The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-24

RICHMOND. VA, February 10th, 1870.
am very glad to see by the action Of the
CITY Council that an effort is to be made to
get the assistance Of Congress to improve
The navigation Of the James river; and !
hope soon to sec q packet line established
to Rio de Janeiro. But it liz as n manufac-
turing city that Richmond ought to excel
all the other cities OF the Union. She has
one of the finest climates in the world the
best water power, and the best coal and iron
for manufacturing purposes, Of any other
place, at her very door. There is
but one other State in the Union, go far as
my knowledge extends, that produces iron
equal to the Virginia iron. That State is
Tennessee. In lS4S the armament OF ships
'~ar Of nil other nations had improved
or'"- at it became necessary to change
30 much IL, our vsssels-of-war by con-
the 0a''sF tSe o. old gns and procuring new
osas With the view of oo,e!'n'he .he oes1
ous a. aud Of the best metal, contracts were
saaa With the following persons TO cast
thsse GUNS: ..lger, of South Boston Ia noted
run-maker); the proprietor OF the Coia
Srrinc Foundry, opposite West Point, n.
y.Xnar l. Totem, Fort Pitt Foundry, Pitts
hn,p. Pa; Anderson, Tredesar Foundry
Richmond; and Archer, Bologna Arsenal
James river.
The guns, when made, were subjected to
the seyerest proof, and specimens from the
run-bead of each gun tested as to speclhc
GRAVITY and tensile strength. 1 need no.
say,that under these requirements the oes'
oonn,n that could be cast was cast LOT 'he
United States navy. 1t was cHpcc'eo . .ra'
the Virginia guns would be made OF !lr.
r;n;a iron Ayers guns OF Connecticu'
;-on. the Pittsburg guns Of Pennsylvania,
tennessee. or Missouri iron; and the lolu
snr;ng guns of iron obtained from different
nfsnes. It is unnecessary for me to draw
comnarisous between these foundrles or
tbe gums cast at them; but to show the es-
t;nation in which the Virginia iron was
held by that able gun-maker Cyrus Alger,
will reneat conversation that took place
hatween him and myself at his foundry,
n South Boston, in lS47. After assisting
IN the inspection of some Of MIR. Alger
oups, I remarked to him that his guns, IN
po;pt o. proof, we're equal to Anderson
suns, made at Richmond. He replied
HThey are made OF mixture OF Virginia
and Connecticut iron the founders are De,
coming 80 nerfect in gun making that hnd
II necessary 70 get Virginia iron to improve
mine. [ never make trial gun without
ns;nr virginia IRON" These trial guns
we've made by each founder to show tue
quality Of their iron.
I; is due to General Anderson to say that
some of the best cannon in our navy ne!ore
the war we're cast at the Tredegar Foundry,
in this city. The Virginia and Tennessee
iron possess two qualities to very great
degree that are required in gun-maklng-
viz, density and tcnacity. Ought not these
Qualities recommend the Virginia iron Tor
all railroad purposes
In regard to the Virginia coal, feel
confident in asserting that it is the best
and the cheapest for manufacturing pur-
poses of any in the country. In the Wash.
;ugton nayy-vard, where all theanchors and
chain cables for the navy are manufac-
tured. and after many trials and expert
mcnts, it was decided that the Virginia
btuminous coal was the best that could be
used in heating the large pieces of iron III
making anchors. 1t was the best that coulu
be used in welding the large links OF a
chain cable, and the most rapid IN gene
rating steam. If on Saturday night the
vorkmen in the anchor shop were cangn,,
with large anchor unfinished, they hao
only to cover it and the fire over by Virgi'
MIA ccal. so as to exclude the air, and on
Monday morning they would find the iron
hot, ready for work. There Is no otiei
coal that possesses such qualities OF ina
can be used for such:a purpose successfully
1t seems to me that one of the most expe
di,ious plans that we can pursue to increase
our population and add to the wealth. ot cul
CITY is to manufacture all that we require
at home ; employ skilful mechanics ane
nav them we'll. This may be accomplished
without interfering with the foreign com
MERGE proposed to be inaugurated by TN
irlnrcvr,cnt of tue James river. Oul
leur and tobacco must 60 abroad.
L. i. boutwell,.