Ordinance to encourage the making of salt petre, gunpowder, lead, the refining of sulpher, and providing arms for the use of this Colony, ca. 1776 June.

Whereas from the present great scarity of gunpowder and the difficulty of procuring a sufficient quantity thereof, it is found expediens for the better securing of this Colony in this time of imminent danger to encourage the manifacturing of Sulpher and Salt petre

Be it therefore ordain'd by the delegates and representatives of the several Counties and Corporations within the Colony and Dominion of Virginia now in general Convention assembled and it is hereby ordain'd by authority of the same. That proper works be erected and established for the making of Salt petre at the most convenient places on James, York, Rappahanock and Potonmack rivers and the branchesthereof, And that be director of the works to be erected on James river and its branches be director of the works to be erected on York river and its branches. That be director of the works to be erected on Rappahannock river and its branches, and that be directors to be allowed and paid a salary of of annum each as a consideration for their trouble.

And be it further irdain'd that each of the said directors do forthwith employ a sufficient number of labourers with proper Overseers to erect the said work and to carry on the process of making salt petre at any of the Tobacco warehouses in his district which he shall judge proper, and shall likewise purchase and procure kettles, casks, hoppers, and other necessary utensils for carrying on the said work the expence of the same to be defrayed by the publick

Provided nevertheless that where a proprietor of any of those warehouses shall chuse to carry on the said work for his private benefit at his own warehouse, it shall be as the option of the said Proprietor so to do, he determining within one month after the paying of this ordinance whether he will or not.

And be it further ordain'd that where any proprietor of warehouses shall refuse to erect and carry on the said works with effect or permit the publick director to do the same, the Committee of the County where such warehouses is sitaute, shall order the director of the works on the river to which such warehouse belongs to take the management thereof for the use of the publick, making such allowances to their proprietor as by seven free[...] of the said County ( being first sworn before a magistrate truly to value the damages of such proprietor) shall be adjudged, reasonable.

And be it further ordain'd that the directors of the works aforesaid shall transmit samples of Salt petre by them made to the Committee of Safety for their inspection, and all such Salt petre as shall be by them approved shall be forewith shall be conveyed

conveyed [strike - to the said Committee to be by them received & stored for the publick] to such Place or Places as by the said [illegible] shall [illegible]

And be it further ordain'd by the authority aforesaid, that the Chairman of the Committee of each County in this Colony, [strike - do] shall collect at the publick expense all such Salt petre and Sulphur as he can procure in his County, and cause the same to be conveyed to the nearest publick powder mill

And whereas it is suggested to this Convention that large quatities of Sulphur may be collected from amongst the mountains and in other parts of the Countys of Pittsylvania, Bedford, Botetourt, Amherst, Augusta & Fincastle, as an encouragement for the speedy manufacturing & refining of the same. Be it ordain'd that the Committees of the said Counties [strike - do] shall forthwith advertise that a premium of one shilling per lb shall be given for every pound of merchantable Sulphur manufactured & refined within the said Counties and to them delivered before the [blank] day of February 1776 and sixpence per lb for all such sulphur delivered after that time & before the [blank] day of May in the same year

And be it further ordain'd, That [blank] or any of them, shall & may contract for the building of one or more powder mills as may be found convenient for the purpose of making into powder the materials procured for the publick use.

And whereas it appears to this Convention that large quantitys of lead may be procured from certain lead mines in the County of Fincastle. Be it therefore ordain'd That [blank] be appointed Commissioners & that they or any [blank] of them shall & may contract with the proprietor or proprietors thereof for such quantities as may from time to time be found necessary, they (the said proprietors) conveying the same to such as places as may by the Committee of Safety be directed, and in case of the refusal of such proprietor to supply the same, That then the said Commissioners [strike - do] shall & may agree with the said proprietors for the use of the said mines & employ proper persons & furnish necessary materials for the making of Lead.

And be it further ordain'd That [blank] be appointed and he is hereby appointed to purchase one hundred thousand gunflints for the use of the publick to be delivered by him at such place or places as the Committee of Safety may direct.

And whereas from the great scarcity of arms in this time of danger it is found expedient to establish factories for the making thereof. Be it therefore ordain'd, that one or more factories for this purpose be erected at the most convenient Place or Places on each River within this Colony.

and that [blank] Esq'rs be Commissioners for the conducting and superintending the said works, & that they or any [blank] of them do, as soon as may be convenient cause the said works to be erected, and employ at the Expence of the publick such and so many industrious & experienced workmen as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying on the same, and that they do allso supply the persons so employed at the like Expence with such materials as from time to time may be found necessary for bringing the said works to perfection

And as an encouragement to such persons as may make good & merchantable salt petre.

Be it ordain'd by the authority aforesaid, That [blank] be appointed and they are hereby appointed to inspect all such salt petre as may be brought to them for sale, and that the manufacturer thereof be allowed [blank] per lb on producing a certificate of the approbation of the said Commissioners and delivering the said Salt petre to one of the publick powder mills or to such persons as the said Committee may direct.

And be it further ordain'd, That the several Sallaries, premiums, damages & expences accruing in the consequence of the execution of this ordinance from time to time paid by the Treasurer [illegible] from the Committee of Safety to be granted upon proper certificates to the said Committee first produced.

An ordinance to encourage the making salt petre, gunpowder, lead, the refining sulphur and providing arms for the use of this Colony.