The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-25
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE vIRGI-
MA MANDATORY OF ARMS, TO TIE
GOVERNOR OF TIE COMMONWEALTH


lbeg leave TO prefent you tatement Of the ope-
ratons of the mandatory Of rrms III the year COM
,encing with the LIT December, 1904, and terminal
ing with the Soth November, 1905. In forming
Ems hasenens, deem 1t proper to prefent a more
comprehensive and explanatory view of the initituton
and the principles upon which is conducted than
my annual reports upon this iube4 have heretofore
exhibited; nufs therefore detail many circumfan-
ces not enumerated in them, which are turterefine
to this iubje9-'They follows, viz.
This mandatory is (eated on the declivity of an
hill in healthy ftuatinn; iraccei5le to the hiphe
freihes OF the river ard receives an unfaug funply
OF water for operating the labor-ying machinery Of
the works, from the James River Canal which at
tins place affords fall 70 extenve that the fame
ter may be operated three fever times in its decent
II ON the canal to the river. The irif and econd o.
peratons oil the water, applied the machinery
Tor making lma arrns the third is intended for the
boring and turning of Cannon and other ordnance !;
q whie 1t Is iecured from all attacks by naval force
1t poeiiss the benefits of navigation extending up
wards OF two hundred miles above the works and TO
the ocean be!o'. by which navigation all the mate
ras proper Tor the making Of every fp.ci of arms
(Which our county affords in the ereateG abundance
and OF the belt qnaliteS may be eaiiy and cheaply
conveyed to this mandatory XAnd being cilabfh &.
ed III the vicinity of inexhauifibe coal mines and
quarries which afford the bea Grind Stones thofe
articles 10 important an inituton ike this, are
Brought to the door of the works by water carrisye
ana at the cheapea rates The materials for the IA
IRRIGATION OF arms purchafed in large Quantities
and consequently the oweit terms The artifcers
who execute the work (vi.h very few eycep;iousl
inou'trions and well-behaved mechanics who end
'heir own provihons, and paid given price for
ese article they manufacture, and not employed
oy the day, month year The articles to be ma
nutactured are delivered out 20 each artoe in each
ieverai branch OF the work at the commencement of
ea'h month, and the articers 70 receiving them are
charged herewith, and return them manufactured at
ue ehd OF each month and whenever any article pi-
ven our, ishot returned at the end of TIE mouth by
the artincer to whom II delivered IT'S value is de-
ouT'eo from the payment due him 20 that all the
various articles in the hands Of the rricers are at
their ewn riik. AT the end of every month , final
retirement IS made with each arfcer helongirp to the
e''aohihnent, and itatement thereof or payroll is
Preiehted to the executive which after an exa-
inaton thereof, is depeited in the Office of the au
sitor OF public aces where, the quantity and kind of
work done IN each month of The year. bv each ati6
as well as the price paid for its execution NAV be
readily aiceraiDed by reference to thoGe documents
independently of the books Of the n,apufaaorv Win
view to the faithful execution Of the work and to
expedite ITS completion the making Of arms is divided
INTO great variety of branches: This diyiiop nj
aDour makes 1t in'tipenEbly neceIary that large
iupPy OF all the component parts Of arms in every
rage OF completion ihou!d always BE kept on hand:
WIG w tIle event oil failure of execution IN any
OF the forward branches, fone Of thoGe ar,i(s who
worE IN the latter, would be without employment !;
/ o iInitrate my meaning more fully and without de-
failing all the operations required in the manufacture
or making OF mulkct, which in our works amour,
'o upwards of forty, let take the barrel only,
ia We mall hnd, that 1t requires thirteen dilna o.
peTatons' tor its completion, viz: Forging fcalp
tor the barrel, Welding barrel, anneaIing rouph-bor
ng' nooth-boring, grinding, forging breeci,
preceding, making touch-hoe, proving, looping
lighting and polifl,ing.
Hence it iseafy to perceive the dependence of any
o"e branch upon all the others which precede it. /
tate ths circumstance to ihew the ueccny of keen.
ny OIL hand large fupply of all the component parts
OF arms 10 that the fcknefs, abfcnce or demand of
extraordinary wages by the artificers in any branch
man not affect the general order of the operations of
the milituton and that for thefe reafons have cauf
co mott OF the force OF the e1abhmentt to be applied
totne manufacture of the fevera component parts Of
arms rather than to thofe branches in which thoGe
parts are put together and completed: This fsa
VIII fully appear by reference to the following
tateneHt, which accords with the monthly payrolls
above alluded to, viz