The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-27
THE" Guns. uniua Arehers.The late MAI.

xHct6 IL ncooay III Nukhids VIM NOS@ ANSs n
recollect the noise, not made by, but made
about, the guns Of DIR. JrSios ARCHER three
weeks ago They were manufactured at Bel
Iona, for the late United States, but the Leg
islature took the matter mp, and would not
permit them TO be carried TO Old Point Com
fort, where they nigh I, in all probability have
been used against us. DIR. ARcHfR has had them |
brought down here. and they are now lying at |
the Armory on the basin, fifty In number.
twenty four forty two and sixty eight pound |
era, and all ready for use as soon as they
shall have been furnished with carriages. II
would do the heart of General awrxS good to
look at them We are not sure that he would
not begin to throw up sand bags on the spot,
Just to see how they could shoot. The most
ompetent judges declare that they are the
most beautiful lot OF guns ever brought
TO this city. They are the more " an
fersstin0 from the fact that they
come from Old Bellona-where good
guns-guns that would hold together, were
made, at a time when they failed TO De
made anyw here else in the then United STATES.
This was done under the supervision Oh the
late Major JOHN CLARKE, man OF decided
mechanical genius, who constructed our
Armory, the most perfect model OF euiioing
for such purpose in the worio, as every
mechanic knows. Major CLARxs had no model
to 20 by He consulted only his own genius,
and his work was gem. be was afterwards
oersec uted and pursued by bitter personal
enemies, until he threw up his office as super
intendent OF the Armory, and retired 70 MS
farm in Powhatan. He lived on the line be-
tween Chesterfield and Powhatah, his house
being in Powhatan and the larger part OF his
farm in Chesterfield. On his own property
| he established a foundry, and 1t was not long
| before he could have found employment for
| five such establishments as his.
Dur,ng the war of 1872, the Government OF
the United States felt greatly the want OF tor 10
and ships To provide against future contin-
| genc,es of similar description, Congress pass
| ed a law TO construct a regular system OF for.
tifica tons along the whole line OF our seacoast'
! At the same time it authorized the construc-
| ton of fourteen line of-blttle shlps, iour-
| ,pen frigates, fourteen sioops, and large
| number OF brigs, schooners, and other small
| craft OF course the demand tor heavy guns,
! shot. shells and the like, became enormous.-
| Contracts on large scale were maoe
! in all parts of the country, and among
| others with Major CLARKE. When The
| guns came to be tested, the "Durst up
was almost universal. But one lot
| stood the ordeal, and that was furnished
by Major CLAKKB from Oid Be,ioha,
through she was not 'Old BeiIona then.
For several years the experiments were re-
peated, and the Bellona guns were the only
guns that could noe BE- burotsd. AT last one oi
the firm OF KgABLE, the famous New YORK
conlrac tors, having lost large sums py
failures in the gun-casting experiment, De-
thought him to visit Major CLARKE, and en-
1 deay Or to ascertain the secret OF his success
Had the Major beeif SO disposed, he could
have kept his secret, and coined money by the
million. But he was the most candid aho
liberal OF mankind. He kept his visitor
with him Us long as he would stay-he never
liked TO part with a guest who was toierabiy
asreeable--and told HIM every thing, showing
him how to mix his metals, fix his mouids
and do every thing else required. MI IL re
turned home, made large casting, and lost no
gun by bursting when the test was applied
In a spirit of liberality not common among
New Workers, he came back TO return his &C
acknowledgements, and to express his gratitude
BY way of making return for favor so sig
nal, he earnestly endeavored to prevail on hi
host to introduce certain improvements which
would enable him TO do many times the sam
work. in the same time, and to take large
contract. But he failed. The Major was no
covetous. He was making large sums o
money, and it answered his desires, whIcl
were by means exorbitant. He thanked hi
, adviser, but said he was an old-fashione'
man, and got along in his jog-trot way vel
enough. His arrangements suited him, an
he would not alter them. His guns continue
to be famous, rs long az he lived, and under hi
grandson, DR.. ARCHER, Old Bellona, now trul
an aged establishment, retains every bit of IT
l reputa ton, and has even acquired fresh re
nown. Major CLARKg's guns, at one time, di
$ burst-a few of them at least-but DR.. A, as ia
as we no w recollect, has never burst but sing
: gun. Uhe present lot is the finest he has eve
: turned out. So, huzza for Old Bellona. Sh
J. will make noise in this war, most certainly
e especially az her proprietor Or. ARcHER)
e getting up company of Chesterfield boy
e ARTILLERY, of course.) The DR.. has all II
IS qualities of a good officer. He inherits IL
It spirit Of his race, and is, besides, an exceed
- ingIv popular man-a man OF great kindne
n of disposition, excellent sense, and hea
20 which will never allow him to overlook Il
v wants of his soldiers. Success to him,