The New Hampshire Gazette

REPORT
Of the Secretary at War on the measures which have been taken to replenish the magazines with military stores.

In respect to some of the most essential articles, the stock on hand is respectable; and as to others, the magazines are now not ill supplied.

A contract has been made for a large quantity of saltpetre; and probably it is now on its way from India. This important article may, however, be obtained in the Western parts of the United States. The fact is ascertained. Forty or fifty tons have been brought from those parts to Philadelphia for sale; and it is said that several hundred tons might be procured, in the same way, in the course of the next summer, if needed.

To increase the stock of small arms, and to render serviceable those already in the public stores, two sets of armourers have been employed, to wit; at Springfield in Massachusetts, and at New-London in Virginia, in repairing arms, and preparing to manufacture the most essential parts of muskets and some specimens have been produced which prove their capacity to equal, in that article, the manufacture of any country in the world. All the arms in the magazines in Philadelphia have been repaired, with some thousands at West Point, where the residue are now repairing.

In addition to these sources of supply; besides two thousand rifles which have been purchased, contracts have been made, and are executing, for seven thousand muskets, to be manufactured in the United States.

The present period may be deemed an unfavourable one to carry on such manufactures, on account of the high price of labour. Nevertheless, it seemed important to secure the services of the manufacturers, when they might be of the highest necessity, by continuing to furnish them employment. Such muskets as are manufactured, are after the model of the French arms, which compose by far the greatest part of those in our magazines. For this reason, and because they are preferable to those of any other nation known in the United States, it was apparently inexpedient to make an importation of arms from Europe, seeing a supply was not to be expected from France: and the situation of the United States not rendering the measure of an immediate importation indispensable.

The casting of cannon has not been attended hitherto with the expected success. The founderies which formerly succeeded very well in the casting of small guns, were not well adapted to the casting of 24 and 36 pounders. A French gentleman, of some knowledge and experience in cannon founderies, has lately been employed to amend the process of casting, and to improve the machinery for boring; and there is room to hope that his projected improvements will be realized.

Nevertheless, in an undertaking so important, and at the same time so expensive, it was desirable to obtain, if possible, a complete cannon founder, and from the information received, it seemed probable that one might be procured from the first founderies in Europe. Measures for that purpose have accordingly been taken.

All which is respectfully submitted to the House of Representatives of the United States.

TIMOTHY PICKERING.
Department of War, Dec. 12, 1795.