The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-07-26

these Of 1909 upon critical examination
and comparison with. those imported, and o.
theirs purchased from factories within the u.
States. have a decided preference. The bar
:eei!s tt'5 J'Tof have gwen ticuI,
wing been found generally tleast equal, and
those of 1907, and 1908 superior; and the
locks in all, arein our opinion, i'll every part,
decidedly better.
SIT is probable that many of the failures com
planned of in the muskcts which have bcen dis
tributed, may have arisen from excessive and
unusual modes of proof for the strongest s.
best Musket that ever was made, may be
charged with an unreasonable quantity OF
powder, and hard ramming Of the ball, so as
to burst, as appears by the trials in the ia
bic {, where it may be seen that even the
Tower Muskcts were not equal to the shock.
] We further beg leave to observe that fire.
lquent provings, even with proper proporti-
ons, should be avoided, as every trial So much
beyond tie usual Charge for service, has an
injurious effect OF the barrel and will even
taallv cause il TO linrst, although at first Of
the best description.
elm furtherpur>upnce ofthe request of the
| Executive, we, with much Difference, offer
tile following observations:
list. In making good bar, els. much depends
| on the quality Of the iron, which ought to be
chosen with great caution. fhard and brit
tie, it is not likely TO stand tie proof lately
adopted; if soft and maiieabie, It will stand
every proper degree of proof. In the choice
of iron, we .iay e no reason tn J.; :eve there
has been any mistake in the Virginia manu-
factor, except as othe arms of 1904
"2dlr. Very long oayonets will i,ro5ably be
| found mconvenient III service. Iney will be
much in the wayi in movements thro' woody
Countries, ard under attack. are more easily
parried and passed, than those Of more mo-
derate length, Would it not be well to con-
form to the length of 5aycnets most general
lily made in tnefactories cf the United States
"Sdly. The pistols made in the manusaceory
are, we think, well executed, but too large ::
| An uniformity of arms Of every Class through
out the United States, for which ammunition
is TO be prepared, is very important as
suitable supplies on all occasions, and ill all
lsituations, are thereby rendered the move
Icertain. We conceive it would be well to OBJ
|tain from the Secretary of War 81 pistol and
d bayonet IS Samples. The calbers of the
musquets are already nearly conformable in
size to those of the United States, and being
but 2 very smal! degree larger, cartridges OF
the United States laboratories will never be
found inconvenicnt for tl.em.
18th. We have every reason 10 believe the
ISwords manufactured, from the mode in
which they are tried, before polished, and
from the trials We saw made of some OF
t:,cIn, are TO be relco upon as OF good quail
ty; but we beg leave to suggest the Proprie-
Ity OF differences of size and wei sht, SO as t.
be suited TO the different sizes and strength
of the men, who are to use them. We pre-
fer the pattern lately received.
"Before we dismiss the sub ect, we feel it
public dirty, as well rs oiping an act CT
common jusrice to the Superintendent and
officers employed in the Armorv: to state
tn IN ,cdo ff
Quoting the business of the institution. We
consider the Machinery as wei calculated
to save manual labour, and that il has beer
executed in style which. docs tio.,our IL
the protector; That the divisions of labour
are judicious and proper; They not only
tend to great savings in the expencc, but to
the exact uniformity, of all the component
trarts OF the muskct1and pistol AS far as
we have been able to judge from our own
observations, we have discovered great zeal,
capahiliry. activity and industry as we'll in
the Superintendent as in the other officers
enplOyed. We have received much salts
faction IN. the Opportunity this occaso.. has
! Afforded rs OF becoming acquainted with the
m;er r,of this Institution. Coiud it be sup
ported by funds adequate. To its Capacities,
and continue to be cpndncted by the abii-
ties now employed, wesee no reaso:iito doubt
that upon jtidicious appicatonof the pro-
duct, every purpose CT the State may in a
few years be accomplished, and that further
advantages may arise by sales of arms to o.
Their States
JAMES WooD,
EDWARD CARRINGToN,
ROBERT GAMBLE,
4 JOSEPH SCOTT,
| JAMES G1BBoN, and
/ john .AMBLER."