New-York tribune., 1871-05-05
AMERTCdE FIREARMS ABROAD


nent OF France In view OF the facts that I'd ossos ara
successive surrcnders OF strong places had well ngh
hasted the supply Of guns for the army and tina, IN.
Chasepo as service arfo had 10 be regarded "a
n nature, concluded NEGOTIATION with Mr. &. Romn1.
ton, the head Of the great private aruory at D,on IN
this State The first was for 5000 stand of ,
approved calibcr Of II minimeters or Ol3 Of an inch
While In progress OF cOmplotion second contract wa.
awarded for 7O0Oo and at the time purcbaes ers
made Of small lots that could be diverted e. the mecca
sity OF France from engagements previously made With
other nations On Saturday, the u OF April the Trans.
atlantic COmpany's steamer PegCre, on ward bound,
bore the last instamcnt OF the French oriers boig
1900 stand The aggregate Of service rifles Inapnfac
tured and shipped to France by the Remington Copany
since the 2ist of September, reaches The extraordinary
total OF i51.l2O Adding 10 this I9777 cmbnes and Oso
army reyolvers the number Of their arms furnished
to France by the Remn tons Is 2li2i7, figures which
seem to justify the assertion Of The London Times IN an
article deporng the petty organization and Inadequate
resources Of the British small manufacture that
American establishment possessed larger capacity for
| production than those OF ali England combined.
The recent adoption OF the MartinHenry breech-
loader as the British Service Arm has ELECTED the fact
tnat, Win her present capabilities Of manufacture. Ra
gland can turn out tn, stand which accounted
the proper complement for he regular army. in four
years NO Circumstance could illustrate better than h.
the relauVe superiority OF the smalarms industry OF
the United States. The Remington establishment at
Ibon Is by no means tho only one In our country po
sessed OF productive capacity unknown TO the British
industry. Hardly less extensive than the Remington
in scope Of operation, Ia the great Hartford Company
founded by Col. Sam Colt In the superb armory Of his
Company structure actually unique IN the perfection
OF its adaptedness fabricated not merely the Be1,
breech-oadng rifle and the wen known revolving pl,,o
but whatever style Of lordnance may be requred
from Gatng battery down to Derringer. The Proyi
| dence Tool Company, the Brown Manufacturing Com
pany Of Newburyport severay producers the Pcaody
and the Van Choate ecoadng rifles the two sharp,
establishments OF Philadelphia and Hartford the Smith
Wesson OF Springfield which now xecutng an orde,
Of 25 900 army reyolyers for Russia and the Winchester
Of NewHaven, manufacturing the eighteen shot repea
ing rifle, all organizations uneaualed by any ia En-.
gland But the Remington, whose facilities-crowdirl,
four Of brick and mortar. employing from 900 10
| 1,i00 workmen-many OF them second generation Of
skilled arsans-paying out monthly s3sOO0 for labor
consuming annually from OO0 to 10000 coal con
trbutng to the thrift and absorbing the products OF
large rural districthaye been in months adequate
70 the completion Of than 10000 stand of rifles as
suredy hold the first rank not only in the United Sate
but in the world record Of this establishment fvm
| the date, tnan forty years past when its
founder earning reputation by the original pro.
ductiOn Of his famous gunbarre 10 the present year.
which has not infreCuently, under war pressure, wit
sed the result OF days operation the completion
Of 1,lCO breechloaders, would be splendid chapter
| the history of American manufacture. The following
summary OF its performance during the five thai
have succeeded the lesson taught by the needle gun
the Austro-Prussnn campaign VIII az least show tho
later riumphs which the men of Ilion have achieved
| The Bennington breech-Oading re IL the regular
service Of France, Spain, Egypt Denmark. Sweden.
and Greece. The number Of stand furnished 10 France
we have stated above In 1867 Denmark originally
raced for 10000 soon after repeated the ORDER with the
addition OF 1900 oarDnes and eventually under patents
purchased from the company entered upon the consruc'
tion OF the in her shops; Sweden, about the
same time secured 10000 rifles in this country with 2oo
systems conversion OF her old muskes and like ber
sister State commenced work, under patents similarly
purchased upon 10000 stanl spain from 1868 to the
current year inclusive, has become possessed or t
rifles OF 43 caber for her regular army beside 2O tor
the volunteers Cuba and 400 systems for conversion
Egypt In two years. has ered first G0)0O, next 10000
and finally $1,000 rifles Greece, in 1859, contracted for
1900 which are yet delivered the latest customer.
Japan has bat commenced her patronage by four small
purchases, each Of 1000 stand The United states
within the last twelve months, adopted tine bennington
system for in the navy and in addition to the ne
cessary complement of 1900 rifles, which, well as
small number test have been constructed the
Springfield ArnOry, short time since purchased 6,oG
carbines and 900 pistols Of the Compa1ys manu-
facture.
The foregoing summary Of the results Of much ca
terprise and executive ability would be incomplete with
out suggestion of the great work performed for France
tons OF the Company with France have not been limited
to the production Of its breechoaders sOoa after
the conclusion at Tours Of the initial contract for 60
rifles the chiefs Of the new Republic already warned bJ
experience Of the runous costncss Of system Of pur
chase which depended upon athOusandandone consular
agents and their encourages OF sp0culatOrs, urgently
solicited Mr. s. Remington undertake the entire
and munlton business for France in the United States
proposition extraordinary not TO be accepted
without most serious consideration, accepted
till the authorities at Tours had pushed the matter With
a strenuousness that well nigh dGhed refusal OF thu
magnitude OF the task assumed by the American company
through its head, though its details aggregate but little
short of sl5 O0 figures give 10 adequate impress
sOn 1t is safe to say that has private associs
ton found Its energies its executive ability its tact in
management OF and its reliance upon official faith
tested such degree The event has proved that what
might have been justly termed temerity In men OF ord
ary foresight, that determ nation OF p2o5ab
ties which only the keeneSt study OF and most perfect ae'
quaintarce with a nations resources can eff Ct Yet
there periods when tho admin ratOn OF the trust
with which the Remingons were charg d, uAist have
seemed honorable than profit bic or safe. One OF
their very first transactions for ance necestatej an
advance OF more than $2OooO on account OF arms pur
chased for their principal over and this time when
the Tours Government already debor to them ioi
byeeeh-loaders in the Of haa-nllDn. Tie conSaD,
communication requisite to the conduct OF the business
suggested blythe fact that the Company bin for ocet
| teegraphing alone amounted to $1,000 IN gold 81"
guar good fortune attended the whale series of ansae
tions miscarriage wrolg shipment, and rarely
delay having occurred. Not to the happy providence
which seemed pursue each venture however should
be credited the unvaryng success OF ALL 5a' rather 10
the loyal fidelity OF the Republican ohclas "nO sIose
TO keep their engagements in defiance OF crowd OF am
cultics and to the earnestnoss with which the American
agents threw into their conduct OF affairs the hest eher
ges OF many minds, always inspired and directed o!'
| jealous for the interests Of France.
As public attention ras already been drawn 10 'he
| American episode OF the French struggle, II i' no'
| improper to state that the Remington Cohl'n! ""'