PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 467 



guards and bores fur the side screws of tlio lock, and the two succeeding 

 cut phices for bands and tips. The next operation is called the secoi d 

 turning, finishing the stock in a very smooth and elegant manner. The 

 next machine grooves for the ramrod, and the following and last in this 

 department is' designed for boring for the ramrod from the p unt where the 

 groove terminates. This latter work has always been done by hand until 

 the past winter, and there is as yet but one machine for the purpose in 

 operation at tlie armory, which, running night and day, is able to bore only 

 six hundred stocks. The remainder have still to be done by hand, until 

 more machines are constructed. 



The history of the Springfield armory would be incomplete without some 

 allusion to the inventor of the machinery for turning irregular forms 

 adapted to the manufacture of gun-stocks. This was the invention of 

 Thomas Blanchard, then a citizen of Springfield and now of Boston — whose 

 reputation as a mechanic has since becoine world-wide — and was first 

 introduced into the armory about the year 1820. Before tliis the stocks 

 were all worked and fitted by hand; but the marvellous ingenuity of this 

 machinery made a complete revolution in tliis department, and contributed ' 

 to a very large increase in the rapidity and economy of gun making all 

 over the world. 



The same invention has been applied to other branches of manufacture 

 such as shoe-lasts, axe-helves, etc.; and Mr. Blanchard has successfully 

 used it in multiplying copies of marble statuary with a degree of accuracy 

 and beauty which is truly wonderful. 



Eight years ago the English Government obtained permission of the then 

 Secretary of War — Jefferson Davis — to make draughts of this entire esta- 

 blishment for the purpose of obtaining duplicate machinery for the works 

 at Enfield, and copies of the most novel and important parts of the. machi- 

 nery were manufactured for them in the neighl)oring town of Chicopee; an 

 American machinist being employed to superintend their operation at 

 Enfield. 



These works were the especial favorites of the late Prince Albert, who 

 took great pleasure in'exhibiting them to his Continental visitors; but no 

 portion of the works received so much attention from him as that occupied 

 by the stocking-machines. In this department he would frequently spend 

 hours, watching the operations of these incomparable machines with the 

 greatest interest and pleasure. As all of these ingenious and valuable ma- 

 chines are American inventions, and nearly all of them designed by the va- 

 rious expert artisans who have been employed at the armory durino- the 

 last half century, it would seem proper and desirable that their peculiar 

 construction should have remained a secret within our national works, and 

 at any rate, not been freely given to a rival government like that of Great 

 Britain, who might use the arms manufactured by American machinery 

 against the very nation that furnished it. It is probable, however, that the 

 arch-traitor, who thus furnished the governments of Europe with draughts 

 of these valuable works, had then in contemplation the monstrous rebellion 

 which now desolates our beautiful land, and took this means of weakening 

 us by the universal dissemination of the valuable secrets whereby we were 



