The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-05
Nbe Gnquiser.
RICHMOND, st6MAT.

n nation. thai avou!a a4joid zvar, .@oula be
prepared far IL.
W. MANDATORY OF ARMs.-Tbis
fplendid eRablifhment, the ornament and pride
bf Virginia. deiervcs to be particularly known
TO our countrymeu. The annual reports of its
Enlightened fnperin' endant have already inform.
ed them Of the Kind and quantity Of arms an
hua!ly manufactured there but no account has
yet been publihei, of the admirable machinery
by which il works thefe effsds. Under an i'm
prcnion therefore ths. fomc fuch inform ion
would be both arIrhng and iEeruetive, we have
determined, amidft the prcfcnt drought of other
matters, to lay the following defcription of it
before our readers.
The Virginia Mandatory Of Arms is fituat-
ed on the James River navigation-canaI, at its
entrance into the city of Richmond: which
canal is capable at all feafons of furniihing an
abundant iupply of water for operating the
machinery for faving manual iabour, in the va
rious branches of the work AS the Manufac-
tory affords fall of fifty one feet (perpendicu.
lar) from the canal TO the river, which are about
two bundled and twenty yards afunder; this
hte pofIeifes the advantages of navigation by
batteaux of about three hundred lies above /:
aad by fea-reftls into the ocean, about two
hundred miles below. =.
Bysmeans Of this navigation, all the razr ma
feri0ls proper for the fabrication of arms of G.
very defcrlptior (Which are afforded in the
mott profufe abundance on this river) are
brought to the door of the works at an eafy
and cheap rate. This mandatory was de-
fgned for the fabrication of every fpecies of
tma arms, as well as AL kinda of ordnance
proper for the field, Notifications, and tho G.
qupment of naves and being placed on the
decliyiiy of an hill, in healthy htuation, por-
fcfies the benefits OF free circulation of freih
air 10 al its parts, while it is fscure from a..
lacks by a naval force, and never impeded in
'ts operations by the foundations Of the river.
The fall l. 10 extenhve, that the fame water is
hied three fevrral times in its deficient from the
canal to the river ;-the hrR and fecond ope-
rat'oas are applied to the machinery for max
Ing snail arms and the third TO The boring
and turning OF ordnance.
The buildings are contributed to fnit the
three operations of water above mentioned
the walls are fubGan,ialIy made of ftone and
brick {: and the whole 10 connected as to make
one uniform building, which furfounds an ex-
teniive area or open court. The north front is
three hundred aud ten feet in length and twen-
ty-four in breadth, with the principal gate way
and helfry in its centre il borders on the ca
nal 10 as toLeceive razv materials with the
ereateit convenience from the boats which na-
vigale it. The apartments of the lower ftory
are appropriated 10 the foring of materials,
and to workshops and thofr of the upper
ftory, to Rocking and fiuiihing mulkets, rifles,
{words and pitols.
TO each extreme of this frort, wing con-
hiting of three buildings is attached at right
anglesthereto; the bates CT which arc of diff
ferent elevations, and iuted To the three ope-
rations of water as above Rated. Tothe foath-
ern extremties of 'hefe wings, (each of which
rs an hundred and frven.y-tvfo feet long) poly
gonal buildings are aftached. Thefe being
hu'it on circle, encioie the yard, and form
the iouth front, IN the centre of which, is plac-
ed the FoundAy for cannon, aud adjacent
fhereto, the mill or machine for the boring
and turning thereof. The lower apartments of
this front are deiigned for cooking, wafhing,
*. and the apartments in tie upper Rory for
habitations for The arlihcers.
The water for operating the machinery is Ia.
ken from the ca al in tzvo dl,n0 Ereams,
which arc carried BY fubteuaneous paF ,ses liz
10 each reipetlive wing when all the opera
tions OF the machinery, working by water for
ivng maaual labour, are carried on. The
wafer is hrh applied to four ovcrlhot water
wheels, two of which are placed IN each wing /;
end the machinery attached to them is prccife-
" 1iniar IN each wing; being de6gned for f.
mhar operations. Thofe four water wheels,
TO which very impie machinery is attached
WI tHS puVpOt, Operate SS OcIONsj ~ kfiHd
hones the works Tor rough and fmroth bor-
Ing muket, fife and piaol barrels the works
for pollIhing, drilling, milling of f.rews and
fundry Other operations; alio Two hmple en-.
R'nes on the ch.nn pump principle, for eievat-
ing water into rct,rvors ltanding in the roofs
of the bpildinas; from which it slay be
conveyed throu sL"ut the interior of the works,
With view TO ieCuTe them agapG accidental
fires.
After performing thefe feverll operations, the
two dreams Of water are conveyed from under
thofe wheels, by fnbterraDeous culvcrts, to two
tilt hammer FORCES; onc of which is placed at
the fouthern extremity of each wing where
the JSesBd operation of the water Is performed