178. The boxes containing metallic cartridges for breech-loading arms require the same care as percussion-caps, and are to be labelled, "On no account to be placed in the magazine."

179. Percussion-Caps for muskets, carbines, and pistols are made in the laboratory at the Washington Navy Yard. They are put up in small packages of water-proof paper, labelled with the number contained in the package and the date of fabrication, and stowed in tin cases containing 350 caps each.

180. Laboratory boxes, in which these are packed, are of the following dimensions: 11 3/4 × 9 1/4 × 7 3/8 inches, and will contain 6,300 percussion-caps each. These boxes are to be labelled, "On no account to be placed in the magazine." Stowage is provided for them in the general store-room.

CARTRIDGE-BAGS.

181. The material of which cartridge-bags are made is woven expressly for the purpose, and furnished by the Bureau of Ordnance as required. The color is white, and the calibre of the gun and the weight of the charge must be stencilled on the bag in figures two and a half (2 1/2) inches long. When procured of necessity elsewhere, the stuff should be chosen of wool, entirely free from any mixture of thread or cotton, and of sufficiently close texture to prevent the finer particles of powder from sifting through. Wildbore, rattinet, merino, and bombazette are named as proper materials for cartridge-bags; of these the thinnest stuff, not twilled, but having the requisite strength and closeness of texture, is the best.

182. Making Cartridge-Bags.—Cartridge-bags for cylindrical chambers are made of a rectangle to form the cylinder, and a circular piece to form the bottom. The flat patterns, by which the cartridge-bags for the 8-inch and 32-pounder guns are cut, are, consequently, to be made rectangular for the cylindrical part of the bag, and circular for the bottom. The length of the rectangle is equal to the development of the cylinder, together with the allowance for seam; and its width, to the whole length of the bag before sewing, including the allowance for seam and tie.

Special patterns are furnished for those of XV-in., XI-in., X-in., IX-in., 8-inch of 6,500 lbs., and 32-pounder of 4,500 lbs. shell-guns, all of which have gomer chambers.

183.

Dimensions of Flat Patterns for Cutting out Cartridge-Bags.

TO BE MADE OF PINE FOR THE 8-INCH AND 32-PDR. GUNS, AND OF METAL PLATES FOR THE "GOMER" CHAMBERS OF OTHER GUNS.[2]