Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-04-13
4,S40 00
From the Boston Erening Gazette.
INTERNAL MACHINE.
LOCO 90


said TO baye been made upon the life of Be-
naparte by all Internal machine, some years
ago. The following is an account of the
effects produced by an apparatus of this ma
ture, above two centuries ago, at the siege
OF Antwerp. As the work whence it is ex-
tracted is scarce, this account may be ac-
Ceptable to many of our friends:
" OF all the warlike inventions that have
ever been contrived, antiquity can produce
none more dreadful than were used by the
people of the Netherlands against Philip v.
OF Spain; and particularly at the siege of
Antwerp, which having been 6esieged some
time without success by the Prince of Par
ma, he at length resolved to lay bridge
over the Scheidt, that runs by the side of
that city. The river is 2.4OO feet broad.
and above 60 feet when the tide is out; yet
the Prince, by indeiatigable labor, and dri-
wing piles into the bottom, at length Der
formed this wonderful enterprise; only in
the midst, where the stream was very rapid
and very deep, lie was forced to make
floating bridge Of boats, which Joined the
whole together. He likewise built forts or
castles on each end, and planked the bridge
on each side five feet high to secure it from
the enemy's cannon, and from thence much
annoyed the town.
{. The people of Antwerp, finding how
preiudicial this would be TO them, and that
1t might endanger the loss of the city, con-
suited many ways how to destroy it. but
none took effect. At last they met with
one Frederick Jambel, an excellent engi-
neer, who, coming out of Italy into Spain,
desired to have access,tO the King, to offer
his services to the Low Countries, but be-
ing sighted and neglected, he left the court
IN rage, threatening, that in short time
the King of Spain should hear of the name
OF tins despised person, not without tears !;
and coming TO Antwerp he had now fit
opportunity OF expressing the nature and
fury of his mind. He was entertained by
the besieged, and assured them lie would
ruin this dangerous bridge; to which pur-
pose he built four ships, with flat bottoms
and high sides, much thicker and stronger
than ordinary; first, in the keel of these
ships he made strong brick wall, like a
floor or ground work, a foot high and five
broad, through the whole length of the ship
then he built walls on each side about the
foundation, three feet high, and as many
broad, and having filed the vacancy with
gunpowder, tempered with exquisite arr,
unknown to any but himself, he covered il
over with grave-stones, mill-stones, and
other huge stones. Upon this covering, he
made another story, vault-wise, of mill
stones and other vast stones, which, lean
ing on each other, made ridge like that of
house, so that the slaughter might not on
Iy be straight forward, but on each side
In this upper vault he put iron and marble
balls, chains, blocks, nails, knives, and
whatever else his mischevous wit could
suggest to destroy mankind. Lastly, all
the space that lay open between the side.
of the ships, the wall, and the roof of the
mine. he filled up with stones close Joined
together, and bound down with beams fas-
tened with iron. He covered and secured
ell these things with strong plank and
brick floor, in the middle whereof he set
fire to pile of wood, that the ships might
seem to be set out in that order to burn
the bridge, putting under the wood pitch
and birthstone, that could notbe extinguish
ed before the mine should be fired, with the
prepared timber. He framed two WAYS tt
fire the miDe--in some of the ships he pla
Ced matches besmeared with gunpowder
which being laid through the k eel, reached
10 the mine, and Of such length as he had
found by experiment would continue light
ed until the ships should come to the bridge
In other ships he used clocks to continue
with gentle motion till they arrived at th,
bridge, and then with violent meeting O
the wheels against flint should strik,
some sparks into the bruised gunpowdet
there scattered, and iHflame the train
and thence convey the fire into the moutl
of the mine. Jambe having finished thes,
four dreadful engines, added Is less, which
had nothing hurtiul but the matches cover
ed with huge fires. These preparation
were observed by the Spaniards, though il
nOrant OF the stratagem, imagining the
were providing feet in the city to attacl
the bridge on one side, while the Zealan,
and Holland squadrOns did the like on tn
other-therefore the Prince kent stric
guard to prevent mischief, which was near
er to him than he expected. When, be
hold, from the city, there appeared tire
ships first, and after them several Others
brightly shining with fire in the darkness
Of the night, and at which the camps wer
alarmed, and a cry given Of-arne arms
and the bridge was soon filed with sol
diers. The ships came down the river i
good order, Q or 8 together, as if for sho,
only, having their marines on board then
and the flames were so clear, that the
seemed not to carry fire, but to be burnin
themselves. and that fire could sail and b
preserved in the waters. The whole mad
glorious shew, if the hearts Of the specta
tors had not been filled with terror; for tn
banks of the river and the castles place
thereon, shOne with continual fires, which
with the armed troops along the shore an
OH the bridge, in bright armor, with thei
swords drawn and cOiors displayed, wit
the gallantry Of their commanders, made