474 Scientific Industries. 



wooden model of which is in the United Service Institution, White- 

 hall), said to have been occupied by Prince Rupert and named 

 after him " Prince Rupert's Tower." The Pattern Room was, in 

 1741, converted for the use of the Royal Military Academy, and 

 notwithstanding the opening of the present Academy on the Com- 

 mon in 1806, was used for instruction purposes down to 1856, when 

 all cadets were finally removed from the Arsenal. 



In 1772 George III. paid his first visit to what had now become an 

 extensive manufactory of implements of war. An interesting 

 account of this visit appears in a newspaper of the time, his Majesty 

 being shown " the various progressions of casting brass guns, such 

 as the preparation of the clay, forming the moulds, fixing the 

 trunnions, and the motion of the fire in the furnaces, occasioned by 

 the subterraneous galleries that convey an uncommon blast of 

 wind from every quarter." The Royal visit was repeated in 1805, 

 and, as a consequence, the ordnance establishment received the 

 name of " Royal Arsenal." The following extract from the 

 " Gentleman's Magazine " of July, 1805, describes the incident :-- 



" Thursday, June 27. The Ordnance Board have signified 

 to Gen. Lloyd, who commands the artillery at Woolwich, that 

 the ' Warren ' at that place is no longer to bear that name ; 

 but from this time to be denominated the ' Royal Arsenal.' 

 The old name had its origin from the place having actually 

 been a rabbit warren, but the name of one of the tamest of all 

 animals was certainly ill-suited to the nature of the place. 

 On the recent Royal visit to what is called the Warren, where 

 all ordnance, stores, ammunition, etc., are lodged, his Majesty 

 noticed how little appropriate the name was to the place, and 

 suggested the propriety of changing it to that of ' Arsenal.' 

 The Master- General admitted the justice of the idea, and 

 instantly adopted it ; henceforward, therefore, in compliment 

 to his Majesty's suggestion, the Warren is to be called ' The 

 Royal Arsenal.' ' 



The growth of the Royal Arsenal during the nineteenth century 

 was very rapid ; a very considerable amount of the excavating and 

 building required for the extension was carried out by convict 

 labour indeed, as early as the middle of the eighteenth century 

 convicts were extensively employed upon the works in the Warren. 

 The main entrance gate to the Arsenal was erected in 1829. 



The Arsenal Establishment. 



At the present day the establishment of the Arsenal for the 

 manufacture of ordnance and munitions of war comprises the three 

 leading factories known as (a) the Royal Laboratory, (b) the Royal 

 Gun Factory (to which is attached the Torpedo Factory), and 



