The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-03-13
PERKINS, STEAM GUN,

Our readers are aware that Mr.. Joseph
Perkins of Philadelphia. has been some
time in London, engaged IA experiments
and inventions with a view 10 apply the
power of steam % the purposes oi valfar".
The great obstacle To his success, the FOR
nation of a generatorof sufficient strength,
is at last removed, aud the invention OF
the steam gun will be handed down TO
pOsterlty, IN company with thai "t gun
powder and the steamboat. the machine
~ l. said IN be- 80 anwIeldlv as 10 ne suIt,-
bic 0uiy for defensive warfare or toe pro-
trctieu " towns, citire, fn,ts. or castles
hence il will have this advantage over
gunpowder, that IT VIII generally BE- en-
pIoyeJ ON the SIDE OF Justice. But Nh
thrr Justly or unjus,ly. It power Is such At
to de.truy, a. it were in a mopcut, every
thing within It's reach. aud To deter All
hostile approarh.
The following description of this ma.
chiuc Is from the London Times.
Famig tjsiior.
TIE neighhorhood of Mr., Perkins 3 SAFE
" steam engine manofactory, near the
regents park, was on Tuesday thrown IN
TO great constcraafiun by some trrmrn-
dous reports, Arising from the discharge oi
his steam gun. Since a fatal accident,
which occurred several months ago, where
lady threw herself from gls, in eon,e
aupnee, rs il was at the Time Incorrectly
supposed, Of her horse having taken fright
It the prodlglous noise madc By the steam
gun, that terrific engine Of destruction had
not been permitted to be discharged by
the individuals helpnGIn5 10 Mr.. Perkins $
concern. On Tuesday usrung, however,
soun after eight O'Clock, patrols were OBJ
served stationed on all the roads leading
towards the inanulactOry, accompanied by
men with placards on boards, waning all
passengers on horseback or ~ carriages to !
go through the regents para, INSTEAD of
proceeding by the high road leading IN
front of The mmuiactory. Soon after
niue, numbers OF militia officers, IN cal
riagrs aud on horseback, aNSa,ed Ut III"
manaiactory. they wee sDoa foi'pnfd
by the duke of Wellington, aud Inmedl- !
atrly afterwards the discharge OF steam,
winch had beeO prey Susly occasional, and
or comparatively slight force, commenced
with a continued roar, resembling the
laudest thunder we ever heard. The
g,oup Of eminent persons then assembled
consisted OF his grace the master general
IF the ordnance, aud bis staff, the marquis
OF Salisbury, Mr. Pell, sir II. LHdmgc, lord
fztroy Somerset, the Judge advocate gen
craI. aad many military officers OF the high
est rank: together with committee of
artillery and englarer officers, who It aP- |
ppared. had been officially appointed 10y the
Ill, 80 mi
mrrlt, of this wonderful specimen OF hu- |
man ingenuity and destructive power. Inc
dis,h.rg, Of steam now became almost N ,
crssanl for two hours, during which. rs M
caIrnIable fofc, aud astonishing faPldI.4 ~
d,-chareiog balls, excited amdzement and
admiration in all present. At IirsI the balls ,
were discharged at short intervals, ~ lmi- |
taton of artillery firing, against an uon tar |
get at the distance ot 80 yards. Such "dS
fhe force with which they were driven,
tDat they were completely shattelc i to at |
onls, In the next experiment the b1is
were discharged at a frame OF wood, aud
thnv actually passed through ele'en one
in, i blanks Of the hardest deal, placed al
distance of an iuch from each other Al
forwards they were propelled against an
iron Mate one fou,tG OF an inch thick ana
at the yer, first trial the ball passed thio'
II On all hands this was declared To De
the utmost effort of force that gunPond der
copId exert. Indeed we understand that
mis- Mate had been brought specially from
Wnahyich. for the purpose of asctrtalnlng
the comparative force of steam aud gun
powdrr. The pressure of steam employ
ID To effect this wonderful force, we learnt
an inoniry, did not at first exceed 90 at
,nosnh.rrs, or SOC lbs. to the square lnch
and il was repeatedly stated by Mr. Per-
,ins that the pressure might be carried =
yento 200 atmospheres with perfect safety