The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-11

supply OF Russian iron mas been fet III some oil
the Sitting aud rolling mills. But Whilst reduc.
ton of the ds,,y On Russian iron is asked from
several quarters, tits generally stated that high
or prohibitory duty on English bar, slit, rolled *
sheet iron would be beneiicisl that which is IL
suasly imported on account of its cheapness, be-
ing made with pit coal, and of very inferior qua
lity.
The annual importation. OF sheet, slit and hoop
iron, amount to five hundred and sixty five tons :
and the quantity rolled and slit i'm the United
States is estimated at seven thousand tons In
the state of Massachusetts alone, are found thir-
teen rolling and Sitting mills, in which about
5 500 tons ofbar iron, principally from Russia are
annually rolled or slit A portion is used for
sDee, iron and nail rods for wrought nails but
two thirds of the whole quantity of bar iroa fat
tened by machinery in the United States, is used
IN The manufacture of eat nails, which has now
extended throughout the whole country, and be-
ng altogether an american invention, substitut.
nS machinery 10 manual labor, deserves particu-
lar notice The details on That subject will lie
found m the communications Oh and M and
1T Will be sufficient here to state, that the annual
product of that branch alone, may be estimated
at twelve hundred thousand dollars, and that ex-
ctusively OF the saving OF fuel, the expense of
man utacturing cut nails is not one third part Of
That oil forging wrought nails. About two hun
cred and eighty tons are already ANNUALLY expor-
ted, but the United Sstes continue TO import an
nnaiiy more than fifteen hundred tons, of wrought
nails and spikes. An increase of duty on these,
and drawback on the expectation of the cut
nails, is generally asked for.
a considerable Quantity of blistered, and some
! refined steel, are made in America but the To-
reign importations exceed II, 200 cwt. year
The manufactui cs of iron consist principally
OF agricultural implements, and of ali the usual
| work performed by common backsmiiI,s T,
these may be added anchors, shovcls and SPADES.
axes, scythcs, and other edge tools, saws, bits.
| and stiriups, and great variety of the coarser
articles OF ironmongsry but cutlery and all the
| inner species of hardware and of steel work.
are almost altogether imported from Great Bri-
| tain. Balls, shells, and cannon of small caIibre
are cast IN several places; and three founderies
Tor casting solid, those ofthe largest callibre to.
get'' T. with the proper machinery for boring and
! haishInS them, are established at Cecil county.
Maryland. near the city of Washington, and at
hichinond, in Virginia. each of the two last
may cast 500 pieces of artillery a wear. and n great
! number OF iron anc brass cannon are made at and
near the seat Of government. Those of Phiiadei-
phia and near the Hudson river, are now employ
ed l, may be here added, that there are seye-
raj IRON ioundenes Tor casting every species OF
WORK wanted for machinery, and that steam en-.
| Slnes are made at that of philadelphia
At the two public armouries of SPRINGFIELD
and Harrci's terry, is, 900 muskets are annually
made a bout twenty thousand more are made
nc several factories, of which the most perfect is
said to be that near New- Haven, and which.
with the exception al that erected at Richmond
by the state OF Virginia, are all private establish.
ments- These may, il wanted, be immediately
enlarged, and do not include number ofc-un
smiths employed in making rifles, and several O.
| iher species OF arms Swords and pistols are a,
SO manufactured in several places.
Although 1t IS not practicable to make a cor
rect statement of the value of all the iron and
manufactures OF iron, annually made in tie Uni
ted States, 1t is believed to be from twelve IN
fifteen millions of dollars. The annual irnrorta
tons from all foreign countries, including bar
iron, and every description of manufactures of
iron or steel, are estimated at near four millions
of dollars.
[ COPPER and brass
Rich copper mlnes are found in New Jersey, in
| Virginia, and near lake Superior but thew are
not now wrought The principal manufactures
OF that material, are those Of stills and other yes
sells; but the copper in sheets and bolts is almost
universally imported; the only manufacture for
that object, which is at Boston, receiving sui.
ficient encouragement, although a capital OF
rs 600 dollars has been vested in a rolling mill
and other apparatus. The true reaosn is, that
tAose articles are imported free of duty; and the
owners seem to be principally employed in cast
! ing bells and other articles.
| Zine has been lately discovered in Pennsylya-
MIA, and there area few manufactures of metal
! buttons and various brass wares.
! ManHfacture Of Lead.
| Lead is found III Virginia and some other pla
ces, but the richest mines of that metal are found
III Upper Louisiana, and also it is said, in the I'D
Jacent country, on the east side ofthe Mississp.
| pI. They are not yet wrought to the extent of
which they are susceptible, and after supplying
! The western country, do not furnish more than
two hundred tons to the Atlantic states.
| The annual iEnDOrtations from foreign coun-
| tries Of red & white lead, amount to 115O tons
And those Of Lead itself. and of all
other manufactures of lead, to 1925 do.
The principal American manufacturers are
those ofsGhot, and colors of lead. Of the first
there are two establishments on larg scale at
| Philadelphia and another in Louisiana, which
are more than sufficient TO supply the whole de-
rnand, atcted at six hundred tons year. A re-
peal OF the duty OF enc cent per pound on lead,
aud IN c1"alizatiouof that on tue manufactures
OF lead by charging them all with the two cents
per pound laid or white and red lead is asked by
the manufacturers.
Various other paints and colors are also pre-
pared IN Philadelphia, and some other places.
Tin, jGp1ned, plated -rares
Tho manufacture OF tin ware is very extensive
and Connecticut supplies the greater part oftbe
United States with tlIat article but the sheets
arc always imported. The manufacture of plate
ware, Principally for coach makers and saddlers
employs at Philadelphia 70 workmen; and the
amount ANNUALLY made there exceeds one hun
dred thousand dollars. There are other similar
establishments at New-York, Baltimore, Bos-
ton aHdCbarieston.
Gun Po7pder.
Saltpctre is lpund in Virginia, Kentucky and
some other of the western states and territories