[Report of the Secretary of War on the measures taken to replenish the Magazines with Military Stores. December 12^th. 1795.] Report of the Secretary of 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. This 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 armorers, also armful is at Philadelphia, have been established, and the armorers have been employed, in repairing arms, & 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 been made, and are executing, for seven thousand muskets, to be manufactured in the United States. — The present period may be deemed an unfavorable 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 capacity, by continuing to furnish them employment. Such muskets as are manufactured are after the model of the French arms, which compose by far the greater 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; being a supply was not to be expected from France; and the situation of other 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 32 pounders. A French gentleman, of some knowledge & 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 foundery, and from the information received, it seemed probable that one one might be procured from one of the first founderies in Europe. Measures for that purpose have accordingly been taken. All which is respectfully submitted to the Senate of the United States. Timothy Pickering. Department of War, Dec^r. 12. 1795.