The Casting Celebration

During the eight months which were employed in the work of excavation the preparatory works of the casting had been carried on simultaneously with extreme rapidity. A stranger arriving at Stones Hill would have been surprised at the spectacle offered to his view.

During the eight months of excavation, preparations for the casting also moved ahead very quickly. A stranger arriving at Stones Hill would have been surprised by the sight.

At 600 yards from the well, and circularly arranged around it as a central point, rose 1,200 reverberating ovens, each six feet in diameter, and separated from each other by an interval of three feet. The circumference occupied by these 1,200 ovens presented a length of two miles. Being all constructed on the same plan, each with its high quadrangular chimney, they produced a most singular effect.

A circle of 1,200 reverberatory ovens stood 600 yards from the well, with the well at its center. Each oven was six feet in diameter, and the ovens stood three feet apart. The circle they formed was two miles long. All the ovens were built to the same design, each with a tall, four-sided chimney. Together, they made a most unusual sight.

It will be remembered that on their third meeting the committee had decided to use cast iron for the Columbiad, and in particular the white description. This metal, in fact, is the most tenacious, the most ductile, and the most malleable, and consequently suitable for all moulding operations; and when smelted with pit coal, is of superior quality for all engineering works requiring great resisting power, such as cannon, steam boilers, hydraulic presses, and the like.

You may remember that at its third meeting, the committee decided to use cast iron for the Columbiad, especially white cast iron. In fact, this metal is the toughest, most ductile, and most malleable. It is therefore suitable for all molding operations. When smelted with coal, it is of superior quality for all engineering works requiring great strength. These include cannon, steam boilers, hydraulic presses, and similar equipment.

Cast iron, however, if subjected to only one single fusion, is rarely sufficiently homogeneous; and it requires a second fusion completely to refine it by dispossessing it of its last earthly deposits. So long before being forwarded to Tampa Town, the iron ore, molten in the great furnaces of Coldspring, and brought into contact with coal and silicium heated to a high temperature, was carburized and transformed into cast iron. After this first operation, the metal was sent on to Stones Hill. They had, however, to deal with 136,000,000 pounds of iron, a quantity far too costly to send by railway. The cost of transport would have been double that of material. It appeared preferable to freight vessels at New York, and to load them with the iron in bars. This, however, required not less than sixty- eight vessels of 1,000 tons, a veritable fleet, which, quitting New York on the 3rd of May, on the 10th of the same month ascended the Bay of Espiritu Santo, and discharged their cargoes, without dues, in the port at Tampa Town. Thence the iron was transported by rail to Stones Hill, and about the middle of January this enormous mass of metal was delivered at its destination.

Cast iron, however, is rarely uniform enough after being melted only once. It must be melted a second time to remove the last traces of earthy impurities and fully refine it. So, long before being sent to Tampa Town, the iron ore was melted in the great furnaces of Coldspring. There it came into contact with coal and silicium heated to a high temperature. The ore absorbed carbon and was transformed into cast iron. After this first operation, the metal was sent to Stones Hill. There were 136,000,000 pounds of iron to transport, however, and sending it by rail would have been far too expensive. Transport would have cost twice as much as the material itself. It seemed better to charter vessels in New York and load them with iron bars. This required no fewer than sixty-eight vessels of 1,000 tons, a veritable fleet. The fleet left New York on May 3. On May 10, it sailed up the Bay of Espiritu Santo and unloaded its cargoes duty-free at the port of Tampa Town. From there, the iron was transported by rail to Stones Hill. Around the middle of January, this enormous mass of metal reached its destination.

It will easily be understood that 1,200 furnaces were not too many to melt simultaneously these 60,000 tons of iron. Each of these furnaces contained nearly 140,000 pounds weight of metal. They were all built after the model of those which served for the casting of the Rodman gun; they were trapezoidal in shape, with a high elliptical arch. These furnaces, constructed of fireproof brick, were especially adapted for burning pit coal, with a flat bottom upon which the iron bars were laid. This bottom, inclined at an angle of 25 degrees, allowed the metal to flow into the receiving troughs; and the 1,200 converging trenches carried the molten metal down to the central well.

It is easy to see why 1,200 furnaces were needed to melt all 60,000 tons of iron at once. Each furnace held nearly 140,000 pounds of metal. They were all modeled on the furnaces used to cast the Rodman gun. They were trapezoidal, with high elliptical arches. Built of fireproof brick, the furnaces were specially designed to burn coal. Each had a flat bottom where the iron bars were laid. The bottom sloped at a 25-degree angle, allowing the molten metal to flow into receiving troughs. From there, 1,200 converging trenches carried the metal down to the central well.

The day following that on which the works of the masonry and boring had been completed, Barbicane set to work upon the central mould. His object now was to raise within the center of the well, and with a coincident axis, a cylinder 900 feet high, and nine feet in diameter, which should exactly fill up the space reserved for the bore of the Columbiad. This cylinder was composed of a mixture of clay and sand, with the addition of a little hay and straw. The space left between the mould and the masonry was intended to be filled up by the molten metal, which would thus form the walls six feet in thickness. This cylinder, in order to maintain its equilibrium, had to be bound by iron bands, and firmly fixed at certain intervals by cross-clamps fastened into the stone lining; after the castings these would be buried in the block of metal, leaving no external projection.

The day after the masonry and boring were completed, Barbicane began work on the central mould. He planned to raise a cylinder in the center of the well, aligned with its axis. The cylinder would be 900 feet high and nine feet in diameter. It would exactly fill the space reserved for the bore of the Columbiad. The cylinder was made of clay and sand, mixed with a little hay and straw. Molten metal would fill the space between the mould and the masonry, forming walls six feet thick. To keep the cylinder steady, workers had to bind it with iron bands. They also had to secure it at intervals with cross-clamps fastened into the stone lining. After casting, the clamps would be buried in the metal block, with no ends sticking out.

This operation was completed on the 8th of July, and the run of the metal was fixed for the following day.

The operation was completed on July 8, and the metal was scheduled to be poured the next day.

“This fete of the casting will be a grand ceremony,” said J. T. Maston to his friend Barbicane.

“The celebration for the casting will be a grand ceremony,” J. T. Maston said to his friend Barbicane.

“Undoubtedly,” said Barbicane; “but it will not be a public fete“

“Certainly,” said Barbicane, “but it will not be a public celebration“

“What! will you not open the gates of the enclosure to all comers?”

“What! Won’t you open the gates of the enclosure to everyone?”

“I must be very careful, Maston. The casting of the Columbiad is an extremely delicate, not to say a dangerous operation, and I should prefer its being done privately. At the discharge of the projectile, a fete if you like—till then, no!”

“I must be very careful, Maston. Casting the Columbiad is extremely delicate, if not dangerous, and I would prefer to do it privately. When the projectile is fired, we can have a fete if you like. But not before then!”

The president was right. The operation involved unforeseen dangers, which a great influx of spectators would have hindered him from averting. It was necessary to preserve complete freedom of movement. No one was admitted within the enclosure except a delegation of members of the Gun Club, who had made the voyage to Tampa Town. Among these was the brisk Bilsby, Tom Hunter, Colonel Blomsberry, Major Elphinstone, General Morgan, and the rest of the lot to whom the casting of the Columbiad was a matter of personal interest. J. T. Maston became their cicerone. He omitted no point of detail; he conducted them throughout the magazines, workshops, through the midst of the engines, and compelled them to visit the whole 1,200 furnaces one after the other. At the end of the twelve-hundredth visit they were pretty well knocked up.

The president was right. The operation involved unexpected dangers, and a large crowd of spectators would have made it harder for him to prevent them. He needed complete freedom to move around. Only a delegation of Gun Club members who had traveled to Tampa Town were allowed inside the enclosure. They included the energetic Bilsby, Tom Hunter, Colonel Blomsberry, Major Elphinstone, General Morgan, and the rest of the group. They all had a personal interest in the casting of the Columbiad. J. T. Maston became their guide. He left out no detail. He led them through the storehouses and workshops, among the engines, and made them visit all 1,200 furnaces, one after another. By the end of the twelve-hundredth visit, they were pretty well worn out.

The casting was to take place at twelve o’clock precisely. The previous evening each furnace had been charged with 114,000 pounds weight of metal in bars disposed cross-ways to each other, so as to allow the hot air to circulate freely between them. At daybreak the 1,200 chimneys vomited their torrents of flame into the air, and the ground was agitated with dull tremblings. As many pounds of metal as there were to cast, so many pounds of coal were there to burn. Thus there were 68,000 tons of coal which projected in the face of the sun a thick curtain of smoke. The heat soon became insupportable within the circle of furnaces, the rumbling of which resembled the rolling of thunder. The powerful ventilators added their continuous blasts and saturated with oxygen the glowing plates. The operation, to be successful, required to be conducted with great rapidity. On a signal given by a cannon-shot each furnace was to give vent to the molten iron and completely to empty itself. These arrangements made, foremen and workmen waited the preconcerted moment with an impatience mingled with a certain amount of emotion. Not a soul remained within the enclosure. Each superintendent took his post by the aperture of the run.

The casting was to take place at exactly twelve o’clock. The previous evening, each furnace had been loaded with 114,000 pounds of metal bars. The bars were laid crosswise over one another so hot air could circulate freely between them. At daybreak, the 1,200 chimneys vomited torrents of flame into the air, and the ground shook with dull tremors. For every pound of metal to be cast, a pound of coal had to be burned. Thus, 68,000 tons of coal cast a thick curtain of smoke across the sun. The heat inside the circle of furnaces soon became unbearable, and their rumbling sounded like rolling thunder. Powerful fans added their continuous blasts, saturating the glowing plates with oxygen. For the operation to succeed, it had to be carried out very quickly. At the signal of a cannon shot, each furnace was to release its molten iron and empty itself completely. With these arrangements in place, foremen and workers waited for the agreed moment, impatient and somewhat moved. Not a soul remained inside the enclosure. Each superintendent took his place beside the opening of the run.

Barbicane and his colleagues, perched on a neighboring eminence, assisted at the operation. In front of them was a piece of artillery ready to give fire on the signal from the engineer. Some minutes before midday the first driblets of metal began to flow; the reservoirs filled little by little; and, by the time that the whole melting was completely accomplished, it was kept in abeyance for a few minutes in order to facilitate the separation of foreign substances.

Barbicane and his colleagues watched the operation from a nearby hill. In front of them stood a cannon, ready to fire at the engineer’s signal. A few minutes before noon, the first drops of metal began to flow. The reservoirs gradually filled. Once all the metal had melted, it was held back for a few minutes to help separate out impurities.

Twelve o’clock struck! A gunshot suddenly pealed forth and shot its flame into the air. Twelve hundred melting-troughs were simultaneously opened and twelve hundred fiery serpents crept toward the central well, unrolling their incandescent curves. There, down they plunged with a terrific noise into a depth of 900 feet. It was an exciting and a magnificent spectacle. The ground trembled, while these molten waves, launching into the sky their wreaths of smoke, evaporated the moisture of the mould and hurled it upward through the vent-holes of the stone lining in the form of dense vapor-clouds. These artificial clouds unrolled their thick spirals to a height of 1,000 yards into the air. A savage, wandering somewhere beyond the limits of the horizon, might have believed that some new crater was forming in the bosom of Florida, although there was neither any eruption, nor typhoon, nor storm, nor struggle of the elements, nor any of those terrible phenomena which nature is capable of producing. No, it was man alone who had produced these reddish vapors, these gigantic flames worthy of a volcano itself, these tremendous vibrations resembling the shock of an earthquake, these reverberations rivaling those of hurricanes and storms; and it was his hand which precipitated into an abyss, dug by himself, a whole Niagara of molten metal!

Twelve o’clock struck! A gunshot suddenly rang out, sending a flash of flame into the air. Twelve hundred melting troughs opened at once. Twelve hundred fiery serpents crept toward the central well, uncoiling in glowing curves. There, they plunged 900 feet down with a tremendous roar. It was a thrilling and magnificent sight. The ground shook as the molten waves sent wreaths of smoke into the sky. Their heat evaporated the moisture in the mold, sending dense clouds of vapor through vents in the stone lining. These artificial clouds rose in thick spirals 1,000 yards into the air. A savage somewhere beyond the horizon might have believed a new crater was forming in the heart of Florida. Yet there was no eruption, typhoon, storm, or struggle among the elements. None of the terrible forces nature can unleash was at work. No, man alone had produced these reddish vapors and gigantic flames, worthy of a volcano itself. He had caused these tremendous vibrations, like the shock of an earthquake, and these reverberations, rivaling hurricanes and storms. With his own hand, he had sent a whole Niagara of molten metal into an abyss he had dug himself!