Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-16

-
in the foilowin. words" Resolred also,
that the Executive DC requested 20 ascer-
tam line most eligible situation i'm the CT
ty Of Richmond, or its vicinity, for an
arsenal, and inanmfoctory of arms, and make
report thoreofto tie next session OF the
Assembly"
TINS proposition was concurrcd in by
the Senate, and thus becamea rule for the
Executive Council.
On the 4th of December, 10Y, Cover
nor Wood, in his annual message, calls
| the attention of the Assembly 10 the sub
iec; Of arms, in the following words =
The Executive have, conlormahly with
the resolution of the 18th November, 1895,
Esq. of Boston, for the importation of
1000 stands of arns, TO be delivered at
Richmond within fifteen months from the
date of the contract, at the rate of SIS
per stand, to be paid for on dclivers,
and which will he attended with no other
expense TO the Commonwealth, than the
ammunition requisite for proving them
Inc impost duty having been taken off by
an act of the last session of Congress-
Every possible means have been pursued
by the Executive 10 make contracts for
manufacturing within the State, the like
number of stands OF arms i'll the course of
the year 1898, but without SUCCESSION
the 23ti of Dec. 1907, he thus calls their
attention specially TO lie subject of an
Armory in 4 particular Commune alton:
The Executive. sensible of the impor-
lance OF tie subject, and ANXIOUS TO af-
fordte the Legislature The best informal
ton III their power, have constantly had
III view the Resolution of the General
Assembly cttie 2Gth of December, 1896,
requesting them 10 ascertain the most
eligible situation in the city of Richmond
| or It's vicinity, for an arsenal aud manu-
| factory of arms :" but sundry causes have
arisen, which Mas retarded final report
until this tone" The efforts made for
! this purposeare disclosed in papers which
accompany this message.
! The difficulties, which Mr.. Swami ex
! perienced III obtaining foreign arms, were
| surely not very well calculated TO abate
| our determination to make arms of our
| own--lhis brings us to The that of
the Governors Message. Thearticies of
| agreement With Swami were made on the
| nth ct July, i797.-On the 10Th of Janu-
ary, 1853, the Council made an order al
loving him ID months moretO complcteiiis
contraction the Sd of December, 1898,
| Governor Wood informs the Legislature,
| that Z" the Executive had entered into 4
second contract with James Swami of
Boston, for the importation of 1900 mus
kets and bayonets al $40 each. On the
18th of December, 1898, the Committee
TO whom had been referred the Governors
letter relative TO the contracts with Swami,
| reported resolution, empowering the
Governor " to extend the periods within
! which the said two contracts were to be
complied with, until the Isl day of July,
1899" This resolution was predcated
| upon letters from Swami, disclosing the
difficulties he had met with in procuring
| arms III Europe.
One oftIese was from Swami TO the Go
| vernon, dated London, 10th Sept 1898, say
ing, In Octoberlast, Isentfrom Boston,
| Mr.. Randolph Eschmann, TO I.iege in
Germany, where had heard arms were
TO be got the quickest and best; and made
funds at Rotterdam for tie purchase of
The first 1000 stands had the honor OF
contracting with you for. [ received let
tiers early in the last spring from Esch-
mann, that the arms could be got imme-
dlately, but that as Leige had become a
district to France, they could not he ex-
ported. then concerted plan 10 get
them 10 Holland, as Dutch government
property, and there was disappointed,
as the expectation could not be made
without the consent Of their good allies
the French.-I}aulked IN that second
attempt, and cloathed with the second
contract, | came hither in person, with
funds TO purchase both parcels, not
doubling the British would countcnance
the export, since the present urgent cir
cumsfances might tend in all appearance
TO use them against their enemies, if
France should take i'll earnest against us.
Here again am disappointed as not a
musket can be exported without consent
OF government, and not one TO be made.
but for her use, as there is not gun-ma-
ker OF any consequence in Birmingham
lwhere have beeD,) who is not engaged
for his MAZE sly. This letteris accompn-
MED by one from Mr.. King, then our MIN
lister III London, TO Swami, of the IOtl,
Sept. 1898, saying, am apprehcnsive
you will find ii difficult TO procure any
considerable quantity of musISets in this
country-the mandatory, the carried on
by private persons, is subjected TO such
regulations, that it must be considered as
entirely in the hands of government"
These documents show the difficulties
we met with i'll obtaining arms from a.
broad-a conclusion which only made us
more anxious to make them for ourselves.
II should be added, that when the arms
did arrive, they were not found the best
another fact, which showed us the pro-
prlety of manufacturing them for our
selves.-Theseco contracts and others which
we made, cost us, from March 26, 1900.
.l.x