What do you think of this draft letter?
__________________________________________
(personal header)
June 19, 2009
RDML DeLoach (Ret.)
Director, Naval History and Heritage Command
805 Kidder Breese Street SE
Washington Navy Yard, DC
20374-5060
Dear Admiral,
I exchanged letters with the Naval District Washington last year regarding the deterioration of the bronze cannons in Leutze Park, Washington Navy Yard. To quote from NDW’s letter of 27 August 2008, “we have decided to keep the guns on display outdoors while awaiting professional treatment.” The letter also declined my offer of assistance.
Earlier this month I made a detailed re-examination of each of the bronze cannons in Leutze Park, and recorded my observations on ten short videotapes. I have since put the videos on the “you-tube” website. I noted the continuing corrosion, evidence of toxic runoff of corrosion products (copper sulfate and other toxic copper compounds) from the cannons into the ground, and specifically the loss of important markings on the cannons. My video at this url:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3OCocX5pU0 clearly shows the disappearance of important markings on one valuable bronze howitzer over a span of only ten months, as well as unmistakable evidence of toxic chemical runoff into the soil.
I’d like to help the Navy resolve this embarrassing issue. The cannons are dissolving and the soil is continuing to absorb toxic contaminants. I’m sure you know government employees can be held civilly and criminally liable for knowingly allowing environmental pollution and willful neglect of valuable historic property.
If you would allow me to suggest a simple solution, here it is. The cannons in Leutze Park were once painted black, and when I first inspected and photographed them in 1980, a number retained most of their black paint. Black paint keeps acid rain, bird droppings, and direct sunlight from attacking the bronze. You can see clear evidence of the successful application of black paint to bronze by looking at the small bronze howitzer (Reilly’s book, No. 11, pp. 68) which has been kept outdoors in black paint for a long time. There is no evidence of corrosion on the cannon, nor toxic runoff on the concrete mounting.
Extending this method to other cannons would involve carefully removing loose corrosion products, drying the bronze completely inside and out, sealing the vent and bore, and applying a suitable primer coat, then a good grade of ordinary black paint. This would protect each cannon for perhaps 20 years, based on my experience using black paint on outdoor cast-iron cannons. Only a removable type of paint should be used, not epoxy paint, so the process is easily reversible in accordance with established conservation practices.
I’m not partial to any particular method of conservation, but clearly something needs to be done now. If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
xxx
