NOTES BY A NEW CHUM.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5222, 13 October 1885, Page 2

NOTES BY A NEW CHUM.

TBY OUB TBAVELLINfI COBBEBPONDENT.

(PEE DIBECT STEAMEB.)

TWO fIOUBS IN WOOLWICH ARSENAL. London, August 27. Thanks to the kind offices of some friends, I was able to pay a visit one afternoon this week to this Tast gun* manufacturing centre—the largest estab* lishment of the kind in England,—and spent a very pleasant two hours in watching a few of the many operations in pro* gress. The Arsenal is situate on the south bank of the Thames, ten miles from " the city," and nearly opposite the Albert and Victoria Docks. Having safely passed the double cordon of police at the gate, I was surprised to find myself in a miniature town, with well laid out streets (numbered 1, 2. 3, and 4), railways, tennis grounds, shady footpaths, etc. And, indeed, the "place fs~"a good-sized towo,|for its walls embrace orer 4£K) acres of land, the narrow goage railway is in.all 40 miles long, and there is also a considerable extent of broad guage line, to facilitate the receipt of ooal, iron, and other materials; while the workmeD, overseers, and soldiers would populate the Thames three times over, with Te Aroha thrown in. Just now the total number exceeds 15,000, but this is more than usual, as the war scare, and the large Government orders consequent thereon, hare made the pressure very heavy. Preceded by a guide, I first enter the main workroom, where, amid a deafening clatter of machinery and maze of belts, 800 men and boys are busily engaged, each at a separate lathe or machine. Scores of rows are making,shell fuses of various si^es, the brass casting being passed on from one to another till complete; others are making powder cans and shot cases j a dozen boys are tending machines which, fed by a coil of lead wire of the requisite thickness (manufactured on the premises), are turning out Martini-Henry bullets at the rate of several thousand an hour each ;■ while a few yards away other boys and men are putting the finishing touches to boxes of the Boc. Nordenfeldt steel bullet. Leaving this busy scene with regret, for I could have stood an hour watohing the yariqus processes, we pass through a door leading to a series of blacksmith's shops, where canister, shells, mine covers, (mad* from a wrought iron plate! punched into shape by a 20 ton steam hammer), and tfqrdenfeldt bullets are being turned out; and from (hence to a large room in which every description of shot, shell, I rock*, aod cartridge, made at tbe Au»aal, *

are on Tie*. Then a huge carpenter's shop, for the manufacture of ammunition boxes, if entered. Everywhere the same system is apparent: steam aawi, planet, mortising machines, and soon there will be a Bteam nail-driver; in fact, every appli* ance whioh will save labor and expedite progress. Our next essay is the cartridge ease room. Commencing at the furnaces, the brass is melted into bars, passed under roller after roller till it comes out in long sheets, which the punches quickly convert into thousands of rough thimbles— —the beginning of the cartridges. These are passed from machine.to machine, being heated between each stage, till they are gradually drawn out to the correct size, when they are sent to another department to be capped and loaded. We next hasten to the shot and shell room, and in turn witness all the operations of moulding, casting, and studding every size of shell from the " big John Bull" (the 110-ton) to the "little John Bull," or moontain howitzer. In this department, I may mention, three furnaces are continually smelting, the quantity of iron used daily being something enormous. Once more we seek fresh food for wonderment, and passing rows of cannon, taken in the Crimea, India, and elsewhere/ and scores of new weapons awaiting shipment, enter the gun works proper. I.had noticed, on entering the arsenal, that ancient gun known as " Queen Elizabeth's poeket«pieee," and of the counterpart of which, mounted on Dover Cliffs, it was written, " Load me well, and keep me olean, And I'll cany a ball to Calais Green." In those days this gun was counted very formidable, as the distich implies, but it does not look inich alongside the weaponi of the present period. A 12-tonner puts it in the shade, and as for the 81« ton " Woolwich infant," it could almost use it ' as an extra heavy bullet. All the gam are now made breech-loaders.. Some weighingllo tons have been "built" at the arsenal, and others of the same size are ordered for the " Benbow," but the largest now in course of construction ii the 63-ton. To this department belong the huge steam hammers whose fame has spread the world over, and here also is an enormous crane, which cost a fabulous sum, and is.capable of lifting and swing* ing round 300 tons dead weight. Our time now drew to a close, and I was able only to glance cursorily through the shop where these enormous firearms were being biilt, bored, and rifled. We took a hasty look at the 38-ton muzzle-loader which bint some years ago on board the Thunderer, and its fellow piece, burst by the anthorities after. the exhaustive experiment! which all your readers must remember, and. then I had to say adieu. Perhaps some future time may see me exploring the mysteries of the gun carriage and torpedo rooms, the magazines, and the cartridge loading departments. Next day I made up my mind to go to Bristol, and embarking at Paddington station the Great Western 5 o'clock express conveyed me over the intervening 120 miles in exactly 3 hours travelling time, for the moderate consideration of 9s 10? d. The scenery en route was as lovely as English country could be. Gently undulating pasture lands, waving fields of golden corn, limpid streams—whose waters, disturbed by the pleasure seeking rowers, lapped gently against the green award which stretched down to their very edge —tempting orchards, and lovely copses and woods, alternated between the towns of Beading, Didcot, and Swiodon, while on to Bath and Bristol the hills became steeper, tunnels and high embankments abounded, though the fleeting glimpses obtained as we dashed across a valley or over a bridge, showed that if more rugged* the scenery was not one whit less beanti* ful. It is not my intention to weary your readers with a description of Bristol* They can imagine a bustling town of some 200,000 inhabitants, built—chiefly in a valley through whioh the Avon winds its way, teeming with factories, well supplied with unpleasant odors and fogs, but withal containing many noble and inter* esting buildings; they can in fancy stand on the Clifton bridge and look down on the tide flowing 250 feet beneath, or walk across the breezy dewhs, and feast their eyes on the loveliness of the Leigh woods over the river. But perhaps they will not decline to take a trip with me to Bath—that ancient city, famed even in the time of the Romans for the medicinal properties of its hot springs. "Go to Bath!" is a common enough expression in the colonies, so for once I will obey the injunction. The city, for it contains some 50,000 people, is built on the Avon, in an immense hollow which legend says was once the crater of an enormous volcano. The springs and bath are in the. middle of the city, and right alongside them two large Roman baths have been discovered, one quite lately. The water is impregnated with iron, and is not unpleasant to the taste. Its temperature is 12Odegs. Fahr. Bath, on account of its warmth, is a favorite winter resort of the " upper ten," and spacious mansions and lordly terraces therefore abound. One of these latter is in the form of a crescent, overlooking the park and city, and forms one immense building quite 500 yards long. I had a most enjoyable country trip in Somerset on Monday and Tuesday of this week, and all for 15s too. Starting from Bristol the express conveyed me tofiigbV bridge (30 miles), from thence I walked^ to Barnham (a little seaside town), and took train to Glastonbury. There is a famous old abbey ruin here, in which, 1800 years ago, Joseph of Arimathea is said to have preached. This may be so, but as I was also shown a thorn tree about 30 years old, and was told Joseph planted that when he visited England, I am inclined to be a little sceptical. From Glastonbury I went on to Cheddar, 12 miles, and after supper walked out to see the famous cliffs. These are about SOO feet high, and appear to have been formed by the hill being forcibly split in twain. xhe moon was full, and the sight was a magnificent one, well repaying me for the journey. There are also some interesting stalactite caves here. Th* little city of Wells first claimed my attention in the morning, and I spent a pleasant hour in Us grand old cathedral, rich in arehitee* tural beauty. Then the country town of Shepton«Mallett was honored with my presence for a short time, but it was too dull for me to stay longer than was neoessary to catch the train over the Mendip ranges to Rad stock, the centre of a large farming and coalmining district, and from which I went on to Bath and H"«tol. • ! •