Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1852-08-31
accompanying it an extract from Col. Craig's
ofthe views of the Ordnance Department.
ApJUrASr GENERALS OFFICE, !
WAsuISGroN. April 30. 1852. {

| panied the Presidents Message to Congress, al
The commencement OF The present session. Un'
derstanding that the printed document has not yet
been supplied, | have the pleasure TO send you an
official extract from the Report, by which it viii
appear that, on the Both of June, 1851, the num-
Der of finished army muskeis in the Arsenals and
! Armories was about 100000, and of rifles and
pistols about 65 900. The number of small arms
now in deposit, cannot, it is supposed, be much
above that of 100000.
Touching any remark which I have inciden-
tally made in conversation, relative to the supply
of small arms, / have said, we do not, in my opin-
ion, require many as 100000 Of small arms in
store, nndistribuied; that thought the annual
supply exceeded the wants oi the country, and
that the number annually fabricated, could be re-
duced with advantage TO the public interest
This, think, is about the substance of what |
have expressed upon the subject.
l am, sir, very respectfully, your obedent SER
want, r. JONES, Adj't Gen1.
The Hon. CHAs. JAS. FAULKEER,
House of Representatives.
Extract from the Annual Report of the Colonel
of Ordnance TO the Secretary of War, dated
October 2sth, 1851:
"1'he number of finished muskets in Arsenals
and Armories, on the 3Oth June, the end of the
fiscal year, was about 100000, of which about
10000 were new percussion, about 27l 900 all
flint lock. The number of percussion rifles at
the same time was about "a ,000 and of flint lock
rifles, about z 900, in all, ,0G0. O!perCussion
pistols about $780, of altered pistols about 4, SO,
and OF fnt-lock pistols about IL 500 in all,
about %, 900. In consideration of this stock of
small arms, have deemed it proper to reduce
the amount of the estimate for the manufacture
of arms much below :he ordinary annual appro-
priation for this object. 1t cannot be expected,
however, that they will be made at as little cost
for each one, where few are manufactured, as
where the operations are on larger scale. The
use of machinery, which enters largely into this
manufacture, will be nearly the same for small
as large quantity, and the reduction in the cost
of supervision, inspection and other standing
penses. necessary for keeping up a manutac.
turing establishment, will be but in small propor-
ton TO the reduced scale of manufacture. The
greater economy of manufacturing on large
Than small scale is, however, fact too well
known, and generally admitted, 10 require any ar
pument TO prove it. Although The supply of
arms on hand may appear large, am of opinion
that it should be kept up and increased by manu-
featuring more, annually, than is requisite for
dinary consumption. With the vast extent of
territory occupied by this nation, its military sup
plies, to be available in an emergency, must be
divided into many portions, and distributed
throughout the various parts Of the country;
otherwise, although there may be, in the aggre-
gate, more than enough to supply any military
force that may be brought into the field at one
time, it NAV happen that there will be no sup
plies at or near the very point where they are
wanTed and none to be had without great delay
in ira ransportng them thither. When the extent of
our territory and its rapidly increasing population
are considered, as also the equal rights of every
part TO the use Of aud ready access to its share OF
the means provided by The General Government
for the defence Of the whole, stock os one mil
lion Of arms will he found to be by no means an
extravagant provision. They may never be re-
quired for use, and it will probably be fortunate
for the country they never are; but the very
isence of ample means 10 meet any such emer-
gency is one OF the most efectual ways 10 prevent
its occurrence.
"Moreover, The money 10 be expended for the
purpose is not lost; il is merely converted into
National property in another shape, property of
more real value to the nation than money. That
can be raised at any time, but an emergency,
that might find the country unarmed or badly
armed could not be met by means OF money only,
and might involve loss of National reputation;
loss not to be measured by or compared with
money. With IFS merely nominal military force,
the strength of this country, for warke purposes,
whether of offence defence, consists in its
military arsenals, filled with the products of the
ingenuity and skill of its own citizens.
"The means provided for increasing that
strength are, at the same time, applied TO give
employment TO these artizans, and to foster and
support that species ofmechanical skill and inge-
nuity which is chiefly, and almost exclusively, ap-
piled TO the construction OF articles requisite for
national purposes. 1t is mistake TO regard such
expenditures as Army expenditures; not tithe of
them is required or intended for the Army proper;
they are to provide the means of making the nG-
ton an army, whenever occasion may require il;
and the more perfect, ample and complete those
means are, the less likely is that occasion TO
happen.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient SER
want, (Signed) II. K. CRAIG,
Colonel of Ordnance.
True extract. R. JONES,
April 29lh, 1852. Adjt GenI.
Now in my opinion the reasoning of Col. Craig
should have brought him to conclusions the very
opposite to those which he recommended. And
instead Of submitting reduced estimates, the able
and conclusive views which he has presented
bearing upon the economy of the subject, would
have fully justified him in urging continuance
of the appropriations at the standard OF past
wears, and am therefore the more convinced
that he made his recommendation under the in
fiuence of those assaults which have been made
in Congress, SO fierceIy for some time back, upon
the expenditures of the War Department.
But knew it was idle for me-wseD the Com
mittee of Ways and Means were reducing the
appropriations betOtr the estimates in almost eve
ry item of the bill, some twenty, some thirty, and
some near fifty per cent.-to ask the Committee
or the House to raise the appropriations for the
Armories Jeyond achat the Government Itself ask
ed Whilst condemned the policy so far as the
National Armories were concerned and remon-
strsted against it, was forced 10 be satisfied
with being able to retain the appropriations for
these objects precisely at what the Government
asked, and to prevent any reduction below its
estimates. And in this respect, the estimates
for the National Armories Jared far better than
most of the other objects provided for by the bill.
l am, truly, yours.
CHAS. JAS. FAULKNER.
ppOM rATTEoRNIA
Me<.rs. John Fl. Hunter and Jacob seibe.t
arrived here on Wednesday last, in about 30 days