Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 to George Washington

Writes concerning a "return of the Ordnance Arms and Military stores in possession of the United States." States that many of these stores accumulated in several areas as a result of the revolution and wishes to find better permanent housing for them. Writes, "[t]he important characteristics for magazines and arsenals seem to be perfect security against enemies, internal and external, blended with an easy access by water. The expence of land transportation of heavy articles for a series of years compared with that by water, renders the latter quality indispensible for a magazine." Goes on describe how each of the current locations does not meet this standard and suggests other methods of housing the stores and discusses the importance for a national repository. Watermarked "J Watt & C Patent Copying/Sold By J Woodmason/London." Letterpress copy.