Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-17

ny NO ua , si;,;c,j considerations which us ;h, -
this great object are enlitea te secure There is
When once comp in The country who did not look Win
piooaJI c;,ude during the past season $50: &c n,r dis
snai Jeenceess condition. "neh 'e I'd ho did not re-
nVey I Nth France was uncertain uhI wiz ;,.uoI of
cusSiohs w." nran,raons, during the long iheiVa' %
gre we had enjoyed, had not KEPT paIe ns,n n
P.,, and importance. We hnVe no" 'hls eSs'', "
grown o,hcr experience. Adequate security Is not
aoa Ja from the Government to the country anu s
nvcl;on of it is not only satisfactory, hut the Nno
49, f ;ts xsepce cannot fail to produce an inuuehIr
uoon other nalions as well h l'e aus. W n,red IN
~. mode of conducting it. Ii We are prepared "
,,,nL and rsst the chances of being con,pe!'eo 10 ~
bark in hostlilies will be diminished, nnsrce
| ton TO our preparation. An unProceuu Nv m ;,da
Irf,ncelcss coast and military marine: ""Iy hI w,
r,,o IN the wants Of our service would ihue'u "!u
! strono inducements TO other nat""s " W.. s
prrtexts into serious causes Oh qua'el ;, ,ho rrose
There arc two suggestions c"nnec'eu WI. ~"
cution of our works when fSn'os " I,rld Ia in
| E;rs, That The Corps Of Engineers shouio oe III
ro,sed The reasons for this measure nave peeh hee
tofore submitted and the proposition has Eee" Ieco'n
| u,cnJed by YOU to Congress. VIII Hetey aou upo
I rresont 1ccason that the officers OF THIS corps are
nv, nf;c;en,lv numerous for the performance OF the
dn,;.. committed 10 them; and that II an Augmentation
d,ss M, take place the public interest will suffer IN
degree far yond the value OF any peconlay consoerd
| ton connected with this increase And,
| Sscondv I think that when the plan Of q work has
bscn nnnrov.d By Congress, and lis construction outho
rzrd the whole appropriation should pe mace al once
to be drawn from the Treasury IN annual instruments 10
he fred br the law This mode OF appropriation wouid
remedy mich Of the Inconvenience which has been ie
for years in this branch of the public servicr The un
certainty respecting the appropriations annually deran
nes the business and the delay which bienniay taxes
Olace in the massage Of the necessary law reduces The
alternate season Of operations 20 comparatively short
period An exact inquiry into the effect which The pre-
sent system of making The appropriations has had upon
the expense of the works, would probably exhibit IN
! amount far greater than is generally anticipated.
The report from The Ordnance department shows The
quantity and of the munitions Of war, estimated
to be eventually necessary and their probable COST IN
cudins establishments necessary tor their iaprca
:; ton and preservation The conjectural amount Is
| So, 955,537.
Believing il is not cxpedent at present, to make any
pre- partitions upon Il scale of this magnitude, have
deemed i. proper TO accompany this report win olie
statement of my views, where | depart from the
suggestions that are presented in this document
As our Notifications constructed their atmaments
should be provided. And the amount in depot should
at all times exceed the anticipated demand to meet the
casualties Of the service We have now hand SIS
new cannon for seacoast defence and about 900 Others
most of which either useless of doubtful charac
ter The works actually Finished or so far completed
rs 10 admit of part of their armament being placed In
them require about 1000 guns. They are calculated
ultimately to mount about GOO more Others in the pro-
cess Of construction will require about iOo. SO tar
we have certain data for estimates; unless indeed
which am inclined to believe, it should not be found
necessary ever to provide the full complement destined
is conjrctura And the quantity needed must depend
upon the principles that may be adopted in the further
progress of the system of Notifications There are tour
private oundres at which the public cannon are cast
These if their whole attention were devoted TO The OBJ
iect could manufacture fiom 200 TO $40 annually
AS carriages and other SUPPLIES the amount that could
be procured within reasonable period Is almost indeh-
mite. Iron carriages are now made Tor oil the casemale
batteries and they have not only the advantage OF III
dcstructiby from the atmosphere but, requiring no
seasonable materials, they may be supplied by the oun
dries through the country to almost any extent .,
We have two armories for the manufacture OF small
,rmr and there are seven private establishments which
fbricate arms for the Government All these supplies
are Of the best description and are submitted to rgld
inspection, which prevents imposition The arrnor'es
car al p1esen turn out about ~ 900 arms annually, and
probably 900 or 1000 could he made at existing pr
yate establishments Should any ext gency require larger
supplies, the quantity can be much increased we nave
now OH hand about 700 small arms and there have
been issued the States about 1S0OU0 muskets 2ooOU
rifles 80 600 pistols and 373 field and curiages
under the act for arnng the militia II 600 OF these
muskes and rifles preserved there are IN the coun'
try 100000 OF those species OF aims belonging 10 the
| General or State Governments.
What may be considered proper supply, is ques'
ton admitting much difference OF opinion. 1t VIII be
seen that the Ordnance department likes tile amount al
about 6O0 0C0 in addition TO what are nov on hand ana
including the number necessary 10 arm the militia we
had ut the CONNIE of The last 24U OUU mus
kets and during its progress 6OOO more were made and
purchased At its termination there were but OUO al
the arSenalS. he residue were IN
the troops or had been lost in the service This CON-
sumption was greater, think, than was necessary, or
than would probably again take place. A plan OF ac'
countabilty has been introduced by which the men are
charged with the they receive, and these are I'M
properly lost injured the value is deducted from the!
paw The paymasters cannot settle with them till this
! matter is adjusted.
The stock of small arms in Great Britain, in
depot, in 1917, Sle,So2
| In the public service, 2oO,9I4
Total. l.Ol925G
The number in depot in France in 1911 100000,
| not including the great number in service.
NV own impression is, that ,0OO 200 small arms may
be considered competent supply for The United States;
and if so large deduction may be made from the est.
mate Of the Ordnance department, under this head Of
pendilure Although the component materials of these
arms are almost inprrishablc still ii is not cxpcdcnt to
keep stock unnecessarily large hand; because there
is not only risk and expense in their preservation,
but because, like every other article manufactured by
| man. they are doubt susceptible Of great improve
ment And it may be- that those made may be ST.
perseded by improved model, which, once Introduced,
must be adopted at hatcprr expense or inconvenience
by all nations. And the ingenious invention lately OK
hibed in this CITY, by which series OF balls IN separate
charges are brought, by rsstory motion, to common
place of discharge ggess the possibility ola revolution
! in the form of our firearms.
On the subject of depots for these arms accord with
the general suggestions made by the Colonel of Ord
nance. think the number SHOULD be increased, and
arms placed in every pa.t of The country ready TO bc
used us circumstances may rcqnre.
1t will be observed that in the estimate have made,
conne myself to the armament for the public service,
connected with the actual defence Of the country, whe
ther to be used by the army militia in time of war,
hut do not extend my views TO supply for arnlng the
militia, in order discipline them in time Of peace
The extent Of this policy is question not necessary in
the consideration Of the subject before me.
As the arms in depot approach whatever number may
be assumed the proper maximum the necessity for ad
di,ional armorics becomes less. When our stock is
once ople,ed, the present areries without any aid
from The private establishments, will he able 10 supply
the annual consumption. think, therefore, that two
additional arn,ories suggested by the Ordnance de-
partment are not wanted And indeed. although there
are considerations attending the transportation of the
/ ILL., .Eantrr anL otl.r