MECHANICS AXD USEFUL ARTS. 29 



ity of quality and structure ; was cast cylindrical, and reduced after- 

 wards under the hammer to the rectangular shape. M. Krupp also 

 exhibited shafts, rolls, railway tires and wheels, locomotive axles, and 

 guns, of cast steel. The largest of these last was of nine-inch bore, 

 and weighed nine tons, being a single mass of cast steel, and by far 

 the largest gun of this material hitherto made. It was, however, 

 hardly more than a steel forging, bored and rough-turned, for, 

 although open at both ends, no breech-loading arrangement was 

 shown, nor had the bore been rifled. Other guns of smaller dimen- 

 sions were also shown in considerable number, each in the same stage 

 of finish as the nine-inch gun. 



In the vicinity of Krupp's works, at Essen, is another cast-steel 

 establishment, known as that of " Bochuni." We are informed that 

 the processes here adopted are the same in all respects as at Krupp's, 

 and that access to the works is liberally granted by the proprietors. 

 A large cast-steel bell was the principal object sent from Bochum to 

 the Exhibition. 



Ordnance. Of war implements in the Exhibition there seemed 

 to be no end ; the British government leading off in the display, and 

 every European power following, except France and Austria, which 

 sent nothing officially. The heavy guns exhibited by the British 

 government were all breech-loaders, mostly of the Armstrong pat- 

 tern ; and this breech-loading system characterized all of the guns 

 sent by the continental workshops except Spain, which, in common 

 with France, has neglected it. In the Italian department specimens 

 of the so-called Cavalli gun were shown. The inventor, Gen. Cavalli, 

 although an advocate of the breech-loading system, does not adopt 

 the compression system for his projectiles, which are of simple cast 

 iron, without any attempt at the exclusion of windage. The pro- 

 jections, which are cast on the shot, and which fit loosely into the 

 grooves, impart the necessary rotary motion, which, combined with 

 the form of the projectile, the General considers to be sufficient to 

 secure accuracy of fire and length of range. This gun, for heavy 

 artillery, has been adopted to a considerable extent in the Italian 

 army, but their field-artillery is ruled upon the French system of 

 Treuille de Beaulieu. From Sweden the guns were constructed on 

 the plan proposed by Baron Von WahrandorfF, who uses breech- 

 loaders, with a system of lead coating, affixed mechanically to the 

 sides of elongated projectiles, to enable him to rifle his guns on the 

 compression principle. A gun, exhibited as the invention of Lieut. 

 Engstrom, of the Swedish navy, was of cast iron, rifled in four 

 grooves ; the projectile was cylindro-conical, with eight wooden studs 

 attached to it. These projectiles were tested in England some years 

 since, and were then unfavorably reported on ; but it is asserted 

 that since then improvements have been made which obviate the 

 defects complained of. Experiments are being carried on with this 

 system of ordnance in France, Russia, and other countries. General 

 Guiod, of the French artillery, asserts that in France favorable results 

 have been obtained. In small-arms, specimens of the rifled gun, 

 adopted in 1860, for the Swedish army, were exhibited. This rifle is 

 sighted for ranges of 600, 1,000, 1,400, 1,800, 2,200, 2,600, and 3,000 

 feet, and is said to range with effect for 4,000 feet. It is manufac- 



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