“Like all the machines here, these are perfectly automatic. Coils of solid leaden piping are hung in it, which it unwinds, cuts to the required length, stamps with steel dies into the form of a Minié bullet, and then conveys away into boxes. Each machine has four dies, which cut, stamp, and pass into boxes thirty-six bullets per minute, giving for each machine an average of 7,000 per hour. There are four of such machines, which thus each day turn out 300,000 Minié bullets; but, of course, as they never tire, the number produced can at any time be doubled by leaving them to work all night. They are so simple in their construction that one man could easily attend to them all. It was a curious contrast to the silent rapidity with which these deadly messengers were formed, to watch a number of men and boys working near them casting round musket-balls for Shrapnel shells, in the old style of hand work. By this method two persons can only rough-cast seven cwt. of bullets per day, or about 12,500, which it takes two persons another day to trim. Thus, four hands, with a great consumption of fuel to keep the lead always melted can only produce 6,000 bullets per day or 1,000 less than each machine produces in one hour.”
The machines for making the box wood plugs are also described:—
“Each of these was managed by a child, who kept it properly fed with small sticks of box, which the machine converted into plugs at the rate of 15,000 in nine hours, or nearly 300,000 per day for them all.”
Rockets, as used for projectiles, are similar to those in ordinary use, but that they have iron cases and are made to start from an iron tube, down which the stick passes, and which directs the course of their flight. They are made of various weights, the largest being thirty-two pounds. These enormous rockets pass to a very great distance and are made either to explode like shells, or burn fiercely for several minutes, like what are called “carcases,” thus setting fire to houses, &c., against which they may be directed; but hitherto their course has been but little under control, and therefore not much to be depended on. They cause great confusion in masses of troops, when directed against them.
PERCUSSION CAPS.
PERCUSSION CAP MACHINE, WOOLWICH ARSENAL.
FIG. 1.