The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-28

Uneted states Foun0ry.
s.v.r.l scores Of cities and villages have put IN
>.,, claim, A SUITABLE locations for the proposed
UnIssd states Foundry, and unless kichmon'
~saus 10 let the snhjeot 60 by default, the peca,
,tsr ana uasquallsd combination Of adv~a'.se"
which this city presents will mot eommAna -
nush On % hearing.
We ere not sufaciently cenversans VIA 'Ho W.
icy which controls the location OF sress govern,
msnt work 70 calculate the chances OIL nien"ona
for success 10 al application OF TINS k'u'. III
however. the object Is the bsnent OF sne govern
~.ct snd not patronage Of parties, persons, or
places, no spot which has yet been mentioned ape
rro.cbes the metropolis Of Virginia 10 she claims
sh,ch she prssents The great requisites for
National roaudry, Il 10 universally admitted, are
IRON. Coal Water Power, and Facilities Of Trans.
portasiou, and Of Labor. No man knows better
than the present able Secretary of War, aow com
p,etely Richmond embraces all these advantages.
The United States governments must by this time
be we'll aware that tho best cannon In the coun.
try, and probably in tho world, are made from
James River iron and 10 Richmond shops. Only
twelve miles distant 10 an inexhsustibie supply Of
coal exactly suited to the purposes of the Foundry
Tho river affords an unlimited amount of water
power, aud the canal would bring the coal and
iron to the spot whore they are needed, and carry
to the river or TO any other point the works man
ufaetured for the government, whilst tour railroads
could transport them to any portion Of the United
States where they would be required.
In regard to labor, the last Of the requisites
mentioned we have 10 this city an unusual num-
bar Of iron foandries, some Of them among the
largest iron establishments in the United States,
and employing a large number of Foundry men,
thus eusuring the Government against any emer-
ssucy requiring extra labor, and giving certainty
and permancnce TO its operations. The uniform
price of labor here and its exemption from the
sudden contractions and expansions which take
plsee else where are considerations that the Sec.
rstaries Of War and the Navy are fully competent
70 appreciate. We might enlarge upon the inte-
rior position Of Richmond, fully securing 1t from
. sudden incursiou of an enemy, and its great
saiubrity. Another fact which ought to have some
weight with the nited States Government in the
present state Of its finances is that the city OF
Richmond owns Q site, suitable in every respect
for the purpose of National Foundry, adjacent to
the canal, which she would undoubtedly give to
the United States for that purpose, and which,
With all its advantages, could not be obtained at
any other point under million of dollars.
But no matter wba. our advantages-no matter
hov inst our cause nor how beneficial TO the Gov
eminent the selection ofthis site for the National
Foundry, we may expect to be completely over
slaughed unless We bestir ourselves vigorously IN
the matter, and take steps to have our cause prop
srly represented, and theoretically enforced at
Washington. For this purpose We cali atten.
tioo to the subject, and hope the committees
70 whose care it was entrusted will see the neces
stty of instant action. Virginia. which gave an
empire to the Union. ought not to be disappoint-
cd suppliant for small boon, and of all places
in Virginia, there is none which contains all the
advantages we have mentioned in SO eminent
degree % Richmond.