not receive pay, but enjoy certain immunities from taxes and militia service. The parade day of the fire companies of a town is considered as a fête, the companies of other towns are invited to attend, and test the qualities of their respective engines in a trial as to which can throw the highest stream of water. At a meeting of firemen, held in Newhaven, thirty-six companies attended, each dressed in a distinctive uniform, and averaging about fifty strong. A prize was given to the company whose engine succeeded in throwing the highest stream of water. The engines played against a pole 150 feet high, through hose 450 feet long. Two engines, one having a 10-inch, the other an 8-inch cylinder, threw a stream 143 feet high, and carried off each a prize. These engines, however, were surpassed the following day by another engine with a 10-inch cylinder, which threw a stream over the pole. CHAPTER X. GOVERNMENT WORKS. NEW YORK, BOSTON, WASHINGTON, SPRINGFIELD. 71. Navy Yard, New York.-This navy yard is situated on Long Island, opposite the city. It covers a considerable extent of ground, and has many large storehouses and workshops, and gives employment to between 400 and 500 men. It contains the most capacious dry dock in the United States, constructed to admit vessels of the largest size. They may be completely docked, and the water pumped out in four hours and a quarter. The quantity of water to be removed is about 610,000 cubic feet. It is pumped out by a condensing engine, with a 50-inch cylinder, 12 feet stroke, and 32 feet beam. The cut-off motion is self-adjusting, so that more steam is admitted into the cylinder as the height to which it has to pump the water increases. The framing of the engine is in the form of Gothic columns, supporting arches, all painted and bronzed. All the work not painted is highly polished. The whole is surrounded by a bronzed rail, and a cast-iron flooring, ornamented with stars in relief, covers the floor. The engine house is about 60 feet square, and 50 feet high. The boilers are placed in a fire-proof room adjoining; they are three in number, 26 feet long, 7 feet in diameter, and are ordinarily used at a pressure of 50 lbs. The engine works two draining pumps, each 63 inches in diameter, having 8 feet stroke, one being connected to each arm of the beam. The whole cost of the dock and its appendages is estimated at $2,000,000 (about 400,0007.). 72. Navy Yard, Washington.-In this yard there are from 500 to 600 men in the various departments, employed in the manufacture of ordnance, marine engines, chain cables, anchors, &c. Experiments were being made with a large gun, carrying 240 lb. shot, and also with a pendulum mortar. The quality of the metal of which each gun is composed is tested and registered, and a sample piece preserved. 73. Boston Navy Yard.-The Boston Navy Yard is of great extent, and contains three large sheds for ship-building, one of which is now used as a store for timber; another is occupied by the ship "Virginia," which has been on the stocks for more than twenty years; the third is empty. The manufacture of rope is carried on on a very extensive scale. A building 1,360 feet long, contains a rope walk where a length of upwards of 1,200 feet of rope may be made. There are also the means of making 24-inch cables. Machinery is used for making sheaves for ship blocks. An ingenious machine is employed for boring the sheaf, and recessing it on both sides for receiving the bush. Two lathe headstocks are mounted on a frame, and carry the small revolving cutters for making the recesses. An universal concentric chuck, with three "jaws," having a large hole in its centre, is mounted between the headstocks. This carries the work, and has a vertical adjustment. 74. Springfield Armoury. - Springfield Armoury is beautifully situated on an eminence overlooking the town. The various buildings together form a quadrangle; the grounds, which are tastefully laid out, occupy an extent of about 40 acres. I was conducted over the establishment by M the Commanding Officer, Colonel Ripley, and the master machinist, Mr. Buckland, who is the inventor of the principal machines employed in the manufacture of firearms. The front building, which has a handsome centre tower, is used as an arsenal for muskets. It contains 100,000 muskets, stacked with beautiful uniformity. The barrels are made in mills, situated on the banks of a small river at some distance. The lighter parts of the musket, as the stock, the lock, guards, &c., are manufactured in the workshops attached to the Armoury. The machines employed in the manufacture of the musket stocks are worthy of particular notice. By the kind courtesy of Colonel Ripley, facilities were afforded me for observing the time occupied in each operation. The stocks are purchased rough from the saw for twenty-eight cents (or 1s. 2d.) each. 1. They are roughly turned in Blanchard's machine, Time occupied. Min. Sec. 4 11 3 30 0 7 |