rooms, and the galleries for commu- nication and supervision. S. Ex. 13 8 114 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Many of the arrangements herein proposed obtain in the new machine- shop of the Dickson Manufacturing Company, at Scranton, Pa., previ- ously referred to, and their advantages are well presented in the follow- ing notice of that shop, published in Mechanics of April 21, 1883: Tho arrangement of the shops of the Dickson Manufacturing Company, of Scran- ton, -will strike most of our readers as being especially well considered. The galleries nre a feature which is eminently valuable. They have the advantage of concentrat- ing the working force and keeping the small tools within easy reach, while at the same time they are entirely out of the way, and as completely isolated as though in a shop by themselves or on another floor entirely closed in. The gallery also intro- duces a feature of considerable advantage in making the same roof cover a greater amount of floor space than would be possible under the strictly one-story arrange- ment. For small tools the amount of head room needed is not by any means as great as for larger ones, and here advantage has been taken to place the large tools in the open space, while the smaller ones are grouped either on the gallery floors or beneath them. , By the completion of the main building, as proposed, and the erec- tion of the wings to a length only suflcient to cover the machines and tools recommended by the Board in its report of February 16, 1884, pages 42 to 44, inclusive, the estimated cost, including the purchase of the land, is $512,000, and the time necessary for completion, one year. The above estimate, which, in addition to " buildings and shrinking- pit," page 50, Gun Foundry Board's Eeport, February 16, 1884, includes boiler and engine-houses, boilers and engines, with their connections, fitting of offices, wash and drafting rooms, purchase of additional land, grading and track-laying, and tracks and supports for cranes, is made up of the following items : Iron-work $209,473 Frames and glass 62,567 Concrete 31,74:3 Granite 26,188 Brick-work 66,717 Roofs 11,3.53 Boiler and engine houses 17,190 Boilers and engines 25, 000 Shrinking-pit 2,500 OfBces 25,000 Grading and track-laying 20,000 Additional land 13,826 Total 511,556 This factory will meet present demands and be capable of speedy en- largement by the extension of the wings ; but as the present war needs of the Navy are roughly estimated at 2,000 guns of various calibers, it is evident that, even with the liberal aid of private industries, the total capacity of the proposed building will be required to equip the Navy with modern artillery within a reasonable time. The additional ex- pense in order to complete the entire structure, as proposed, is about $176,000. In making this estimate the committee has considered the future de- mands that will undoubtedly be made during the progress and develop- ment of ordnance in the United States, and has proposed such an arrangement of shops as will most economically meet these demands. In the preparation of the above plans and estimates the Committee has been assisted by Civil Engineer A. G. Menocal, U. S. Navy. APPENDICES. 1 15 The estimated cost of tools will be : Guns up to 6-iiich caliber S50, 000 Guns from 6-incli to 12-incli caliber 150, 000 Guns from 12-inoli to 16-inoli caliber 350, 000 As stated in tbe report of tlie Bonrd previously referred to. In order to accommodate the proposed building, two additional cranes will be required, at a cost of 30,000 The total cost of the tools will be 580, 000 The above are prices founded upon estimates obtained from tool mak- ers who have had years of experience in the manufacture, who have a perfect knowledge of the necessary adaptation to the peculiar demands of gun construction, and whose workmanship is being constantly tested in all the large gun factories in the world. The committee has made every effort to obtain information as to the ability of our home industries to produce gun tools, and confirms the statement of the Board, page 8 of its report, February 16, 1884, that "no tools or implements" for the fabrication of such guns — the ^'' heaviest" — as the act of Congress called for "have been manufactured or are in use in the United States." While our own tool-makers signify, in general terms, their ability to make gun tools of any size and power, the foremost of them admit that much time will be required for the preparation of designs and patterns before they can produce tools equal in power, speed, and adaptability to those recommended by the Board. It is evident, therefore, that if it is desired to provide the factory with tools within a reasonable time, at a reasonable cost, and with a certainty that they will be able to perform all the work that may be re- quired of them, with a rapidity capable of producing the maximum re- sults, this work must be inaugurated with tools of well-established rep- utation. In this connection it should be borne in mind there are but few firms in Europe who have reached a position of excellence in this specialty, and this has only been achieved after many years of experi- ence and competition. In conclusion the committee reports the following summary of its de- tailed estimates " for the preparation and purchase of plant for a gun factory to complete guns from 6-inch caliber to 16-inch caliber, includ- ing buildings and shrinking-pit " : Buildings and shrinking-pit $511, 556 Tools and implements 580, 000 Total 1,091,556- E. SIMPSON, Bear-Admiral, United States Navy, Chairman of Committee. E. O. MATTHEWS, Captain, United States Navy. W. H. JAQUE8, * Lieutenant, United States Navy. Bear- Admiral E. Simpson, TJ. S. N., President Qun Foundry Board. AppEfNDix J. — Section and Elevations of Naval Gun Factory. Section A.B. South Elevation. S. EX. /c^ , 2, 48. North Lleivation . —Section and Elevations of Naval Gun Factory. SECTION A.B. South Elelvation. North EIlevation . Scale, iV," = 1 ft- DN. Bast side. S. EX. X?. , 2, 48. Appendix J. — Half section. Bast si ^v;^^^^:.(':^^t: W'^^^^^^^'^'y^^^^^^^^'^^^^^-'^^ S. EX. Xi? , 2, 48, I ^) APPENDICES. 117 Appendix K. BECOBD OF TSE SESSIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF TSE NAVAL COM- MITTEE OF THE GUN FOUNDBY BOABD, FROM JUNE 6, 1884, TO OC- TOBEB -il, 1884. GXJN FOITNDRY BOAED, NAVAL COMMITTEE, New])ort, B. I., Friday, June 6, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to the order of president of the Board. Capt. E. O. Matthews and Lieut. W. H. Jaques present. Engaged preparing details of plans for gun factory. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Saturday, the 7th instant, at 10 a. m. Gtjn Foundry Board, IsTatal Committee, Newport, JR. I., Saturday, June 7, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Engaged preparing details of plans for gun factory. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet Monday, the 9th instant, at 10 a. m. GxJN Foundry Board, Nayal Committee, Neioport, B. I., Monday, June 9, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Engaged preparing details of plans for gun factory. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to call of its chairman. Gun Foundry Board, I^atal Committee, Washington, B. C, Thursday, June 19, 1884. The committee met at 11 a. m., at its chairman's call. Eear- Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Preparing details of plans for gun factory. At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Friday, the 20th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Natal Oommitthe, Washington, D. 0., Friday, June 20, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Rear- Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard to inspect proposed site, and continued the preparation of detailed plans for gun factory. At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to call of chairman. 118 supplementary kepoet of gun foundry board. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington^ D. C, Tuesday, July 8, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to call of its chairman. Eear- Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Preparing plans for gun factory. Read and filed communication (File Book A, Ko. 115 A). At 3.30 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to call of chairman. Gun Foundry Board, I^aval Committee, New York, N. T., Monday, July 14, 1884. The committee met at 7 p. m., at its chairman's call. All members present. Engaged preparing plans for gun factory until 11 p. m., when ad- journed to meet to-morrow, Tuesday, the 15th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, New York, N. Y., Tuesday, July 15, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Inspected the boilers, &c., of the New York Steam Heating Company, and the construction of the Grand Central Depot and Seventh Regi- ment Armory. At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet tomorrow, Wednesday, the 16th in- stant, at 10 a.m., in Philadelphia, Pa. GUN Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, July 16, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Inspected the Midvale Steel Works, Nicetown, and the machine- shops of William Sellers and Company, in Philadelphia. At 4 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Thursday, the 17th instant, at 9 a. m., in Scranton, Pa. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Scranton, Pa., Thursday, July 17, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the machine-shops of the Dickson Manufacturing Com- pany, the Scranton Steel Works, and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Steel Works. At 6 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Friday, the 18th instant, at 10 a. m., in Washington, D. C. appendices, 119 Gun Fotjndrt Board, Fatal Committee, 'Washington, D. C, Friday, July 18, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to the call of chairman. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Newport, B. I., Friday, September 12, 1884. Tbe committee met at 7.30 a. m., Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Kead and filed communications (File Book A, Nos. 118, A, B, C, D). Preparing plans for gun factory until 1 p. m., when adjourned to meet to-morrow, Saturday, the 13th instant, at 11 a. m., in Bridgewater, Mass. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Bridgewater, Mass., Saturday, September 13, 1884. The committee met at 11 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the works of the Bridgewater Iron Company, and at 4 p. m. adjourned to meet Monday, the 16th instant, at 9.30 a. m., in Nashua, N. H. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Nashua, JUT. H., Monday, September 15, 1884. The committee met at 9.30 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the works of the Nashua Iron and Steel Company, and at 3 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Tuesday, the 16th instant at 10 a. m., in Fitchburg, Mass. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Fitchburg, Mass., Tuesday, September 16, 1884. The committee met at 9.30 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the machine-shops of the Fitchburg Machine Company and the Putnam Machine Company. Filed communication (File Book A, No. 118 B). -.^x,- At 5 p. m. adjowrned to meet to-morrow, Wednesday, the 17th in- stant, at 9 a. m., in Troy, N. Y. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Troy, N. Y., Wednesday, September 17, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. ^ w i Inspected the Troy and Eensselaer Steel Works (Albany Iron Works —Albany and E. Iron and Steel Company), and at 3 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Thursday, the 18th instant, at 11 a. m., m Hartford, Conn. 120 supplementary report op gun foundry board. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Hartford, Conn., Thursday, September 18, 1884. The committee met at 11 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Mattbews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the shops of the Colt Manufacturing Company, and at 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Friday, the 19th instant, at 9 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Cojjmitteb, Hartford, Conn., Friday, September 19, 1884. The copimittee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the shops of the Pratt and Whitney Machine Company, and at 1 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to chairman's call. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, JD. C, Wednesday, September 24, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., at its chairman's call. Rear- Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Engaged preparing plans for gun factory until 3 p. m., when ad- journed to meet to-morrow, Thursday, the 25th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. C, Thursday, September 25, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Bear- Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and with Civil Engineer Menocal continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Friday, the 26th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. C, Friday, September 26, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Eear-Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Preparing plans for gun factory until 4 p. m., when adjourned to meet to morrow, Saturday, the 27th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, B. C, Saturday, September 27, 1884. j- The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Eear-Admiral Simpson and Lieutenant Jaques present. Preparing plans for gun factory and with the Secretaries of War and the Navy inspected the progress of the manufacture of the all-steel guns (from 5-inch to 10 inch caliber) at the Washington navy-yard. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to chairman's call. appendices. 121 Gun Foundry Board, Naval Coivimittbb, Cleveland, Ohio, Monday, October G, 1884. The committee met at meridian at the chairman's call. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Inspected the works of the Otis Iron and Steel Company, and at 10 . m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Tuesday, the 7th instant, at 8 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Cleveland, Ohio, Tuesday, October 7, 1884. The committee met at 8 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Proceeded to Alliance, Ohio, and inspected the machine shops of the Morgan Engineering Company. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Wednesday, the 8th instant, at 9 a. m., in Pittsburgh, Pa. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Pittsburgh, Wednesday, October 8, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment; proceeded to Bessemer Station, Pennsylvania, and inspected the shops of the Edgar Thomson Steel Works. At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Thursday, the 9th insjtant, at 9 a. m., in Washington, D. C. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. C, Thursday, October 9, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. Captain Matthews and Lieutenant Jaques present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and, with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet Monday, the 13th instant, at 11 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. C, Monday, October 13, 1884. The committee met at 11 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and, with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Tuesday, the 14th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, X>. C, Tuesday, October 14, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and, with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. Sent communications (Letter Book, pp. 34, 35). At 3 p. m. adjourned to meet subject to the chairman's call. 122 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OP GUN FOUNDRY BOARD. GrUN Foundry Board, Xatal committee, Washington, D. 0., Tuesday, October 21, 1884. By direction of chairman of committee, sent communication (Letter Book, p. 36). Gun Foundry Board, liJ^AYAL Committee, Washington, D. C, Wednesday, October 22, 1884. The committee met at 10 a. m., at its chairman's call. All members present. Proceeded to the Washington navy -yard, and, with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. Prepared draft of committee report. Read and filed communi- cation (Pile Book A, No. 119). At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Thursday, the 23d instant, at 9 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. G., Thursday, October 23, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and, with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates for gun fac- tory. Witnessed the operation of jacketing one of the Navy 8-inch all- steel hooped rifles. Prepared draft of committee report. Read and filed communication (File Book A, No. 120). Sent communication (Let- ter Book, p. 41). At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to morrow, Friday, the 24th instant, at 9 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. C., Friday, October 24, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Prepared draft of committee report. Read and filed communication (File Book A, No. 121). Sent communication (Letter Book, p. 44). At 4 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Saturday, the 25th instant, at 9 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, D. C, Saturday, October 25, 1884. The committee met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Proceeded to the Washington navy-yard, and, with Civil Engineer Menocal, continued the preparation of plans and estimates. Proceeded to the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, and, with Capt. Mont- gomery Sicard, TJ. S. Navy, Chief of the Bureau, and Commander C. F. Goodrich, TJ. S. Navy, inspector of ordnance of the Washington navy-yard, carefully reconsidered the requisites of a gun-factory plant for the fabrication of modern cannon. Sent communications (Letter Book, pp. 45, 46, 47). At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet Monday, the 27th instant, at 10 a. m. appendices. 123 Gun Foundry Board, Naval Committee, Washington, £>. C, Monday, October 27, 1884. The committee met at 10 p. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. Sent communication (Letter Book, p. 50). The committee then proceeded to a general meeting of the Board. W. H. JAQUBS, Lieutenant, U. S. Navy. 124 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OP GUN FOUNDRY BOARD Appendix L. [Office of the American Iron and Steel Association, No. 261 South Fourth street.] Philadelphia, November 1, 1884. Gentlemen: You are already familiar with the action of the Gov- ernuient in appointing a Gan Foundry Board for the purpose of obtain- ing and reporting to Congress information relating to the best methods to be adopted to supply the Army and B'avy of the United States "with heavy ordnance adapted to modern warfare. In February last the Board submitted to Congress an elaborate report, with the details of which you are also already familiar. The Board is charged with the duty of presenting an additional report to Congress at the beginning of the next session, on the first Monday in December next. This report is expected to be one of great interest to the manufacturers of steel in this country, as it will probably contain definite suggestions for the manu- facture of gun material for the Government, to be made of steel. It may be added that the interest taken by Congress at its last session in the general proposition to establish in this country the manufacture of modern steel guns leads to the inference that this branch of the Gov- ernment will at its next session take definite action providing a liberal permanent appropriation for the supply of material for the manufacture of these guns. Before presenting its additional report the Board is de- sirous of receiving from the manufacturers of steel in this country more definite proposals than it has yet received from any of them for the manufacture of gun material. No satisfactory responses have been re- ceived to a circular letter which has been addressed by the Board to each of the manufacturers who were supposed to be prepared to submit the proposals referred to. The Board has especially received no propo- sitions which could guide it in stating to Congress what size of contract would induce manufacturers to undertake the manufacture of gun ma- terial, or in what installments it would be desirable that appropriations for this purpose should be made. With the view of obtaining more definite information from steel man- ufacturers than has yet been received, I am officially advised by the president of the Gun Foundry Board tliat a consultation is desired by its members with representatives of such firms of steel manufacturers as are willing to seriously consider the questions submitted by the Board, and I am requested to arrange a meeting of these representatives with the members of the Board. In accordance with this request, and after consultation with members of our executive committee, I respectfully invite your firm to send one or more representatives to confer with the Gun Foundry Board, at the office of the American Iron and Steel Asso- ciation, at Philadelphia, on Tuesday, November 11, 1884, at 11 o'clock a. m., at which time and place an opportunity will be offered for a gen- eral consultation with representatives of all the firms, and also for sub- sequent private consultations, it desired. The sessions of the Board will APPENDICES. 125 probably be continued for three days, but it is very important that at the first session there be a full attendance of all who intend to be present at the conference. I will thank you to advise me promptly whether or not your firm will be represented at the conference, and if so, will you please furnish me with the name of your representative, or with the names of your repre- sentatives if you conclude to send more than one? Very respectfully, yours, JAMES M. SWANK, Secretary, 126 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OP QUN FOUNDRY BOARD. Appendix M, BECOBD OF RECONVENING, SESSIONS, AND PROCEEDINGS OF TBE OVN FOUNDBY BOARD, FBOM MAY 15, 1884, to DECEMBER 20, 1884. GrUN FOUNDEY BOAED, UbMtt House, Washington, D. G., Thursday, May 15, 1883. The Board met at 11 a. m., iu accordance with the instructions of the honorable Secretary of War (Appendix A) and the honorable Secretary of the IS^avy (Appendix B) and the order of its president. All members present. The instructions were read by the president. Eeceived, indorsed (Letter Book, p. 17), and returned a communica- tion from the Louisville Board of Trade, forwarded by Hon. A. S. Willis through the Navy Department. Sent communications (Letter Book, pp. 15, 18, 20) and a copy of the Board's report of February 16, 1884, to J. W. Wright, superintendent Board of Trade, Louisville, Ky. Pre- pared a circular letter (Appendix 0) and sent it to the following steel works : Nashua L?on and Steel Company, Nashua, N. H. Bridgewater Iron Company, Bridgewater, Mass. Norway Steel and Iron Works. Naylor & Co., 6 Oliver street, Bos- ton, Mass. Albany and Rensselaer Iron and Steel Company, Troy, N. Y. Newark Steel Works, Newark, N.J. New Jersey Steel and Iron Com- pany, Trenton, N. J. Midvale Steel Company, Nicetown, Philadelphia, Pa. Bethlehem Iron Works, Bethle- hem, Pa. Pennsylvania Steel Works, Steel- ton, Pa. Standard Works, 220 South Fourth street, Philadelphia, Pa. Black Diamond Steel Works. Park Brothers & Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. Edgar Thomson Steel Works, 48 Fifth avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. Pittsburgh Steel Works, Pitts- burgh, Pa. Spang Steel and Iron Company, limited, Pittsburgh, Pa. Cambria Iron and Steel Works, Johnstown, Pa. Tredegar Iron and Steel Works, Eichmond, Va. Cleveland Eolling Mill Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Otis Iron and Steel Works, Cleve- land, Ohio. Portsmouth Iron and Steel Works, Portsmouth, Ohio. North Chicago Eolling Mill Com- pany, Chicago, 111. Springfield Iron Company's Iron and Steel Works, Springfield, 111. Copies were also sent to Mr. J. M. Swank, secretary of the American Iron and Steel Association, for circulation and publication in the Bul- letin of the association. Eear-Adiniral E. Simpson, Capt. E. O. Matthews, and Lieut. W. H. Jaques, of the Navy, were appointed a committee to prepare a plan and APPENDICES. 127 estimates for a gun-factory plant for the IS^avy at the navy-yard, Wash- ington, D. C, in accordance with the precept; and Col. T. G. Baylor, Ordnance Department, Lieut. Col. Henry L. Abbot, Engineer Corps, and Maj. Samuel S. Elder, Second Artillery, of the Army, were ap- pointed a committee to prepare a plan and estimates for a gun-factory plant for the Army at the Watervliet arsenal, West Troy, N. Y., in ac- cordance with the precept. At 3 p. m. adjourned, subject to call of the president. Gun Foundry Boakd, From May 15 to October 27, 1884. The committees appointed by the Board engaged in their duties. By direction of the president, sent the following communications : May 20, 1884 (Letter-book, p. 19) ; June 3, 1884 (Letter-book, pp. 23, 24) ; June 4, 18S4 (Letter-book, p. 28) ; June 13, 1884 (Letter-book, p. 31) ; June 14, 1884 (Letter-book, p. 32) ; July 18, 1884 (Letter-book, p. 33) ; October 25, 1884 (Letter-book, pp. 48, 49). Gun Poukbry Board, Navy Department, Washington, D. C, Monday, October 27, 1884. The Board met at 11 a. m. at the call of its president. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. The Board then proceeded to read and file communications (File-book A, Nos. 102 to 118, inclusive, and No. 122). Engaged reading reports and examining the plans presented by the two committees appointed May 15, 1884. At 4 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Tuesday, the 28th instant, at 10 a. m. GxTN Foundry Board, Naty Department, Washington, D. C, Tuesday, October 28, 1884. The Board met at 10 a. m. pursuant to adjournment. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. The reports and records of proceedings of the two committees appointed May 15, 1884, to prepare detailed plans and estimates for gun-factory plants were presented and considered. . , „ ^, „ ^ No satisfactory replies having been received from the manufacturers addressed by the Board in its circular letter of May 15, 1884, it was de- cided to address a communication (Letter-book, p. 51) to Mr. James M. Swank secretary of the American Iron and Steel Association, request- ing him to effect a meeting of the Board with the representatives of the leading firms engaged in steel manufactures in the United States in order that a conclusion might be reached as to the probability of re- ceiving from them any proposals for the supply of gun material. Read and filed communication (File-book A, No. 123). At 3 p. m- adjourned to meet subject to call of the president. 128 supplementary report of gun foundry board. Gun Foundry Board, Philadelphia, Pa., Tuesday, November 11, 1884. The Board met at 11 a. m. at tbe call of its president. All members present except Captain Matthews, U. S. F., detained by fog. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. Proceeded to the offlces of the American Iron and Steel Association, and met the following representatives of the leading firms engaged in steel manufacture in the United States : Joseph E. Anderson, president of the Tredegar Iron Company, of Richmond, Va.; Samuel L. Pelton, president, and Ma,]. L. S. Bent, vice- president and general manager, of the Pennsylvania Steel Company, of Steelton, Pa. ; Edward Y. Townsend, president, and Powell Stackhouse, vice-president, of the Cambria Iron Company, of Johnstown, Pa.; Wil- liam Sellers, president, and E. W. Davenport, superintendent, of the Midvale Steel Company, of Philadelphia, Pa.; John Fritz, superin- tendent, and Joseph Wharton, a director, of the Bethlehem Iron Com- pany, of Bethlehem, Pa. ; William G. Neilson, manager of the Stand- ard Steel Works, of Lewistown, Pa. ; Chester Griswold, vice-president of the Albany and Eensselaer Iron and Steel Company, of Troy, N. Y. The stenographic minutes of the proceedings are filed (File-book A, No. 142 A). Eead and filed communications to Naval Committee of Gun Foundry Board (File-book A, Nos. 124 to 126 inclusive, and 129). Eead and filed communications (File- book A, Nos. 127, 128, and 130 to 142 inclusive). Sent communications (Letter-book, pp. 55, 60, 61. 62, 67). At 5 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, AVednesday, the 12th in- stant, at 9 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Philadelphia, Pa., November 12, 1884. The Board met at 9 a. m. pursuant to adjournment. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. At the request of the administration of the Bethlehem Iron Company, proceeded to Bethlehem, Pa., and inspected that company's works. At 7 p. m. adjourned to meet tomorrow, Thursday, the 13th instant, at 10 a. m. Gun Foundry Board, Philadelphia, Pa., Thursday, November 13, 1884. The Board met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. Messrs. William Sellers, president, and R. W. Davenport, superin- tendent, of the Midvale Steel Company ; Edward Y. Townsend, presi- dent, and Powell Stackhouse, vice-president, of the Cambria Iron Com- pany, appeared at their own requests before the Board and submitted verbal responses to the inquiries addressed them by the Board on Tues- day, November 11. At 4 p. m. adjourned to meet to-morrow, Friday, the 14th instant, at 8 a. m. appendices. 129 Gun Foundry Board, Philadelphia, Pa., Friday, November 14, 1884. The Board met at 8 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. At the request of the administration of the Pennsylvania Steel Com- pany, proceeded to Steelton, Pa., and inspected that company's works. At 4 p. m. adjourned, to meet subject to the call of its president. Gun Foundry Board, Natt Department, Washington, D. C, Thursday, November 20, 1884. By direction of the president of the Board, sent communications (Letter-book, pp. 68, 69). Gun Foundry Board, Philadelphia, Pa., Friday, December 6, 1884. The Board met at 10 a. m., at the call of its president. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. Continued the consideration of the two committee reports and revised draft of supplementary report. Read and filed communications (File- book A, Nos. 143 to 154, inclusive). Sent communication (Letter-book, p. 70, A). At 11.30 p. m. adjourned, to meet to-morrow, Saturday, the 6th in- stant, at 9 a, m. GUN Foundry Board, Philadelphia, Pa., Saturday, December 6, 1884. The Board met at 9 a. m., pursuant to adjournment. All members present. The record of the last meeting was read and approved. Adopted the reports of the two committees and the supplementary report of the Board. Sent communication (Letter-book, p. 70). The Board resolved that its president, when he deems expedient, shall communicate with all who have furnished the Board with confi- dential drawings and documents, and request instructions as to the disposition of said confidential commuuications. At 2 p. m. adjourned, to meet subject to call of the president. Gun Foundry Board, ISTavy Department, Washington, D. C, Wednesday, December 10, 1884. By direction of the president of the Board, sent communication (Let- ter-book, p. 72). Gun Foundry Board, Navy Department, Washington, D. C, Saturday, December 13, 1884. By direction of the president of the Board, filed communications (File-book A, Nos. 155 156) ; and sent communication (Letter-book, p. 75). S. Ex. 13 9 130 supplementary eepoet of gun foundry board. Gun Foundet Boakd, Navy Department, Washington, D. C, Sunday, December 14, 1884. By direction of tlie president of the Board, sent communication (Let- ter-book, p. 76). Gun Foundry Board, • Navy Department, Washington, D. G., December 20, 1884. By direction of the president of the Board, delivered supplementary report and communications (Letter-book, pp. 79, 80) to the honorable Secretaries of War and the Navy, and the Board adjourned sine die. Lieutenant W. H. Jaques, United States Navy, Member and Secretary of the Board.