63. Construction of a Magazine Subject to Direct Fire Only ([Pl. VII], Figs. 73-77.)—The method of tracing the magazine and its approaches is too evident to need description. In this example an earth cover of 5 feet against vertical and 20 feet against horizontal fire is given. Should more or less be desired, a corresponding change may be made in the plan, depth of excavation, and depth and width of approaches; and the earth for additional cover may be obtained from a ditch or pit in rear of the magazine. The excavation for the chamber is given a width of 6', a depth of 5' 6", and a length of 12', the entrance a width of 3', a depth of 5' 6", and a length of 6'.
The sides of the chamber and entrance are held up by frames 4' 9" high and 2' 11" wide, outside measurement. The caps are 6" × 5", stanchions 4" × 5", and the ground sills 3" × 5"; sheeting 1" thick is inserted between the frames and the earth. The covering balks are 9" × 6" and 10 feet long; their tops are flush with the surface of the ground; cleats nailed on their under side keep the tops of the side frames from being pushed in by the pressure of the earth. The earth cover is 5 feet high at the centre and 4 feet at the crest of the outer slope. The passages are 5' 6" deep, 3' wide at bottom, and 5' at the top. The entrance is blinded by placing balks across the passage for such part of its length as may be thought necessary, and extending the earth covering over them, as shown in the section (Fig. 75). A door, swinging outside, is hung on the outside frame. Heavy railroad iron may be substituted for the timber balks with advantage. When thicker balks are used, or when a second layer is added, the chamber and passage should be correspondingly deepened.
64. Manner of Executing the Work.—The powder chamber and passage are excavated and the frames and balks placed during the first night, while the central passage of the battery is being constructed. The excavated earth is thrown out far enough to allow the balks to be put in position, and is so spread as not to be seen by the defence. This may be done by one relief of 8 hours, or two reliefs of 4 hours each. If the work is not completed during the night, the sheeting, frames, and balks may be placed by day under cover of the earth thrown out and the existing screens.
The passages are excavated and the earth cover completed on the second night by two 4-hour reliefs, the first excavating to a depth of 3' 6", and the second to 5' 6", trimming up the slopes and completing the work. When necessary, the sides of the passage will be revetted by the second and a third relief.
When the necessity for great haste exists, the excavation of the powder-chamber, entrance, and passages may be carried on at the same time, the excavated earth being thrown in front and on the sides of the powder-chamber until the balks are in position, and then thrown back upon them, levelled and rammed.
65. Mined Magazine.—When the soil, by absence of rock and water, admits of mining, greater cover against vertical fire can be obtained with less work by mining out the powder-chamber and passages ([Pl. VIII], Figs. 78, 79). The figures illustrate one of minimum dimensions, which is constructed as follows: The entrance 10' × 5' by 5' 6" deep is first excavated, revetted with frames and sheeting and covered with balks and earth as indicated. At 1 foot from the end a shaft 2' × 5' is sunk to a depth of 12'. From the front of this a gallery 2' × 5' 6" is driven for about 6'; at the end of this galleries 5' 6" × 2' are broken out on each side and driven so far as may be necessary to store the requisite number of ammunition-boxes. (For method of sinking shafts, driving galleries, etc., see Military Mining, [Arts. 25], [33], and [44]-48.) The excavated earth is spread on top of the magazine to increase the thickness of the cover already given by that excavated from the passages. A ring-bolt is placed in the balk directly over the shaft, for attaching a hoisting tackle for removing the earth during construction and for hoisting and lowering ammunition-boxes afterward.
A door opening outward may be hung at the entrance, and the passage may be blinded as previously described, if it is thought necessary. The communications are arranged in essentially the same way as for the magazine previously described.
The dimensions given are the least which will allow moderately free access and good cover. The magazine should be constructed, by good miners, in two nights and the intervening day, and will store about 4000 pounds of cartridges in boxes. When time and the character of the ground admit, and larger capacity is desired, the shaft may be made wider and deeper, the gallery wider and longer, and the powder-chamber deeper, longer, and wider, if desired.
The excavation for the entrance and approaches, the placing of balks, and the levelling and ramming of the earth-cover, should be done by night; the mining work can be carried on both night and day.
66. Elevated Magazines.—When the presence of rock or water in the soil prevents sinking the magazines to the full depth above given, they must be sunk so far as practicable and given the least possible clear height of powder chamber, with the best attainable overhead cover. This should be strengthened by the use of railroad iron or rolled iron beams, when available. The cover against direct fire should be increased up to 30 feet, and the front slope be made gentle, like a glacis. A screen made of an earthen bank with a glacis slope should also be used if possible. These precautions having been taken, the depth of the powder-chamber in the direction of the hostile fire should be reduced to a minimum, and the storage of large quantities of powder be avoided, so far as possible, by constructing a number of small magazines at the most convenient places in the vicinity of the battery.