Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-05-15

and uscl IN combination with the Read shell.
cd with the Parrot gun and tho lscad shell
that they purchased, AT - ro., OF 500, An iron
siX-poundcr Of that pattern, and Il hundred
| shells, intending to submit the piece to care
fnl test at the Military Institute, with view Of
substituting it for the the ir.n field pieces now
owned BY the State, If tho experiment rcsnlt
f,vorably
| With reference IL arniins the infantry OF
the State, much greater difficulty was expert
enccd. The quota received from the United
Stalrs Government, under existing laws, is less
than one hundred ritIrd m,SkctS per annuln,
and there are about nnr hundred companies
Of infantry without arms The general
government sells nothing bat condemned arms,
ard therefore cannot supply the wants Of the
State, even If the latter were ready and willing
| TO purchase.
! There is but one private establishment in
! this rouT!ry which manufactures the riilc,l
| muSEct: mix! II All arm equal in quality to the
/. ). uslS!icL wrrc ordered, il is doubtful
whether it could be procured as soon and as
chcanly IS i, can he manufactured at the Ar
/ IMory hcr., Etl"r its new organization. The
Commissioners, :.oun after their appointment
having reason to apprehcnd difficulty in pur-
chasing nuskets, procured from the State be-
partmcnt. through the agency Of our Senator'S
letters to 0l:i Ministers ut London and Paris,
and addressed to lhc;u letters Of enquiry COLI
c"rning the manufacture and sale of arms. li
it hc found that reliable mllskets can he pllr-
chased abroad, they will br ordered.
In the meanwhile, however. finding that the
nnly safe reliance WIS upon ourselves, the
Commissioners have fastened lle preparations
Of plans for organizing tie Arrnory; and If
they have not already done so, will report
them 10 the Governor Immediately, for his
approval. They have had the advantage
Of advice from the principal ordnance officers
of tho General Government and from some Of
the best workmen in the Government shops.
The State .lrnorics at Richmond and Lex.
ington contain fifty or sixty thousand smooth.
bore llimt-lock mushctS. Many Of these mus.
kctS are worthless, others arc pretty good and
If pnrrus>oncd and ri:lcd would possibly make
4 tolcrahic COOS! arIn Of III inferior grade But
under the act for tile reorganization of the nil
tia. passed. by the laSt Legislature nonc but
the most approved arms can he issued anu con
scIucntlyai the old r':skctS are ncftct, can-
,cmnCd.
The CDvcrnu,, being authorized by law to
sell condemned arms. lIas authorized the Com
msSionerS 10 dispose Of the old muskcts in the
purchase Of arms and machinery, and they will
thus be made available in arIning the State.
Thc Commissioners have purchased five hun
dred barrels Of powder from the Dupont Pow
der Mills, and haze ordered the immediate con-
Struc:ion Of magazines on the State grounds at
Richmond and Lexington upon plans furnished
BY iir Dupont.
p S.-Wc understand that the Governor
and Commissioners contracted with McSSrs.
Amcs for machinery for the construction of
arms, 10 the amount Of 1927 600. Mr.. Anes
mas recently been in Richmond, and has cX-
pressed his belief that our present Nirmory is
very suitable tnr the construction Of arms.
The Commissioners were accompanied by the
tiaEIe tGiaEIetn2r t Mt2 S :, required TX Ne 81 acl to exc
orr upon such plan rs the Commissioners shall
propose and he shall approve.