Путешествие на Луну
The Fete of the Casting
Afterthisfirstoperation,themetalwassentontoStonesHill.Theyhad,however,todealwith136,000,000poundsofiron,aquantityfartoocostlytosendbyrailway.Thecostoftransportwouldhavebeendoublethatofmaterial.ItappearedpreferabletofreightvesselsatNewYork,andtoloadthemwiththeironinbars.This,however,requirednotlessthansixty-eightvesselsof1,000tons,averitablefleet,which,quittingNewYorkonthe3rdofMay,onthe10thofthesamemonthascendedtheBayofEspirituSanto,anddischargedtheircargoes,withoutdues,intheportatTampaTown.ThencetheironwastransportedbyrailtoStonesHill,andaboutthemiddleofJanuarythisenormousmassofmetalwasdeliveredatitsdestination.
Itwilleasilybeunderstoodthat1,200furnaceswerenottoomanytomeltsimultaneouslythese60,000tonsofiron.Eachofthesefurnacescontainednearly140,000poundsweightofmetal.TheywereallbuiltafterthemodelofthosewhichservedforthecastingoftheRodmangun;theyweretrapezoidalinshape,withahighellipticalarch.Thesefurnaces,constructedoffireproofbrick,wereespeciallyadaptedforburningpitcoal,withaflatbottomuponwhichtheironbarswerelaid.Thisbottom,inclinedatanangleof25degrees,allowedthemetaltoflowintothereceivingtroughs;andthe1,200convergingtrenchescarriedthemoltenmetaldowntothecentralwell.
Thedayfollowingthatonwhichtheworksofthemasonryandboringhadbeencompleted,Barbicanesettoworkuponthecentralmould.
