Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-24

forged 2o,74t
| Barrels welded, 1929.
Guns finished, $40,
1t appears from the report Of the SUI
perlntendant, dated December els
so7, that there were on hand the 81
day OF October preceding
Musket scalps forged, 964
Barrels welded, 167.
DO. ground and bored, Az
DO. 6reeched, looped and sigh
Muskets stocked not flushed, 81
| $685.
Add the number of gun. then
finished, 900!
Total, 1903!
Which deducted from the0
whole number of gun
scalps forged, leaves the !;
number of scalps and bar 7,7o1
rels unit for muskets to
the 80 September, 1907,
The result of this comparison. ur
to the first day OF December lasr. is
that 1858 scalps and barrels have been
destroyed, or become unfit for use af.
ter the barrels were forged.
Steel is another material of copsi-
derable moment in m inufacturinp
arms, particularly swords and bayo
nets. For the purchase of this article
there has been drawn from the treasn.
ny from the iss day of May, 1901,
to the first Gay October, 1908,
the sum OF S 8 .497 II cents-Tnere
remains now on hand at the armorv.
1900 lbs. of scrap steel, including
1853 lbs. broken sword blades. II
appears to your committee that the
steel is generally of as good quality as
can be procured.
Gun and pistol stocks are another
material necessary for fire arms. for
which the sum OF S $3.50 10, has been
drawn from the treasury within the
period aforementioned, exclusive OF
part OF the expenditure of $50 to
Picket, Pollard aud Johnston. Those
used at the mandatory are of tolera.
bic quality.
=. AS IL respects The conduct OF
those to whom the law has com .nitted
the suPerintendance and manage men,
oil the institution, your committee beg
leave to state, that by the laws passed
on the subject, the Executive were
vested with very general and extern
sive discretion as well in erecting the
buildings, machinery, &c. the expense
OF which amounts to Sl64,6o4 So, as
after the operations conn. enced. in
regulating the manufacturing of arms
and experimenting the disbursement,
oil pubic money; the power was ne.
cessary TO be vested somewhere, and !,
was conceived that those who compos-
ed the Executive department and re-
sponsible in their Official characters.
were the proper persons to whom "a
eonhde, in this respect, the public in.
terest; check and control over those
more Immediately concerned in the
management of the institution, and in
the expenditure of the money appro
PriateG by law, was contemplated b,
\ va I"'o power.
But your committee regret in beins
compelled to state, thar very little AZ
tention seems to have been paid 20 IN,
objects contemplated by the Leeisla.
ture ;very few Off any instances an.
pear, where the executive have eve,
enquired into the subjec, further than
to ascertain the wishes of the superin.
tendant. With respect to the name,
in which the operations have been
conducted, his desires were generally
yielded to, and as to the expenditure
OF public money, his certificate has al.
ways been considered, even in cases
where he himself was interested. as
conclusive evidence of the Justice OF
the demand.
Whatever may have been the result a,
It affects the public interest, your commit.
ice can entertain no doubt on the score oil