The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-04-24

so cents, s,41s so
lSI do. without bayoney At 8 IS, 2.055 COL
1905 Pistols. at 5 s each 9,Ol8 COL
1888 Cavalry swords, whout scab-
barsis, at S $ each, 1876 90
10 polished IRON scabbarS, So 90
HISS polished iron scatPIds lined
with wood So So l.3 2.64s SIS
1877 japanned scabhardse2 SO 5,l45 40
1SS Artillery swords. S. 20 1898 go
100 powder horns, rs 90
$50 sets Of tips for ldher seab. 4
bards. 2ss %
158 do. do. Cor artillery words. 80 AZ
25o do. do. for leather 3abbards, 1872 so
50 do. So So
a ----
11s,8O4 o5
From which, deduct forIies impro-
perry included, in chase of ma
terials on hand, 1882 90
s
114.s22 o5
Which sum deducted firm the sum
drawn from tue treaAry, leaves
the sum 49, 15o,3Oo SIS
:" For which sum 1925 muskets have been
furnished, which eost thtpublic at that estimate,
5 Ia. SIS cents" But .school-boy, who under.
stood the arithmeticsl rule Of simple division,
could have shewn the ommit;ee, that the sum
OF S 10000 SIS equally divided among Id, 5o5
muskets, would make tenn amount to iourtes en-
dollars and forty foe eeni, aud not fourteen dol
lar: and Jfty fre cents. they have reported
This is triae but 9. staws vii, shew which
way the wind blows" ~
Thus did this committee, who were not appoin.
tee to SET a value on the arms made at the manu-
factory, but to ascertain what they had COST, BY
an examination ofthe documents by which the
money had been pail, arbitrarily value or APP
praise the rifles, pstGs, swords, &c. much below
what they had in realty cost the commonwealth
In order that the bilance of their cost might
be laid upon the muslets; evidently with view
TO give the appearance. that the muskcts had cost
considerably more thn they really had, and more
than muskets cost, nRde at other manufactures,
which, III effect, wasset;Eg an arbitrary value
upon the muskets ais,.
They might with DUAL propriety have valued
the muskets at one d,ilar each, and have thro wn
the balance of their cost upon the rifles, pistols,
swords, &c to make them appear to have cost
more than they really had. But such step
would not have nswsred the views of the fra
mers or manufacturers OF that report they knew
that the chief purpose for which the armory was
erected, was, the making of that particular spe.
c'es OF arms, called NUSKETS and that if they
could cause it 60 be Relieved that there had been
defect in the Management of that institution,
lwhether q defect existed or not,) they would,
with the uninforrhGD gain much popularity and
perhaps some good Offices by the discovery, more
if they could induce the Legislature
and the community 70 believe that public money
had been wasted orimproperly expended. In or
der to DO this, however, it was necessary to have
recourse TO stratageri, 6. valuation appraise-
ment OF the articles, SO as to load the muskets,
the chief article manufactured as much as pos
sible, was the plan adopted. The vouchers by
which the money had been drawn, would have
proven to tham that the cssts ofthe several kinds
OF arms as had stated them was correct; of
course to such men, it was better rot to apply to
documents from which the truth might be elicit
ed; and valuation in the way they have made it,
was better calculated to promote their views, to
wit I: to gain applause by making delusive state.
ments, without regarding the injuries Which the
public or individuals might sustain thereby. As
to the cost which the committee have fixed on the
muskets, it is indeed preposterous Every one
Knows that the iron, the STEEL, the wood and other
materials, required for making musket, amounts
only to very small portion of It's cost Il - the
abor ofthe artists, the workmanship, that forms
The greater part of the value of musket; and
The committee might have ascertained the cost of
he Workmanship, to single cent, if they would
have examined only onspsper / mean one of
he monthly pay rolls.
JOHN CLARKE.
by yirtsc of tr,,.t d,ad exacn,aJ -, ~.