Woolwich Factory.

Manawatu Herald, 20 January 1900, Page 2

Woolwich Factory.

» (Concluded.) In the gun factory, as tho namia ills one, the great guns are forged.. . howitzer — or shell-firing gun — rill send a shell considerably over ive miles so one could fed; particularly uncomfortable ae I'o^H'dß tin personal safety long btic.dv!'!li|i rould know what force was att>idi*tl:>g >r, when smokeless powder is ern. , )loyed, exactly where the enc-r.pr ay. A modern siege would be ;)* errible thing in terrors, indeed, fusT" jome shells weigh nearly 80001b, i in d. over 4801b of powder is the i jharge. But the horrors are added 1 ; ; ;o when shrapnel is consisted, i Ihere are plenty of shrapnel shell made at Woolwich. They don't appear much to look at, but they have for an interior a mixture of bullets and powder. The result is thjat wliftftf the inevitable bursting occurs bulleta ■' fly all around like spokes from the j hub of a wheel, or like liquid mud ; ; from the wheels of a bus. ! j * « # ;# : i ■ : !: " The method by which the artillery ! :'y- " wired gun " is strengthened is very interesting. The long steel tuba ia made by boring a solid length ol[;j Whitworth steel. The boring bem|i: completed, it is turned, and then after going through a heatinig pro- ■ i cess, and being submitted to an oil j bath, the tube is caused to kvolvh ; |; rapidly in a horizontal position by i ;;j;: machinery, the wire being paid out j '4; and being wound closely, and in j ii; various thicknesses, according to the :■ ; part of tube being covered, around j || it as it turns. The wire has, ki turn, \ \ :\ | layers of hoops of steel slipped over I H the whole length, and those being j :)'[ hot when applied will fit with the j : | necessary accuracy when cooling and ; | I shrinkage takes place. In the i | laboratory cartridges and shells for i ! for all sorts of military fireartoa are made. The cartridges for the big guns are made on practically the [ | same principle as those for rifles. 1 , In fact most of the new guns are i;.J practically gigantic rifles. There is «, the cylinder containing the explosive, j ■ either gunpowder or cordite, and the j , percussion cap, at one end, the pro* jectile at the other, and the necessary i wad. in rifle bullets a- coating of ! nickel is used ; the object offtuiia \ exceedingly humane, and shows the j strides civilisation is making— it is just that it may penetrate, and, if ' possible splinter the bone ! Enormous care is necessary in the buildings in which the cartridges are charged with the explosives. Soniejrfjthe buildirig3 are protected byjf^reat earthen mounds, but should an explosion occur the loss of life would ; be very great in spite of this. Of course matches or anything com- '; bustible are not allowed to be carried by anyone entering. Soft shoe^'^ I always worn, and the really 1 ; i responsible workers are of im< j.j maculate character and marked ]' : steadiness. — Exchange.