New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-01
CANNON 70UEDERIEs 0s VIRGINIA
1900 MJSEETS UNDGR CONTRACT.
Esr;vntcers and Volunteers.

arrived there although they Wtie hou'iJ 'Af0N''
The number said TO be on Che way was 9co"' Ine
whole number of ,nde.-arms III Richmond ana 'ne
adjoining counties, at that fine he estimates ~ i'"o'
They were collecting under sort Of vague ioes t',
when they got 1000 troops together m and aiouno
Richmond, they should march TO Washington ana Jake
possession frightening away the Adn'nlstr'i0" anu
The Federal troops.
This gentleman was near Norfolk on Sitaru'y l"'l
and he believes that there only The Seai hin''
there.
Al Richmond the Jamestown and YORKTOWN ot the
New-York line of steamers had been sezed ana were
being fitted out as privateers
friend of his went 70 Governor Letche' 70 ask him
what protection would be Afforded 10 citizens The
Governor answered: We will have no neutrality
No man can stav here who will not take The oath OF
allegiance to the State, and declare his willingness to
take M arms in her behalf when called upon" To
snch as would not consent this. the Governor gave
passes.
The State was suffering greatly for want OF arms.
The new companies are claInorous for arms. The old
companies have mostly hin-ioek nlsketsi . few OILY
have percussion arms.
On "Wednesday week there was story circulated in
the CITY that the steamer Pawnec was cOmIg up To
take it, very ridiculous story as the Pawnee draws
too much water TO get within miles OF Richmond but
still 20O0 5000 people swarned down the river
below the oity; he there and thought at least 0OO
of them were armed with double-barreled shot-guns
The volunteer companies turned out AFTER bidding their
fathers mothers brothers and sisters tear1ul Iare-
well. Some of the unprovided army were armed Win
scvthes, with handkerclieis wrapped around one end
To take hold by. All going down to capture tue
Pawnee. Down at City Point the same rumor was
spread and they showed their readiness to meet the
emergency there by bringing down some oid bronze
cannon to the dock, though they had not pouhd OF
powder or ball.
The Tredeqsr Iron Works at Richmond are the only
works which east csunon Tney have recently pousht
another establishment which had been closed for some
time and are now employing about 900 bands, tOo OF
which are a, the old establishment. Many Northern
men who employed IN these works have now iei,
us the oath OF allegiance las been administered 10 'he
men and they are enrolled in companies the proprleors
of the works furnishing the arms and uniforms But
everything that the Trcdcear Works has made so lar
has gone South and they yet behind their orders
Recruiting is actively going on IN RIchmondi on
Main street there eight or ten rendezvous ihree
fourtbs of ihe recruits are not over Is years old
howzer company Just formed Is composed entirely OF
bows Their eight howzers are rited, and were pro-
cured from the North last Fall.
The State Of Virginia had l5,OOO muskets OF the
old iu. lock pattern, which, immediately on the Sc
cesson Of the State, put under contract to three
parties be altered 10 percussion locks FIVE thou-
sand were given out TO a manufacturing company
which until lately has passed bv the name Of the Union
Manufacturing Company, but which painted over the
word Z" Union on their sign when Virginia seeded:
This COMPANY il composed of Northern men, and until
engines and sewipg-machines. They will probably be
sble TO get their 5000 guDs altered In a year An
other 5 900 have been given out TO John III. Lester
formerly Of Brooklyn, where he used 10 carry on "a
large maehine-shop. He bad no shop IN Richmond,
and will probably attempt to get them done In Bal
more. The remaining 1000 have been gwen 10 y.
Brown. who has hitherto been carrying on an iron
railing and wire manufacory. lie Will hardly DO
able 10 alter 900 a year. and all cannot turn out
more than from Il to Is per day. The State is to pay
81 q niece for the alteration.
Our informant saw Sharp's rifle in the
State and never heard of anybody who bad one. As
for Colts pistols they not to be had; }5c would he
readily paid there for a Colts navy pistol.
The hammero used in altering these fint-locks to
percussion, have generally been imported. Ii VIII
seriously reard operations they have to forge the
in Richmond Endeavors will be made 10 buy them here
The pre NAV well be OH the lookout for them III small
boxes which will contain great many, In Packages
Of dry-goods where they may be scattered without
adding much TO the weight There is but one man IN
the citv who has imported them; Geo Law bought OF
him when altering his old muskets. These muskets
however will be better than the Law muskets, a. the
Law Innskets Of the old thin pattern were rlhed,
which cut them away much that they will probably
he more dangerous to the man who aims than to the
man who is aimed at Not only are they weaker than
before rifing but they have 10 carry much heavier
ball thus being subject to greatly increased strain
W hjle their strength is considerably reduced.
wear ago the State of Virginia contracted with the
redecar Works for the toos for an armory, into which
il is intended 10 change the Ar,enal The tools how
ever have not been made Gnd cannot he Tor year 10
come. They have master armoier IRON lhe Spiing
field armory.
Beside the Tredegar Works, there are two OF three
other works Casting balls and making shells One man
named Rahm, who WAS until lately, strong Union
man. has raised Secesfon nag, and IL very busy
casting Secession balls.
About two weeks ago, before the ordinance Of Seces
sion was passed informant met man IN the street
who was pam ially drunk he hadwo or three friends
with him, and said he was making up crowd to 60 TO
hang Bots.
ON Sunday week. when the motley assembly before
referred down to take the awnee the engineer
Of the Yorktown, who happened to be little tight,
sung out: Go il you ID rebels" He was heard,
and party went on board and put a rope around his
neck when others interiered and explained that he
was drunk and was good Secessonist when be was
sober The mob let him Oft with some swearing about
people telling their real sentiments when drunk.
The schooner faxall arrived in Richmond on Saiur-
day or Sunday week with 800 kegs Of powder direct
from Newfork.
A schooner which left Richmond on the 23d was de-
tanned at City Point for two days, although she had
Virginia clearance by tie State Of Virginia. resent
ed by Col. Davenport, the only military force there.
The schooner had flour board, to he reshipped at
New-York for Peru, but the Coz. sad that he had re-
ceiyed orders previously 10 stop all vessels which hd
breadsuHs or lumber on board.
Within two weeks the price of provisions and board
has risen from 20 TO 20 per cent. Private families are
breaking up and selling out for what they could gel i'll
The only means of getting a communication to the
North is by letter sent through Adanss Express, and
that will receive letters unless their orthodoxy is
guaranteed by some known Secessonist. An elderly
lady applied the other da ut the Express office to send
letter North. The clerk answered.: Madam, l
can't forward your letter unless you bring per-
son well known 20 vouch for you. She said that she
wonld read the letter TO him anybody else there; he
replied that they under orders to transmit let
ters unless the parties sending them brought some
well-known person TO ouch for them.
On Monday of last week cases of lay in Adamss
Express office from the North and to 20 South-per