106 



WOOLWICH WORCESTER. 



municated his fears to Colonel Armstrong, the sur- 

 veyor-general of the ordnance, explained his rea- 

 sons for believing that an explosion would take 

 place, and strongly urged him and the rest of the 

 company to withdraw from the foundry before the 

 casting of the metal. The colonel having closely 

 questioned Schalch on the subject, found him per- 

 fectly conversant with all the principles of the 

 founder's art, and being convinced of the good 

 sense which dictated his advice, quitted the foun- 

 dry, together with all those persons who could be 

 induced to believe that there were any grounds for 

 apprehension. The furnaces being opened, the 

 duid metal rushed into the moulds, the mois- 

 ture in which was instantly converted into steam, 

 and its expansive force acting upon the metal drove 

 it out in all directions with extreme violence ; part 

 of the roof was blown off, the galleries gave way, 

 .iiul a scene of much mischief and distress ensued. 

 Many of the spectators had their limbs broken, 

 most of the workmen were burnt in a dreadful 

 manner, and several lives were lost. A few days 

 afterwards an advertisement appeared in the news- 

 papers, notifying that if the young foreigner who 

 foretold this explosion would call at the ordnance 

 office, it might prove advantageous to both par- 

 ties. Schalch being informed, through a friend, 

 of this intimation, lost no time in obeying the 

 summons. Colonel Armstrong had then much 

 further conversation with him on the subject; and 

 became by this means so well assured of his su- 

 perior ability, that it was finally agreed to intrust 

 Schalch with putting into execution the intention 

 of government to seek an eligible situation out of 

 the metropolis, and within twelve miles thereof, 

 to which the royal foundry should be removed. 

 Schalch, after examining different places, at length 

 fixed upon the rabbit warren, at Woolwich, as 

 suitable to his purpose, and the erection of the 

 works was left to his superintendence. The first 

 specimens of artillery cast by Schalch were so much 

 approved that he was appointed master founder to 

 the board of ordnance, and this office he continued 

 to hold during sixty years, assisted in the latter 

 part of that term by his nephew Lewis Gaschlin. 

 Twenty-five years ago, this nephew, then more 

 than eighty years old, was still employed in the 

 arsenal as principal modeller for the military reposi- 

 tory. Schalch died in 1776, at the advanced age 

 of ninety, and is buried in Woolwich church-yard. 

 Some of the largest mortars now remaining in the 

 arsenal were cast under his direction and bear his 

 name." 



At Woolwich is a royal military academy, in- 

 stituted in 1719, but not finally arranged till 1741. 

 It is under the direction of the master-general 

 and board of ordnance for the time being : a lieu- 

 tenant-governor, an inspector, a professor of mathe- 

 matics, and four masters ; a professor of chemistry ; 

 a professor of fortification, and two masters ; one 

 French master, two drawing masters, a fencing mas- 

 ter, a dancing master, &c. The number of pupils, 

 styled cadets, since the peace, has been reduced to 

 100. They are of the most respectable families ; 

 when admitted, must be at least four feet and nine 

 inches high, and not exceed sixteen, nor be under 

 fourteen, years of age. As soon as they are admit- 

 ted on the establishment, they begin to receive 

 pay, at the rate of 45 12s. per annum. The 

 building is of a castellated form, and was built at 

 the expense of about 150,000. Woolwich con- 

 tains, also, barracks, a pagoda, used as a repository 



for models, several hospitals, and other charitable 

 establishments. Population in 1841, '25,785. 



WOOTZ. See Steel. 



WORCESTER; the chief town of Worcester- 

 shire, and one of the most ancient cities in Eng- 

 land, is agreeably situated in a beautiful vale on 

 the eastern banks of the Severn, 103 miles north- 

 west by west from London. Being an ancient for- 

 tified place, this city had a strong wall, of which 

 some remains may yet be seen. The cathedral is a 

 noble specimen of Gothic simplicity. It was first 

 erected by Etbelred, king of Mercia, in 680, but 

 was burned down and rebuilt in the beginning of 

 the thirteenth century. It suffered considerable 

 damage during the civil war, in the reign of Charles 

 I. Its form is that of a double cross. It is in 

 length, 410 feet; in breadth, 78; and in height, 

 68 ; and the tower, which rises, from the centre of 

 the cross aisle, to the altitude of 200 feet, is orna- 

 mented at the corners by lofty pinnacles and bat- 

 tlements. The cathedral contains many handsome 

 monuments, and is adorned with a variety of sculp- 

 tures. This city suffered much during the wars 

 between the houses of York and Lancaster ; but 

 the most remarkable event here was the famous 

 battle between the English army, under Cromwell, 

 and the Scotch, in the cause of Charles II., in 1651. 

 (See Cromwell.~) Of the parish churches, there are 

 nine within the walls and two without. Here are 

 various public buildings and charitable institutions, 

 and meeting-houses for various sects. Its hop mar- 

 ket is the most considerable in the kingdom. There 

 is a bridge over the Severn, consisting of five arches. 

 The trade of Worcester is considerable. The por- 

 celain and glove manufactures are carried on to a 

 great extent. It sends two members to parliament. 

 Population in 1841. 25,401. 



WORCESTER, JOHN TIPTOFT, earl of, a patron 

 of learning, and one of the few literary ornaments 

 of England in the fifteenth century, was born at 

 Everton, or Evaston, in Cambridgeshire, and edu- 

 cated at Baliol college, Oxford. He was the son 

 of lord Tibetot, or Tiptoft and Powys, and was 

 created a viscount and carl of Worcester by Henry 

 VI., \vhoalso appointed him lord-deputy of Ireland. 

 By Edward IV. he was made knight of the garter, 

 and constituted justice of North Wales for life. 

 Dugdale says he was soon after made constable of 

 the Tower ; while others assert that he was twice 

 lord high constable, and twice lord high treasurer. 

 He was also a second time deputy or lieutenant of 

 Ireland, under the duke of Clarence, in which ca- 

 pacity he attainted the earls of Kildare and Des- 

 mond for supporting the insurrection against go- 

 vernment, and sentenced the latter to be beheaded. 

 On the temporary reverse of fortune experienced 

 by Edward IV. and the house of York, in conse- 

 quence of the junction between the Earl of War- 

 wick and the duke of Clarence, the earl of Wor- 

 cester, the severity of whose judicial proceedings 

 as high constable had rendered him extremely ob- 

 noxious to the Lancastrians, became one of the 

 first objects of their vengeance. He endeavoured 

 to find security for his person by concealment, but 

 was discovered in a tree in the forest of Weybridge, 

 near Huntingdon, and thence conveyed to London, 

 where he was hastily tried on the accusation of 

 cruelty in his Irish administration, particularly to- 

 wards two infant sons of the earl of Desmond, and 

 condemned to lose his head on Tower hill, on the 

 eighteenth of October, 1470, which sentence was 

 executed accordingly. He was married three times, 



