Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-05


forth the articles inspected and received To that cer6cst
appended evidence Of the receipt of the articles by
officer agent of the Ordnance Department slso the
count Of the person furnishing the supplies These paper
examined IN the Ordnance Office and then transmit
ted TO the Second Auditor of the Treasury with saeen
endorsed that the within has been examined and
much found due thereon to certain person, be pa
from such an appropriation There the Ordnance Depart
aent done with IT, II then becomes Treasury matter
and then, after examination by the Auditor il is tn
Second Comptroller for further examina,ion The Comp
roller returns approved for much andthe Auditor send
i to the secresy Of War, in order that be may draw th
treasury department. his requsion for the payment
Question Describe now how the payments would be mad
In case OF formal written contract under SEAL made BY
ofcer commanding at arsenal and what notice Of sucl
payment would be furnished the Secretary of War in th
ordinary course Of Office
Anstser The contract itself would be the Ordnance
bureau, and submitted TO the Secretary of War for bis
val before being filed in the Second Comptroers office
Payments under the contract would be made by the dsu
ing officer OF the arsenal ordinary vouchers which wou
accompany ms next account current that account
would be examined n the Ordnance Office and transmitted
the Second Auditor Of the Treasury for settlement with
letter from the chief of the Ordnance Department informing
the Auditor whether he approved dsppoved Of all
particular part of it.
Question. Now inform the Court how payment would be
made under "open purchase made by officer com.
mandng an arsenal and what notice Of such payments
would De furnished to the Secretary Of War in the ordinary
course Of Office =
Ans,r. Payment would be made by the disbursng officer
OF the arsenal ordinary vouchers which would reach the
Ordnance Office with his current and through
the same process Of examination and ransma the Sc
cond Auditor as stated in reply to the previous question:
No notice to the Secretary Of War Of such payment would
be furnished that know Of but the would be
to the inspection Of the Secretary Of War; if he chose to call
for them. The Secretary of War has the power to call for
all papers in the Ordnance Office.
Question ls such examination of the of dsburs-
ing officers after they have passed into the Treasury Depart
men made by the Secretary Of War in the ordinary
OF office or have you ever known it to be done
AnsCer 1t not ordinarily made, and have never known
it to be done.
Question Say if you know Of any mode, according to
the course OF your Office, and the settlement Of accounts
and paid for and not be brought directly the knowledge
the Secretary of War; except by open purchase made by
discussing officer at arsenal.
Anser Even by the last mode it could not escape being
reported to the Secretary in the annual report Of operations
Of the Department made before each session Of Congress-
that many shot other articles had been procured during
the preceding fiscal year by fabrication purchase II the
articles had been paid for through the Ordnance Office such
payments would appear the annual statement of articles
procured by open purchase or by contract the might
be but they would not appear that statement if paid for
directly by the disbursng officer of the arsenal When paid
for through the bureau the statement would show that they
had been procured by contract open purchase When paid
for at the arsenal the Secretary could distinguish which
articles had been paid for under by open pu-
chase: they would be Jumped together.
Question, Does your office make annual report to the
Secretary OF War; showing in detail the articles procured by
purchase contract during the year If so, how that
report is made @,a
AnsWer The Office makes annually (in january state
nen of contracts made during the year ending the previous
December, and separate of articles obtained by
open purchase ordered during the year. The first
statement specifies the of contractors the articles con-
racted for the price be paid the place Of delivery, the
date of the contract and by whom made The other
ment specifies the articles purchased ordered the place Of
delivery, the price paid to be paid and the date of the
order.
Question. Are these statements confined the articles
procured by the bureau do they include the purchases
made by disbursng officers at arsenals
Anso They do not include purchases made by the dis
bursting officers of the arsenal but confined those made
by paid through the bureau.
Question. Have you ever known founder offering to
enter into contract to furnish proeces for cannon referred
by the bureau to the officer commanding an arsenal Or
have known such contracts purchases made otherwise
than by the bureau ..r,..,.. s n.
AnsWer. do recoIect have ever known founder
REFEREED In some instances where officer of
sena wants supply Of shot shells FIJI order for sup
plies, enable him to carry the operations of his
sena he has ordered them directly from founder and paid
for them himself.
Question. Have contracts for small quantities o. proiec-
tiles been made directly by the bureau
Ans,cer. Not for small quantities. | should call any
thing ten tons large quantity. All quantities exceed
ing those required for supplies special purpose the
arsenal have been ordered by the Ordnance bureau
Question. Have you known large contract for
projeces for 500 tons given at any time
establishment
Anser. have never known so large an amount ordered
at time from any founder will however, add that
during the Mexican war; when fitting out the expe-
don for Vera Cruz unlimited orders for shells given
many founders that is say, they authorized
make many they could by given time.
Question: Does your Office, in issuing orders TO officers
Of ordnance directing inspection at foundry out in
the order that the Secretary of War appoints him inspect
ing officer for that purpose
AnsWer. 1t does not generally it may sometimes.
Question. When the last work done by the foundry
Of Wellford Fredericksburg, for your department
Ansacer The last delivery for projectes in April,
ls47. don't know when the work was done.
Question: Is there any information in your Office in re-
gard the suspension of operations that foundry after the
death of Mr.. John s. Wellford!
Ans,ver No information in regard to the suspension Of
operations that know Of. There is information showing
the death Of Mr.. Wellford do not know the time.
Question. Will you examine this paper and say if is
copy Of report from your office to the War Department
Ansocer believe it to be true copy of the report from
the Ordnance Department to the Secretary Of War.
Question Can you say what change in the state Of the
appropriations referred in that report the supply can
balls the possession Of the Ordnance Department had
taken place between the date Of this report 9Th January
1884, and ls November $780, exclusive Of the contract with
| Carmichael
Ans,cer No material change that ON aware Of
The Judge Advocate here read the report from the Ord
nance Department, dated January 8, 1851.
The report states that the Ordnance Department was we'll
supplied with balls proportion other articles so
TO render unnecessary for to be purchased and
were not the limited state Of the appropriations that OBJ
lect would prevent their being purchased ut that ,ime
Cross-eraminatien.
Question If Colonel Huger had received on public ac
count the shot and shells delivered by Anderson, would
i ond,a -