ty delivered
him. Each of these officers is allowed a numerous corps of clerks, to
aid in keeping the accounts. There is also a foreman, or assistant
master-armorer, to each principal branch of the work, and under him a
foreman over every job. These are severally held accountable for all
stock, tools, and parts of work delivered them for their respective
departments, and they in their turn severally hold the individual
workmen responsible for all stock, tools, or parts of work delivered to
them. The assistant master-armorers, or foremen, are inspectors in their
several branches, and are responsible for the faithful and correct
performance of the work. Each individual artisan puts his own private
mark on the work he executes, as do the inspectors likewise, when they
examine and approve of the various parts of the musket. Thus, in case of
any defect, the delinquent may readily be found. Monthly returns are
made to the superintendent, and from these returns the monthly pay-rolls
are made up.

Since the establishment of the armory in 1794-5, there have been
fourteen superintendents, all but two of whom are classed as civilians,
although a few of these had seen some military service. The armory has
been under military rule but fifteen years out of the sixty-eight which
have elapsed since it was established: namely, from April, 1841, to
August, 1854; and from October, 1861, until the present time. A standing
dispute on the subject of the government of the armory, which was kept
up with much heat and acrimony for many years, culminated, in 1854, in
the passage of a law by Congress, in favor of the civil administration.
This continued until after the breaking out of the Rebellion, when
Congress restored the military superintendency. The question of civil or
military government, however, is of no practical importance to any
person other than the aspirant for the place. The same rules and
regulations governing the workmen employed at the armory, as well as the
mode of payment, and the manner of doing the work, which were
inaugurated by Benjamin Prescott, the superintendent from November,
1805, to May, 1815, are substantially in operation now, and have
continued through all the changes which have occurred during more than
half a century.

At the end of December, 1817, there had been completed in this
manufactory 141,761 muskets. The expenditures for land and mill-seats,
and for erecting machinery, water-shops, work-shops, stores