Now I have all pages. Let me compile the full transcription. [No. 37 6. Cong. 1^st Sess.] [Logan ——] Report. of the Secretary of War exhibiting the expences of the Natio- nal Armory. January 7^th 1800. —————————————————— [No. 5.—] [Recorded No. 1. fol. 227] The Secretary of War, has the honour to lay before the Senate of the United States, an exhibit of the expences of the National Armory at Springfield Massachusetts, together with the fullest information he has been able to obtain relative to the said establishment. The following sums appear to comprize the annual expenditures at and upon this armory, from the commencement of the same in the year 1795, down to the 1^st of October 1799. In the year 1795 expended . . . . 12,095²⁵/100 Dollars ———— 1796 ———— . . . . 12,236⁴² " ———— 1797 ———— . . . . 11,175²⁸ " ———— 1798 ———— . . . . 22,245 ————. From 1 Jan^t. to 1 October 1799 —— 48,900 ————. Cost of Rations issued during the } above periods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . } 20,663 ————. Estimated value of Musket Stocks —— 2,000 ————. Making a total of —— 129,365²/100 " The muskets annually fabricated in the same period, were, viz— In the year 1795 . . . . 245 ———— 1796— . . . 335 ———— 1797— . . . 1028. ———— 1798— . . . 1044 — to July 1^st 1799— . . . 1888 In July Aug^t & Sept^r 1799— . . . 1184. Total number . . . . 6221 In order to form a just opinion of the average price or cost of the muskets manufactured as aforesaid, it will be proper to distinguish and deduct from the total amount, the sums which have been expended upon the buildings machinery tools &c, and the value of the unfinished works, the tools and materials on hand the 1^st of October 1799; as well as of certain incidental work, in repairing French arms in store, and making or repairing cannon carriages. Altho it is stated by the Superintendant of the armory, to the Secretary, to be wholly out of his power to determine accurately and with certainty, what proportion of the money expended, was laid out on the works, and what on the arms; which he observes, will be readily conceived on reflecting, that at the commencement of the business, the public buildings were out of repair, that large sums were expended on them, that new buildings were erected, and that for want of proper assistants and system, he did not keep seperate accounts, that besides, the artificers were employed for some time on the buildings instead of the manufactory, and in making the necessary pieces of machinery and tools; yet, according to the best judgment he can form, the cost of the workshops and other buildings for the armourers, water dam and priviledge, together with the machinery belonging thereto, and rations drawn by the men while employed in these incidental labours, may be estimated at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000 Dollars Value of parts of muskets on hand . . . 7,591⁵⁰/100 " Stock on hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,953⁴² " Expence of cleaning and repairing } French arms in store, and work } 3,800 " done to cannon carriages for } five years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . } Tools and utensils estimated at . . . . . . 9,000 " 47,349⁶⁷/100 " This latter sum deducted from the total amount of expenditures, leaves a balance of 82,015³⁵/100 dollars, which divided by 6224, the number of muskets fabricated since the commencement of the armory down to the 1^st of October 1799, makes each musket to cost about 13 Dollars and 17 cents. If we take into view, the difficulties always attendant upon the first operations of an establishment, requiring so much skill as the fabrication of arms; that few or none of the workmen were at first masters of the business; that some unsuccessful attempts in the proper construction of the machinery and formation of parts of the musket, must necessarily have occurred; that time and some experience was essential to adjust the various branches of the business to each other, and to ascertain to what branches, the capacities and skill of the different persons employed, were most appropriate— We shall find reason to be satisfied with the average cost of the muskets, and a sufficient explanation, should any defects appear in some of the earliest manufactured. The works being now complete, and labour-saving machines operating to great advantage; the artificers too, being generally well instructed, and the business better arranged and carried on more systematically, what do muskets now cost the United States at Springfield? There are at this time employed in the armory 133 artificers and 11 apprentices. The number employed for the months of August, September and October ultimo, average 137 per month. In two of these months, there were completed 884 muskets, being 17 to each working day, or 442 muskets per month. The Superintendant states as the result of positive experience, the monthly expenditures of the armory, to be as follows, viz. Dollars Iron Ton Cur. qr. 3. 15. 2 Cost ———— 592¹⁷/100 Wages of workmen including the pay of } the Superintendant & master armourers . . . } 2180⁶⁹ Rations for the men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546 —— Ware of Grindstones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Charcoal and sea coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Estimated cost of musket Stocks . . . . . . . . 150 Emery, oil, Buff leather &c . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Cast Steel, Brass, Crucibles & wire . . . . . 18⁵⁰ Screws, sand paper & tallow . . . . . . . . . . 38 Cloathing apprentices & learn work . . . . 45 Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Contingent Charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 4,106³⁶/100 This sum then, or the monthly expenditures apportioned on the number of muskets made monthly, shews their cost to the United States, to be about 9²⁹/100 Dollars per musket. This difference in the cost of the musket may be attributed, to the price of the ration being less now than heretofore; to the workmen having become more expert; to the materials, being bought in larger quantities, coming lower; to supplies being more regularly furnished; and generally, to the improvements in the machinery and system for carrying on the manufactory. The high prices offered artificers by private contractors for small arms, have obliged the superintendant to give higher wages since these contracts have been formed. This however, cannot be long felt disadvantageously, and must operate to increase the number of workmen skilled in the business, and ultimately lower the price of wages. At present the average wages to workmen at the armory is nearly 15 Dollars per month. The Superintendant however, expresses himself confidently, that the cost of each musket to the Government in future, cannot exceed ten dollars. The progressive improvements in the manufactory, will be best evidenced, by the statement of the arms made in each year; and the following one of the number made and turned into the store, during certain parts of the years 1798 and 1799. In the month of September 1798, there were made and delivered to the store keeper . . . 80 muskets In October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80. November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150. December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196. In January 1799 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 muskets February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 " March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 . April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 " May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 " June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 " July (short owing to a failure in Stocks) . . . 300 . August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442 . September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442 . During the last six months, there has been nearly the same number of hands employed, or between 130 and 150. In October 1798 there were 118 men, and these made 30 muskets only: In November 121 men, who made 150 muskets, which last is at the rate of near 21 days work to each musket. The Superintendant observes on this head — that the men can now do double and in some instances treble the work in the same time, and that a workman at present, makes a complete musket in somewhat less than 9 days; that he finds, the workmen now make and complete in every part 17 muskets per day, in the usual working hours, and what is perhaps of more consequence, that the work, besides being sooner, is much better done. Before closing this report, it will be proper to mention, that cogent considerations seem to require, there should be a power vested in the Secretary of War under the direction of the President, to vary the compensation of the Superintendants and master armourers. Superintendants in particular, are subjected to expences which attaches to their station, and cannot be avoided by them. It is essential also, to notice, that it would greatly conduce to the success and improvement of our armories, were 1^st The workmen while employed in them, to be exempted from militia Service; and during the term of their engagement from civil process, for all debts or contracts. 2, were they to be obliged, by a summary process to fulfil their engagements with the armory. 3, were a fine to be imposed, upon any person who shall withdraw them from the armory, or in whose service they shall be found, after due notice shall be given of their engagements with the armory. All which is respectfully submitted James M^cHenry War Department Sec^y of war 6^th January 1800