The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-28
CONGRESS.
CANNON & SMALLsAR &c.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,. :
December 10, 2
Mr.. Seybert delivered in the following re- :
port = I.
The committee to 1Hom .vas referred I" so :
much Of the Presidents message as res
tates to the manufacture IF Cannon and
Snail .4rms. e tie Providing ':,uAiio:sS
of7yar," Gttcr h0ui'sS, according to orier,f
considered the scve'ut subjects Si6.a:tied,s
Beg leave to z
REPORT IN PART,
That, it is, at all times, expcdicnt for a.;
natioh TO be Supplied with an ample stock of {
.all such articles and materials as arc rcqui-.
site fer defensive or offensive opera tions.-.s,
such provisions will make its citizens con-.
itident at home, whilst they, at the samei
time, guarantee respect on thcpayt Of foreisna
Fnations. No one, il Is presumed. will dcnys
THAT an extensive implements OF war is pref
,.erablc 20 the amount of their cost living bu-l
sricd in tie vaults of the treasury, more es-:
specially when it is considered, that on.occa-i
ssions OF the frt Importance they are intlis-
srensably necessary, and that for the greater!
Epart they are imperishable from their ma
ture. The proposition just laid down will
fappear evident, when it is recollected'thatI
sthe least rumor of war Will immcdiatelyl
sadd to the value of such articles, very gene
orally, from so to 100 per centum ; nay. this
;tdeclaration might be carried much further
Sand 1t may not be out of place to notice the|
nfact, that under circumstances far from be-
smg the most unfavora refined salt-petre|
rhas commanded the enormous price of oneI
sdoliar * fifty cents per pound whereas, itsl
Sorelinary value is about thirty cents per pound
!; in our markets.
z 1t is, also, we'll known, that all manufac-
.tured articles, which are made in haste, areI
5 generally very defectivc--this should bel
particularly guarded against in the case oil
i fire arms Of every description. When it be \
: comes absolutely necessary to provide SUCH
E equipments, Contractors always insist upsn
+. their own terms. Experience has proved
+. that Contracts under such circumstances Or
: national account, we do not conhne this
, assertion 10 our own country, have been
-made to great disadvantage. Regular an
; nnal supplies, in time of peace, should all
. ways be preferred. 1t would be unwar-
rantable in the extreme to hazard want of
this kind until this last moment-until the
enemy may be at our doors. 1t will be in
Vain oiook for additions from Europe at al
period when the extensive naval force of an
enemy, aided by many private armed ships,
shall swarm on the ocean. Who could then
be so hardy as to entertain the expectation
# frequent arrivals in our ports?
1t with peculiar satisfaction your commit
tee hnos itself enabieC., unNer the warrantyl
of the proper department, to state that ma
ny of the most necessary, are articles of
which there is considerable stock on hand.
and that others of them are abundant in our
territory, Or, III the words of the message,
we may be permitted to repeat, that " the
manufacture OF cannon and small arms, and
the stock and resources of all the necessary
munitions are adequate to emergencies"
The hourishiug state of the founderies
throughout the United States they have
been heretofore successfully employed, on
government account, in Rhode Island, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the district
OF Columbia, &c. The regular supplies of
small arms, OF every description, from the
establishments which are now under the con-
troll OF the government, and these seconded
by the several contracts which have been
already made with individuals in various
parts OF the Union, together with the ease
with which they may be multiplied SO as to-
meet any demands which circumstances may)
require. independent OF the arrangements
made on the part of the states individually, /
are scnae of the many proofs which demon
strate the great resources OF this Republic
WHAT nation can boast of more or better iron'
than the u. Statess Our founderies have
not only been in successful operation, thew
arc far from being intantiie and have arri-
wed at perfection. Upon the best authority
we state the furnaces, forges and bloomelies
III tlc oHllcQ StdteS TO DE llVe hundred and
thirty. The art of boring cannon is, in ma
ny places III Europe, deemed secret of
great importance they there keep their
cutters concealed from strangers in leathern
bags. IN the United States this process isl
so well understood, that an Inspector of our
artillery has declared to the world " he ne
verwas compelled to reject gun on account
of defect in the BORE" though he cxamin-
ed " upwards of two thousand cannon OF diff
ferent calIbers."
1t is notorious that we may have lead, from
the mines OF our country, to any amount,
Our resources for salt-petre in the western|
states are said to be inexhaustiblc. OF sui
phur We have a considerable stock in store |
Zach of the states can furnish an cxtensiveE
catalogue of powder mills; their number III:
the United States amounts TO two hundred;
and seven, and many Of them are celebrated!
for the excellence Of their powder. Not!
withstaEding these facts, it Is necessary to!
repeat, that under the present aspect of az
lars, 1t is proper further provision of ALI
the munitions OF war be forthwith madc-E
Expenditures to a considerable au0untF
when applied to such purposes, viii ulti-g
mateiy be found to be economy ~ the true
sense and meaning OF the term, by the sa- 4
wing Of the difference between the present ,
prices such ard as Will be demanded whens
We shall be at war. In conformity with theseI II
views, your committee beg leave TO report !
a bill.
NAVAL ESTABLISHMENT. 4