PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR 137 Yet deficient in compass and security, and under date of the 22nd of the same month, Estimates 15 were presented of the cost for the neces- sary buildings.- It is to be regreted that circumstances not under the control of the Government, should have caused this Department to remi.in, with little exception, in the same situation, as it still labours under the disadvantage and loss incident to the exposure of the work- shops and out buildings.- One of the brass pieces of artillery, brought from the United States, by General Green, has been inspected and condemned, the other remains on the Frontier.-the former was cut off and furnished the arsenal with an Eprovette and balls-with a brass reflector for the purpose of examining the bore of Ordnance pieces.- The twin sisters and other Ordnance, remain as given by the last Ordnance report;- and will be housed so soon as a contract can be made; for the Erection of some sheds-the propositions now sent in, are too extravagant, and bear the character of imposition upon the Government.- I would here Sir, most respectfully- but emphatically, press upon the consideration of the Honorable Secretary of War, the economy of employing enlisted men as artificers- a glance at the difference be- tween the pay of the artificer enlisted, and the wages of the Citizen now employed, will be a sufficient excuse for my presenting this sub- ject again to Your consideration.-. My report dated 28th of :March 16 exhibits the examination of Colt's patent Rifle, with my reasons for rejecting that arm.-with a notice of Cochran, Baron Racket and others.-the same communica- tion contains an intimation of the efficiency of rockets to be employed against the Indians particularly-and the necessity of fixed ammuni- tion for our artillery.-the establishment .of a Laboratory will be the necessary consequence of their adoption.- So soon as the muskets arrive from the United States, new car- tridges will be made to suit their calibre, composed of the Egg-shaped buck shot without the ball-and after sufficient trial, the result re- ported.-that of an experiment heretofore made, is already in the De- partment of War- I cannot forego the oppertunity of expressing my firm adherence to the arm still manufactured in the armories of the United States, in preference to the patent arms of the day, or the re- jection of flint and steel.- The munitions of war already ordered, will upon their arrival, place the Government on a respectable footing- but a large supply of all will be required as soon as arrangements can be made for their purchase-as we have no arsenal of construction-and that for repair on a limited scale- The duties of the Engineer Department having been assigned to this, by the former administration, they were performed.- and par- tially so under the present, although without general orders to that effect.- You will therefore attribute my exhition of plans &c for the erection of a national armory at the City of Austin- or wherever may be determined-by Congress, with Estimates- to the proper motive- namely, an anxious desire to facilitate the prosperity of the
i>No. 951. 1 'No. 1155.
Powered by FlippingBook