Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-07-17
[ls i-a Cents Singled

luse-tney are supplied with their RAJ
1tions by contracts at the posts xhere
they are stationed. Cau Mr.. Ran
doiph be SO unpardonably ignorant az
mot to know this He surely was
1chairman of the committee of WAYS
and Means long enough 10 acquire
the most minute information upon
this and every other subject involving
appropriations.
From his observations YOU wonld
infer that -four was the most "ma;e-
trial article" of provisions used in our
navy. He dwells upon the estimated
lprice being, in the year 1900, 2 dolls.
per barrel more than In The year 1903,
and affects great surprize that not
outstanding this diff renee in price.
the amount for pay and subsistence
OF the marine corps should be (as he
says) mose--Now gentlemen the a.
mount required for -four is consid era
bly, less than the amount required for
any other article of provisions used
in our navy--butter, peas aud molss-
ses only excepted; and compared To
the amount required for beef, pork or
spirits, it surely would g not be worth
bringing into account when the
whole amount required in one year for
Hour Is only 14,4o0 dolls. calculated
lat s dollars the barrel-the amount
required for beef is $4,000 dolls.-
for pork Toe, ooo-for spirits ,s9 900
l-(see OBSTINATE of 10th Feb 1909 }
Mr. Randolph says that every can,
non and implemenrsof war now be-
longing to the navy was purchased
under FIR. Alams's) the. old admi-
nistration. Strange assertion pas.
sing strange WhY, gentlemen, un-
der the administration,of Mr.. Jeffer-
son, there was purchased and paid
! for
I Upwards of 500 cannon, carronades
and mortars,
Many hundred tons of shot,
/ Many thousand Smaskets, pistols.
cuslasses, boarding pixies, battle axis,
| &c.
I Upwards of halfa million of pounds
fof saltpctre and a large supply of sal-
lpher now laid up In store in a refined
state aud ready for bsing rnsnafaetaY-
ted, when occasion shall require, into
powder.
/ MIR. Randolph knew this or part
of it---tor he animadvcrted publicly
upon the conduct OF the Late Sscreta-
ny of the Navy for having purchased
the saltpetre--although there was a
saving to the nation of between so
land 10000 coils. by that single pur-
chase. Yes, Mr.. Randolph thought il
very wrong to lay In a supply OF that
Indispensable article at lirne when
there was a great probability of war.
on terms which saved to the nation
between SO aud sc, GOO dolls. say
saved to The nation, because, if the
tpurchase had not have been made at
1.-THE time it was, the article would have
cost that much more than it did.
/ 1t may be useful here 70 give SUM
mary OF the errors thus iar discovered
IN Mr. RS. speech. liz doing tais,
viii place his statements on lhe left,
aud the facts directly opposite to li.ela
On the right, thus
Mr. Randolph states, The facts are
4 "e' va atne year we employed IN
1900, we empioyed40 the year 1900 large
ships OF wars & smsller frlgates
Twenty four vessels
\ OF II to 20 guns 8 2
galleys which tech :.
DIeaily speaking ara
greatly inferior to 40
ships of war.
Ihat 10 the year In the year 1903,
1909, we had in com. we had in coumisst.'
mission but Is vessels on tor one third of
OF all sorts. the year upwards Of
100 vessels and for
the residue Of the
4 year, we had 81.
That the annual The cost Of each
cost OF each man in man in the ysar
tbs year ss00 WAS 1900 did not exceed
AZ dolls, sos dolls.
That Zach man IN The cost Of each
me year 1902 cost man in the year 1909
YOO dolls. did NOT exceed 333
dplls. iuc.udiog every
expence oieyery des.
i crlption- snd many
which ought not 10 be