The native American., 1840-09-12


his conviction that this saddle is . great
Improvement OH any thing of the kink he
had ever seen, and hoped to see it brought
! into general use.
Another Of Capt. Thlstles inventions
is tiie
I WRoUGnT-IRoN CANNON This can
non cannot only be made much lighter
than of cast iron, and consequently much
less cumbersome to transport with All
army, but at one third the expense of
brass guns, Willie it is more durable. THE
manufacture of wronght-iron cannon in
| this country has never been attempted
except by way of experiment, md the
effort would no doubt, be attended Mt
first, like that Of every new inventions,
with difficulty and occasional loss; hut
that cannon Of this description can be
made, and successfully used, seems very
rational; for if wrought-iron muskcts,
I rifles and pistols, are SO evidently superior
to cast-iron that he latter materials is ne
yer thought ofin their construction, there.
would seem to Ee no solid reason why
cannon should not be made as, well as
small arms, of wrought front.
Captain VIII. Bell, IAN officer Of high
stardng and science in the u. S. Ord
nance corps, has stated that "artillerists
who had seen the above enumerated de-
fects Ewant ofsnfficient tenacity, strength,
and hardness III field,artillery, saw very
clearly that there was but one known
metal which could afford to cannon the
Necessary lightness, strength and durabill
]ty, and that was WrollgIl-iron, III which
there was nearly the. same hardness as in
cast-ron, much greater strength, and III
Ecomparably greater tenacity." Attempts
1 have been made in Europe and in this
country to manufacture wrought-iron
cannon; but ALWAYS failed in consequence
of imperfect welding. This difficulty
Captain Thistle processes to have over
come, and asked Of Congress an apnro-
|priation Of $4,000, to be expended un-
der the direction of the Secretary of War
lin the construction Of rliled or smooth
4 bore wrought-iron cannon. The nppro.
i priation was not made, probably from
want Of time to deliberate upon il. 1t is
an experiment worth the cost of trial, and
if it effect but half the benefits expected
ffsm a change Of material, AN entire revo-
luton in that implement Of war may ere
long take place. 1t willnotdo, in the pre-
sent age, to say at what point improve
ment shall stop.
l. Still another invention is that of an
! + IMPROVED CARBINE.---Gen. Jesup, an
-lold as well as I'm experienced soldier, re-
marks that 'we have long wanted, for
service in the field, arms that could be
4 loaded at the breech This ordinary mus
ket must be brought to the ground to be
loaded, thus exposing the body of the sol
,ldier if it could be loaded at the breech,
1.-THE bayonet would be projected in front Of
THE body, covering it from sudden attack,
and affording all the moral advantage a.
rising from the consciousness, on the part
of the soldier, of comparative security"
Gen. J. adds, that ''the principle applied
by Capt. Thistle to his carbne remedies
1.-THE defect which has rendered Halls rifles
useless and rifles, muskets and carbines
upon that principle must ultimately super
Isede all other small arms now in use."
! This is strong testimony, and as satisfac-
tory rs any, short of actual experiment.
Inecd be. All that is wanted is the oppor-
|tunity to give the carbine a fair trial; but
Capt. Thistle's circumstances are such
that hecannot make the experiments with
his own means and unless he can obtain
1.-THE aid Of Government or of men of capi-
Ital, his invention stands but poor chance
of success.
4 These inventions, if carried into sue
lcesslul operation, ought to bring wealth
and fame to the inventor; but there is
still another--a
!. PORTABLE MAGAzINE.-Lieut. A M.
1. Mitchell, formerly of the 9TH infantry act
led as ordnance officer in Florida during
the campaign Of 1886, and testifies to the
great want AT that period of such an in
4 vention. There was no means of trans
porting the ammunition on horseback,
Y without running the animal and render
ing the ammunition unfit for use by ex-
posure. In four days march, nearly e.
very animal was rubbed by the boxes so
much as to be unfit for use; aud he is
confident that if they had had the benefit
of Captain Thistle's invention which he
had examined, this would have been a.
voided.
We have here the testimony Of several
officers OF science, skill, and experience,
as to the Importance and utility of Capt.
i fhlstle's various inventions or improve
meats; hut none of them have yet been
|udopted TO any extent In some countries
he would have been caressed and remun-
|erated here heis neglected, and left to
fight his own wayto notice. There is an
leIerpy and inyincibilify Of shirts in Amc.