The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-25
Total,


mannfattory, and the colt of each of the feve-
raj parts thereof, by comparing this report
with the documents in the auditors Office, BY
which the money has been drawn for all aud
every eXpence OF making them let thefe arms
ne compared in coft and quality with the arms
obtained by purchafe before our operations
CONNER ced, and this inftitution will be found
10 be an economical one.-Thrteen dollars and
htty cents per Rand were formerly paid by 60
vernment tor arms well known TO be ofvery
interior quality---We now manufacture them
of hyperion quality, for ten dollars, ninety one
cents and two mills ger fand which is two
dollars fifty eight cents and eight mills per
itand, cheaper than the inferior arms alluded
to +; & the manufacture of one hundred thouf.
and ftands would produce faving TO the COM
monwea'th, of two hundred and fifty eight
thouiand eight hundred dollars. But as arms
ct the inferior quality of thofe purchafed, might
be made at this mandatory for eight dollars
per fsand: faving of five hundred and iftv
thoutand dollars, would be produced by the
making of one hundred thoufand ftands of
iuch arms, isitead of obtaining them by pur
chafe.
lhete remarks are confined to muGets, kay-
onets &c. for infantry but it is conceived that
!aving, in at leaf the fame proportion, and
perhaps to as great amount, may be produced,
by the manufacture OF arms for the cavalry, s.
r'he corps; and artillery for the field and for
Notifications.
Permit me again TO announce to the patriots,
under whole aufpices this nftitution has been
fonnded, & fuppGr,ed that as far as it has pro.
grefed, it fully anfwers the mott fanguine ex-
psctations had formed of its fuccefs, and
that beiide being nurfery for ufeful artizans,
IT promIies to be an economical eitablihment.
i'ut let me again fuggef the proprety of per-
mit'ing apprentices to be taught the feveral
branches of making arms at the Virginia manu-
factory. At prefent we cannot, under the au-
thority of any exiting law, engage 10 fuppIy
apprentices, at the public expence, with food,
cioath'nE, and final flare of plain education,
which would be all the expence the common.
wealth would fufain; while ten-fold remu-
nera,ion, would be made by their l-rvices for
irveral years; 70 that while we are making uft-
I'll mechanics, and dffuing neceGary art
throughout thefate, we fhould greatly dminill,
the expcRce of making our arms.
Ihefe confderations, truf, will ind.ce the
Legi1ature to tanetion by law the taking ap-
prehtices, at the mandatory Of arms, upon the
fame terms as they arr ufualIy taken by private
individuals; or upon fuch other conditions, as
NAV be deemed proper.
Tothe PEOPLE Of Virginia, it muft be piealine
oreils6t, how greatly the profpeef has changed,
rous nnarned militia. That iuRead of relying for
our weapons OF defence, upon the uncertainty of
with rsipeet to obtaining arms for our hume
obtaining them, from nations fcparated from rs
by an in,menic Tea, over the commerce Of WHICH
they tyran!iZe, & who are ieaInus of our riliny
power, wecan now manufacture themin the bo-
Tom of our own fate, without dependence upon
| any other nation Of the earth. That formerly
for the pnrchaie of arms, fums 10 a large A.
mount were fent out of the commonwealth :;
but now the money paid for arning our militia
IS kept in circulation among our citizens, aud
tends 80 encourage their f,ill and indnitrv
while il lncreafes our trading capital and natl
ona wealth. That formerly the arms pure! AZ.
ed, were Of various forms, fiZes, and calibres :;
now they are manufactured, with uniformity in
all their parts; each diainet clais, being made
or one conjunction. That the arms formerly
obtained by purchafe, were procured by the
contractors upon the cheapet poiiibIe terms !;
10 as to fave so then,felves all the profit they
cona, from their coHtraGts with the common
wealth; cout,qucnty, the arms were of infc-
rior qualify; the workmanfhip Of their compo
nent parts, yeas executed without being infpeGf-
Ell, by any agent of the commonwealth, until
thoie parts were put together in the form Of
muGet; in which form they were infpe6ted Il
not taken 90 pieces, and each diiln4 par, &c.
paraiely examined; asthe complete infpe6liun
Of a s,u1ket would require for want of which,
arms "f The mott indifferent quality havc reen
iinpofsd upon the commonwealth: Bur at this
e6abilhment, the arms are made of the Sef
materials, and all their component parts (how-
ever iniau'e) are fTttly and repea EDDY exan,im.
ed-cach part undergoing an Infpeefion, in each
dItIOd operation oi Che fevcrai ;Ichts thro'
which Tic "ek progreifes 10 completion And
this infpedion IS nl2de by AGENTS. deeply irfer-
e!led Ia the faithful execution gt tine work, no