The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

XXIV.-THE GUN FACTORY AT HAVRE. r r has been already said that Messrs. Schneider and Co. recently acquired the very important gun factory that had been installed at Havre by the Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranée in 1884-5. Completed in every detail under the supervision of Mr. Gustave Canet, these works represented the most advanced practice, and contained the most perfect methods, for producing guns of all calibres, from the smallest mountain batteries, to the largest naval cannon. The works occupy a large area bounded on the north by the Paris-Havre line of the Western Railway of liancø, and on the south by thø Boulevard d’Harfleur. They adjoin the machine shops of the Forges et Chantiers Company, on the western side, while to the east lies a large area available for extensions. Every désirable facility foi- transport was comprised in the arrangement of the factory. Branches from tlie Western Railway run into the works, and from theni, tracks enter ail the principal shops while sidings were liberally laid clown. Tracks also extend from the works to the quays and basins of Havre, for unloadino- such heavy objects as came by sea, and for shipping manufacturée! material. The machine shops cover an area of about 100,000 square feet, and consist of a nuinber of separate buildings communicating with each other, and nearly 420 ft. in length. Considérable difficulty was found in making reliable foundations on accôunt of tlie pre- valence of sandy marsh on the site ; the buildings and heavy tools were tlierefore built on piles. The motive power consists of two compound engines, each of them 80 ! horse-power nominal. The larger shops were provided with steam travelling crânes varying from 10 to 60 tons, j and arrangée! to work in combination so as to handle loads j weighing 90 tons. This brief description of the Havre gun factory, as it was originally construeted in 1884, is neces- j sary as a préludé to a more detailed description of the works as they exist to-day, Messrs. Schneider and Co. having considerably enlarged and inodified theni, tliat they may be better adaptec! to the requirements of present practice. Fig 574 is a plan of the gun factory at Havre: A ; shows the position of the general offices, stores, &c. ; B, the directors and engineers’ offices, and drawing offices ; C, engines and boilers ; D. principal shop for construction of guns up to 20 tons ; E, that of guns weighing as inuch as 100 tons; F, shop for 10 ton guns, torpedo tubes, &c. ; G, general machine-shop ; H, shop for making projectiles and fuzes ; I, small machines ; J, heavy machine tools ; K, carpenters’ shop ; L, forge ; M, courtyard. At present the factory consists mainly of seven spans placed side by side ; these are. of course, the original buildings, and the spans are of varions widths and 126 metres (414 ft.) in length. The west span is 12 metres (40 ft.) wide ; at the Southern end are located the manager’B office, and the offices for the engineers and staff; in the centre of this span are the engines, the labatory equip- ments for physical tests of metals ; and the north end is arrangée! for packing and delivering finished products. The six other spans are of the following widths respectively : 9 metres (.30 ft.), 17 metres (56 ft.), 9 metres (30 ft.), 10 metres (.33 ft.), 12 metres (40 ft.), and 15 metres (49 ft.). The height of springing of roof varies from 6 to 10 metres (20 ft. to 33 ft.). The 17 metres (56 ft.) span is specially used for maehining large calibre guns. It is thoroughly equipped with powerful lathes, capable of turning gun tubes 14 metres (46 ft.) long, and weighing 90 tons, and with surfacing lathes for turning heavy gun-carriage parts and ships turrets. It contains also the large rifling machines and tlie shrinking pit. The two spans of 9 metres (30 ft.) each, located on either side of the large shop just referred to, are used for maehining guns of medium and small calibres. They contain the less powerful lathes, rifling machines, &c., as well as large drilling, mortising, shaping, boring, and planing machines, used in the manufacture of heavy gun- carriages and torpedo-launching tubes. In the 10-metre (33 ft.) span is placed the smaller machinery, such as ordinary lathes, lathes for fine work, small shaping machines for cutting toothed wheel gearing, dividing machines, small drills, &c. The north end of this shop is set apart for the manufacture of fuzes, and there is besides sufficient space for maehining breech-pieces and Hght gun-carriage parts. The 12-metre (40-ft.) span is used as the fitting-shop in this the varions breech mechanisms are finished, as well as torpedo-launching tubes with their gear and accessories. The erecting shop oecupies the space covered by the 15-metre (49 ft.) span ; this building limits the works on the eastern side ; the large area of this shop affords space for carrying out the varions preliminary operations for testing breech mechanisms, carriages and mountings, torpedo-launching tubes, &c. ; after these are completed, they are subjected to the reception firing tests in the proving grounds or on board ship. Besides these shops there are two annexes ; one is separated from the west span by a courtyard that opens on the Boulevard d’Harfleur, and contains the stores, the