The times., 1898-06-26
BUYING sALTPETER IN 1861.
How La Motto DuIcnt Supplied the
Powder for the Civil War.

From the New York Tribune)
On the banks of the Brandywine. In
! Delaware. are the great Dupont Powde:
Mills. Established in 1902 by the French
Royalist Eleuthere T. Dupont de Ne
mours, who found Republican France an
uncongenial home, they have grown to be
| the greatest mills in the world for the
making of explosives. AT the time of the
| Civil War the Duponts were, as they
are today powder makers for the United
! States Government. In 1861 the Secretary
| of War sent for the Duoonts, and La
Note Dupont, one of the heads of the
! firm, went 10 Washington in reply to the
summons.
Are you prepared to furnish a very
large amount of gunpowderY' asked the
| Secretary of War.
THAT depends on our obtaining saltpe-
ter was the answer. THE saItpeter of
the world is mined in India, of course,
under the control of the British govern
ment, and the markets are in London and
Liverpool"
The Secretary of War was startled. If
England should prove unfriendIy during
the course of the war which was open
ing, the saitpeter market would of
course, be closed to the United States.
'.The Government must buy d large
amount at once, he said.
Excuse me" said Mr.. Dupont; 1.-THE
United States cannot go into the market
pnd buy saItpeter at any reasonable
price-indeed, it might not be able to buy
1t at all; but the Duponts can get it with
out exciting comment
will you go to England and buy it
buy all there is?"
Mr.. Dupont agreed TO CO. and he and
the Secretary Of War talked few mo-
ments longer; they made few figures
and the powder man was provided with
letters of credit on the Rothschids
On the next steamer he sailed for Eng
land and presented himself with letters
of introduction to the Rothschilds Very
sorry, Mr.. Dupont; your letters of credit
have not arrived" and he was politely
bowed out. He next presented letters of
Introduction to Barring Brothers, the
London correspondents OF the Duponts.
one of the firm, Mr.. Archibald, cordial
ly received the powder manufacturer.
Very happy to meet you, Mr. Dupont:
we have never had the pleasure of meet
ing Dupont, although we have done
business with the firm for fifty years.
Il am very glad TO meet you," said the
American, 'for am In need of money"
I'VE shall be most happy to furnish you
with all that you require About how
much will you need2"
Mr.. Dupont looked Tneditatively at the
floor for a moment and Mr. Archibald
looked with some curiosity at his Amer
lean customer. A honlely man, was this
powder-maker; high cheekbones square
chin. covered with thin. uneven brist-
ly beard; spectacles on his deep, kind
eyes; man who somewhat resembled
Lincoln in the character of his face
Mr.. Achibald thought be might want sew
eral hundred pounds. This American had
perhaps found London little more ex-
pensive than in his Western simplicity
he had supposed; Mr.. Dupont, looking
up, said:
Il shall want f5oo,ooo, and I want it
right away"
Mr.. Archibald was amazed-only British
phlegm prevented his exhibiting his as
tonishment. Was this American a new
Monte Cristo?
by right away do you mean now?"
he managed to ask
Il mean in twenty-four hours: that !
is what We call right away in the United |
States''
You will pardon me if I consult my |
partners-it Is good deal of money"
Mr.. Dupont admitted that it was good |
deal of money and he took his hat
By the way, when you send word to my |
hotel, ask for Mr.. JONES' am registered |
under that name.''
Mr.. Dupont, having no money to buy |
went sightseeing and spent the |
evening at the theater. Before he was out |
of bed the next morning Mr.. Archibald |
called. He had called the night before |
and found Mr. Dupont out. The Barings
would let Mr.. Dupont have the money.
Mr. Archibald was hardly gone when the |
agent OF the Rothschilds hastened in with
profuse apologies. The letters of credit