:

ALARMING EXLOSION-THE WARREN.

attendance as the head of the department. His warning being disregarded, Schalch retired from the spot, with as many of his friends and the company as he could prevail upon to accompany him. They had not proceeded far before the furnaces were opened; and, as he had forewarned, a dreadful explosion ensued. The water in the moulds was converted into steam, which, from its expansive force, caused a fiery stream of liquid metal to dart out in every direction part of the roof of the building was blown off, and the galleries that had been erected for the company were swept vblently to the ground. Most of the workmen engaged were burnt in a terrible manner; some were killed, and many of the spectators severely injured. A few days afterwards, in answer to an advertisement in the public papers, Schalch attended upon Colonel Armstrong, and was informed by him that the Board of Ordnance contemplated erecting a new foundry; and had determined, from the representations made to them of Schalch's ability and competence, to offer him the superintendence of its erection; and, moreover, allow him the management of the whole concern when completed. Schalch fixed upon the Warren at Woolwich as the most eligible situation for the new building; and the ordnance which were cast here by his direction were highly approved of. Thus, almost by a mere chance-though indeed his knowledge and his merits should rather be said to have made themselves an opportunity, than his success be attributed to chance-was this young foreigner raised to a situation of great trust and emolument; which he filled so ably, that during the many years he held the appointment of superintendent of the Royal Arsenal, not a single accident occurred, amidst all the dangerous processes attendant on the operations of gun-casting. He retired, after sixty years' service, to Charlton, where he died; and his tomb may yet be seen in Woolwich churchyard.

Such is the story of Schalch; and having heard this, you will look with greater interest on the three furnaces, the largest of which will hold seventeen tons of metal. There is now no fear of explosion; for the moulds are bedded in sand, and dried or baked redhot with burning charcoal. Schiller has sung the "Founding of the Bell;" the "Forging of the Anchor" has been celebrated in no unworthy strain, as you will see, when we tell it

THE CASTING OF THE CANNON.

you in the dockyard: it remains yet for some inspired bard to immortalise the "Casting of the Cannon;" a glorious theme for a great poet to expatiate upon-fit subject for him who sang "The Mariners of England."

The account given by an eye witness of the "casting" which took place on July 5, 1840, will afford some idea of the grandeur of this interesting spectacle: "The quantity of metal was upwards of sixteen tons; amongst which was an old brass gun, cast in the same foundry by M. Schalch, in 1742, and raised from the wreck of the Royal George at Spithead, in 1840. The moulds used on this occasion were for ten 24-pounders, and two 12-pounders, brass howitzers. After being settled in their proper places, and duly imbedded in sand, burning charcoal was introduced into them; and the supply continued until the moulds became redhot, and all the moisture remaining after their formation completely evaporated: by which precaution all danger of explosion is avoided. Brass, worth, as old metal, £1280, having been placed in the furnace, and the fire lighted, pieces of hard wood were thrown upon it, and supplied during fourteen hours, at the rate of three a minute, consuming five stacks, each three feet broad, three feet high, and twelve feet long. The furnace was lighted at nine o'clock in the evening; and on the following day, at eleven o'clock, Lord Bloomfield, with all the staff and many of the officers of the garrison, and Captain Burnaby, with all the gentlemen cadets from the Royal Military Academy, were present to witness the casting. When the heavy metal, in a state equally liquid as boiling water, in a fiery stream with a brilliant flame, was run into the moulds, the intense glowing of the furnace, and the volumes of flame proceeding from the doors, notwithstanding they had strong iron barriers, presented, for several hours preceding the casting, a grand and magnificent spectacle."

We now cross from the Foundry to another building on the right, and, entering at a gate on the West Parade, proceed within to view the boring machine, which twists, turns, and bores and polishes a heavy brass gun with as much ease as a common lathe would a snuff-box. A large bit, of the requisite diameter, is firmly fixed, against which the solid gun is made to revolve, cutting away the metal in flakes until the bore is

PROVING THE CANNON-THE LABORATORY.

excavated, while the implement for turning revolves at the same time, and completes the outer surface. The touch-hole is then drilled, and the gun is finished. It then remains to be seen whether it is trustworthy and fit for service; for which purpose it is carefully examined with magnifying glasses, in every part, its interior reflected upon mirrors, and its relative proportions tested with mathematical accuracy. If any imperfection is discovered, the piece is at once condemned to the foundry again; but, if all seems perfect, the last grand test is resorted to the gun is loaded and fired. If there is a flaw in it, it bursts to pieces. If not, it comes from the ordeal triumphant, and becomes from that day forth one of the recognised thunderers that guard the British Empire.

Now, turning to the right, through an avenue of trees, we proceed to the Laboratory, where cartridges are filled and packed a dangerous trade! *—and passing Napier's wonderful machine for squeezing leaden rods into bullets by compression, we go through the model rooms, watching the various materials and processes for making gunpowder. These are two spacious apartments. The one on the left of the entrance is set apart for specimens of wood, charcoal, sulphur, saltpetre, and their various changes and modifications until combined into gunpowder. Grinding mills, sifting machines, and all the implements necessary for its manufacture, are here exhibited. Here also are moulds for casting balls and bullets of various sizes; all the sizes and forms of chain, grape, and canister shot, from one to two hundred and fifty pounds in weight, are arranged on tables and on the floor. Specimens of rockets of every description, and all kinds of port-fires and cartridges, are also to be seen. We here gaze with wonder on that innocent-looking leathern bag, which we learn will, with match applied, blow down the heaviest gate; and, remembering the gazetted story of Colonel Denny's

* A terrible explosion occurred in this department during September 1845, by which seven persons, engaged in destroying old fusees, were instantaneously killed. It seems that the breaking of the fusees was accomplished with a mallet and steel chisel, and it is supposed that the accident arose from the chisel coming in contact with some grit, which produced a spark, and set fire to the priming. Since this occurrence, orders have been given for the adoption of a less dangerous method.

THE ASSAULT ON GHUZNEE.

exploit during the Affghan war, depart with a fuller appreciation of a soldier's perils.*

Hardly have we left the Laboratory, when, proceeding towards the left, our eyes open on an immense field of ordnance, shells, * No more forcible illustration of the uses of this military engine can be found than in the account, " by an officer high in command," of the assault on Ghuznee:-"The scene became intensely exciting. It was still dark, and the Affghans exhibited on their walls a succession of blue lights. Everywhere the cannonade and fire of musketry grew fiercer and fiercer, and the northern rampart especially became one vast sheet of flame. The dusky fortress looked like some huge monster indignant at the attacks of its enemies, belching forth masses of fire and smoke, as if to consume its audacious foes at once. The scene was unimaginably, though dreadfully, beautiful. But the catastrophe was approaching. The party, to whom was intrusted the critical duty of blowing up the gate, now advanced to their task silently and rapidly, led by Lieutenant Durand. The besieged were conscious of our being in the gateway, but had no conception of the terrible process going on, or, by throwing over a few of their blue lights, they might have prevented the placing of the powder bags. But this ignorance on their part had been foreseen. The success of the whole scheme depended on the nicest calculation of chances, and the event proved how skilfully this had been done. On going up to the gate, Lieutenant Durand distinctly saw through the chinks lights and a guard behind it. The poor fellows were smoking their pipes with all a Mussulman's imperturbability, and quite unconscious that the next moment would hurl them into eternity. The powder bags were now piled against the huge portal, the hose laid, and the train fired; the explosion party quickly retiring to such cover as they could find in the short space of time available. The whole was accomplished in less than two minutes. The enemy were still ignorant of the nature of our proceedings; but their attention was attracted at that moment by the commotion about the gate, and a large and brilliant blue light was brought to the spot, that they might see what was going on. But it was too late. The powder bags had ignited, and now exploded with a tremendous crash, shivering the massive barricade to pieces, and tearing away solid masses of stone and wood work from the main building. Not one of the party was hurt by the explosion. After a short pause, the bugle sounded the signal for the advance of the storming party, and the heroic Colonel Denny, at the head of the forlorn hope, sprang over the black and smoking ruins that impeded the gateway, and rushed into the fortress. The surprised and terrified Affghans for a moment lost their self-possession, but speedily recovered themselves, and a fierce hand to hand encounter ensued. They contested the entrance with great bravery; but the gallant and impetuous colonel dashed forward with invincible courage, bearing down all opposition. Although daylight had broken, it was still so dark in the narrow entrance as to be impossible to distinguish any object clearly; and the soldiers, as they came up, had to grope their way between the yet standing walls, and pour in their deadly volleys when almost close upon the enemy, for there was no time nor space for regular firing. It was at first feared that the gate had

THE SEED OF WAR-EMPLOYMENT OF THE CONVICTS.

and shot-28,000 large guns arranged in long rows! 4,000,000 of shot and shells, of all sizes, built up in pyramidical piles! the seed of war; the "dragon's teeth," indeed! Long may they lie and rust! We are told, that "when the allied sovereigns visited England after the peace in 1814, they agreed that of all the wondrous sights they had seen in England, these implements of warfare were the most wondrous; and the Emperor Alexander had his doubts at first whether these piles of iron balls were not wood, painted irongrey, to deceive him into a false idea of our immense resources." A large Chinese mortar, too, should be noticed, lately brought to England in the Cornwallis, weighing eight tons seventeen cwt., and having a bore of twenty-seven inches diameter. In our walk parties of convicts will be seen at their seemingly useless work, beating shot and shells with small hammers, and occasionally filing them. We confess the spectacle of human degradation is always painful to us; and we hope that most men, like ourselves, will turn away, nor kindle the agony of shame in the mind of any of these unfortunate wretches by the idle stare of curiosity. Upwards of five hundred of these men work from nine in the morning until six in the evening, and always under the eye of an overlooker and a sentinel, who stands ready with loaded musket, and under orders to shoot down any who may attempt to escape. On the left of this field are ranges of stores, where ten thousand horses may been bricked up behind, a sudden angle in the passage causing that appearance; but, as they pressed on, the leading files caught a glimpse of the sky above the heads of their receding foes, and felt assured that the town was before them. The conflict, however severe, was not of long duration. The gallant little band, inspired by their daring leader, whose commanding figure was seen ever in advance, and whose voice cheered them on to the attack, forced their way along overbearing all resistance, and at length a loud exhilarating cheer announced to the whole army without the triumphant issue of the contest." Such is one only of the exploits of this powder bag. The mode of applying it is as simple as its construction: it is merely filled with about fifty pounds of gunpowder, and during the night time is attached by a nail to the gate intended to be destroyed. When this is effected, a slow match is lighted, which affords the soldier employed in this perilous task just time enough to retire to a sufficiently safe distance before it communicates with the fatal contents of the bag. On the explosion taking place, so great is the resistance of the air on one side, that the solid timber of the gate on the other side, and even the adjoining masonry or brickwork, is completely destroyed, being divided into thousands of fragments by the violence of the concussion.