The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-03
l29,45i total


The average cost of these arms was as follows, viz:
,snSeses ssss sssSHl mii ssss 'asassnas a"s' Of
!, sia ary % officers ie Tso ss civilians " 70
At Harpers Ferry armory IA l3 2T-l00 IA &c 76lo0
The foregoing of arms are irrespective Of the expen-
dures for buildings lands &c stated in the the
fourth question these being worth their cost But
the difference in the cost of under the two modes of
perintendence (viz so 81 7l00 per at Springfield
ana 63 cents per arm at arpers tery) amounts on
the number of made at those amore respectively du
ring the superntendence of military officers $5ls SG3 81
in favor OF this mode OF superntendence being but Sl9
10 less than the total of expenditure for all the
cnery buildings repairs, additions and improvements
while the difference in value of machinery alone of the
armories is S64o 9more than thrice this total
So that if all the buildings, repairs additions and improve
mens (Which permanent well made useful and credta
ble) are set down corth nothing there will still be
siderable gain in the machinery alone The fifth question
also includes the relative quality of the made under the
perntendence by civilians about ninety in hundred
were of the old mode-an decidedly inferior in work
model which alone has been made under the superin
tendence of military officers The model made
der the superintendent of civilians about three in
dred of all made) Of superior quality of those the
old model and this Improvement in quality has gradually
and steadily advanced under the superintendent by military
officers in the accuracy and uniformity Of the component
parts the excellence of the material and the skuncs Of
tho kmashp The best proof of this is to be found in
the results of the actual Of these by troops
vice both in peace and in garrison, in the swamp of
Florida and on the scouts and marches of from
tier During all the vicsues incident to this variety Of
service these arms have maintained character of high excel
In relation to the comparative merit the arms diff
erent dates respectfully call attention The evidence
tanned in the accompanying papers marked G. As applicable
TO the question concerning the quality of the made
der the superntendence by military officers subon the fol
lowing extract from official report by the United States
Inspector OF armores, his inspection of arpers Ferry
mory July 1852 'The completeness the present sys-
ten, to supentendencc by military ocers so far as
jorBy construction is concerned manifest by the
late submerson of twenty thousand durng the
highest Hood known at the place In cleaning those
nine thousand mukets have been stripped
and completely dmantled their parts being thrown into
great and after being repaired are
sembed from these lots of nine thousand componen having
distinguishing marks-every limb filing and fitting
appropriate place with perfect Had this per
feet uniformity existed the parts of each must have been
separately distrbued boxes have been provided for
these several and PARCELS great care would have
been requisite TO avoid mixture; every limb every
ke been numbered and the expense the opera
would have been greatly increased All these
nience been obvated by that system of dmen
sons in the simplest and mnutes componen of the
arr which obtains in snch perfection this armory.
'o determine whether this general uniformity extended
the fabricatons of both national armories caused
ke of the manufacture 1851 OF either armory to be taken
pieces and then applied all the components of TO the
other mixing them almost every possible and
plying the parts likewise the receiving gauges The
suit was the componens well the whole, ideni
cal for every practical purposeonly almost napprecia
be variation in the length of the roptend of the lock plates
being detected and this did not prevent perfect assembling
of the arms"
1t win be from this report of the Secretary OF Wan
TO the committee that greater quantity OF arms OF bet
ter quality of and superior model aud of greater
usefulness and uniformity have been made under the mill
ry than under the civil superintendency conceive sir
that have established the proposition that the military
administration of the armores to speak more properly