Ok, so I've searched the internet to death. Learned a lot about WNY, John Dahlgren and guns.........but I still have no idea what this thing is!!!! Can anyone help please? Thanks! PS: The only thing you can't see in the pics is a mark reading "200 lbs" and a small stamped anchor symbol. All other marks are viable in pics.
Help with ID
- Thread starter Np101
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It looks like it might be a water container for the Navy?
Although it looks like aluminum, in 1858, aluminum was as scarce as hen's teeth. About the only place it existed was in a scientific laboratory. Is it made from something like tin or zinc?
The 200 pounds marking could refer to the weight of the water it contains. 25 gallons of water weighs 200 pounds.
If it is about 15" X 15" X 28" it would hold a little less than 6300 cubic inches. There are 231 cubic inches in a gallon so 6300/231 = 27.3 gallons.
Depending on the wall thickness, that could become about 25 gallons, internal capacity.
If the container is smaller than that, the 200 lbs might refer to the total weight of the contents plus the weight of the container.
(edit) By the way, black powder weighs about the same as water so, it could be a container for black powder. That might explain why it doesn't appear to be made of iron. Although iron won't produce many sparks when something hard hits it, the slivers of it that can be sheared off can be hot enough to ignite black powder.
Although it looks like aluminum, in 1858, aluminum was as scarce as hen's teeth. About the only place it existed was in a scientific laboratory. Is it made from something like tin or zinc?
The 200 pounds marking could refer to the weight of the water it contains. 25 gallons of water weighs 200 pounds.
If it is about 15" X 15" X 28" it would hold a little less than 6300 cubic inches. There are 231 cubic inches in a gallon so 6300/231 = 27.3 gallons.
Depending on the wall thickness, that could become about 25 gallons, internal capacity.
If the container is smaller than that, the 200 lbs might refer to the total weight of the contents plus the weight of the container.
(edit) By the way, black powder weighs about the same as water so, it could be a container for black powder. That might explain why it doesn't appear to be made of iron. Although iron won't produce many sparks when something hard hits it, the slivers of it that can be sheared off can be hot enough to ignite black powder.
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Great point! I measured it and did the math, and you were correct it would come out to hold 203 lb of powder.....close enough! Thank you! So, any thoughts on why would be specifically stamped with John A Dahlgren's initials and 1858? I know he went on the Plymouth in 1857-58 in order to test the XI gun..... I wonder if this could have gone with him? Also mysterious to me is the "Model 1854" wording cast into the lid. I can find no reference to a model 1854 in regards to his guns. There is reference to some 32 pounders being called a Model 1855......but nothing regarding model 1854. Thank you again for helping me solve one piece of the puzzle!!!
Also, the top hatch and plate are cast, and the side walls are of a thinner non magnetic material.
One of the things I found about John A Dahlgren was, after becoming a midshipman in 1826, in 1847 he was assigned to the Washington Navy Yard where he later created the Navy Ordnance Bureau. He is credetited with several inventions, the most notable being the Dahlgren smoothbore cannons.
It is possible he had something to do with the design of the container's lid or perhaps the entire container. If this happened, having his name or initials cast into the lid would be logical.
It is possible he had something to do with the design of the container's lid or perhaps the entire container. If this happened, having his name or initials cast into the lid would be logical.
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