Bart (and all others who are interested) - I hope you do not mind me using this term of address, as John B. makes me think of Col. JB.
This discussion certainly has lead to a number of new questions. The lead seals that we have in the Lab, are all the same diameter as the brass insert at the top of the Water Cap fuse body. They cover the brass insert completely. The seal has been conserved, after spending ~150 years at the bottom of Galveston Bay.
A number of people have commented on the letters on the fuse face. The ORD obviously stands for "Ordnance (Dept)". I was informed some time ago (cannot remember where - so treat as unsubstantiated fact), that ORD D stood for Washington Navy Yard. This does not add up, as Dave mentions that he has an example with ORD W - which is an example that I had not heard of before. The W for Washington Navy Yard makes sense, but what then is the D. Alger Iron Works was in Boston, and they came up with the design for the fuse. The second D standing for Dept. makes sense, and is likely candidate for the Ordnance Dept. (ORD D) in the Washington Navy Yard - where many of these fuses were known to be made. If one argues this route, what do we do with the W?
There are a number of different fonts used to mark the fuses, we have at least three in our collection. There are also a number of different variations, in how the letters were stamped, was the ORD three one-letter stamps, or one with the three letters combined? With the examples that I have, I could easily argue either way. Bart posted his most recent images of two fuses, that have a period / dot between and after the two D's. This is something that I have not seen before. The anchor symbol on the face of the fuse is the mark for the US Navy, showing that the fuse was made for Naval use. Bart has accurately described the use and re-use of the letter R, that signifies that the fuse has been reloaded. Black powder is hydroscopic (absorbs / attracts water), so the fuse had to be changed out after a period of time (how long, I am not sure ~ 1 year ?). A "wet" fuse - one that has absorbed some moisture, burns slower and inconsistently! This is something that a gunner would have lots to say about, in the vernacular!
I have been asked to post more of my fuses. I will be honest here, and say I have lots (~80) of fuses - ALL of them being US Navy Water Cap fuses, some in very poor condition. I will, in time, post comments and observations them.
FYI - I will let the rest of the forum know here, that I am from the other side. Yep, I am an underwater archaeologist and an artifact conservator. My day to day job is conserving artifacts, with ~ 38 vats running constantly doing electrolysis. The largest vat holds 1,300 gallons, and contains a IX Inch Dahlgren Cannon, #144, Alger Iron works, 1857, 9,155 Lbs. All of the USS Westfield artifacts belong to the US Navy, and were excavated by the US Corps of Engineers. We are conserving the artifacts for the Navy, and then they will go on display in various museums - and the rest goes into storage. I can assure you that we have lots of "bits & pieces".
Thank you again for a wonderful forum!
Jim J.