5600. MUSKETS, Improved.—
An improvement
is made here [France] in the construction
of muskets, which it may be interesting
to Congress to know, should they
at any time propose to procure any. It consists
in the making every part of them so exactly
alike, that what belongs to any one, May
be used for every other musket in the magazine.
* * * As yet, the inventor has only
completed the lock of the musket, on this plan.
* * * He presented me the parts of fifty
locks taken to pieces, and arranged in compartments.
I put several together myself, taking
pieces at hazard as they came to hand,
and they fitted in the most perfect manner.—
To John Jay. Washington ed. i, 411.
(P.
1785)
