Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-04-01
TEKKIBLE ENGINE oP DESTRUCTION

II iEkkIBLk ENGINE OF DEsTkucTloN.-
II Much attention has beeu attracted ~ Eng
h lnnd toward new engine ot destruction
!, which - said Ia for excel ~ It's terrible eli.
ircts any wurlikc coniriy6nce that has I've
been known. lts effects nrc stated 10 be ~
IIcerialn aQd so deadly as 10 render peifrcil,
rreslsinble any vessel ar funlicalion nrine,
wih II; a single discharge beng suili.'ien
Ia blow into fragments the mos, powerful
vessel that ever h"aied. The ioilowlng ac
,:"sini ofnD experiment with this terrible en-
\ linr at death ls from the London Times %
\ Feb. I0ih:--
\ An experiment was tried on Saturday af
II tcrnuon oI one oi the inventions to " Inch ",
alluded last autumn. The trial hook place /,
the grounds of Mr.. Boyd, ia the county oi
Essex. u few mites from town. in the pres
"ncc of SIR Robert Peel. Sir George Murray
Sir Henry lIurdIpge, Sir Francis Burdcl
l."rd lng"sirr. Colonel Gurwuod. Capla,
/ 3rnlen, Captain Webster, mud some olhc,
gcnil"men, who all appeared very much ny
ionlshrd at what they saw. A boat % feet
long aud 7 broad. was placed on large
-heet at water; the boat had been the day
before filed in wiIh solid lumber, 4 ! z feet
III depth, crossed IN every direction. and
clanped together with 3 inch spike nails. -
Several of The gentlemen were on Saturday
row'd ~ punt la the vessel, and examined
Tor themselves, 40 that every doubt might be-
removed as 10 the cause of destruction being
external. and no, ir"m The springlng of any
lnne. When the different parties had taken
np their positions, on signal from The ~
renlUr. The boat was set IN mhilOn aud struck
just abalt her starbonrj how, and Insiantanc.
"usly scattered IN thousand fragments. Al,
IN" moment OF collision the water parted, md
presented To the eye ot our infnrnani the ap.
Irnrance OF huge bowl, while upon IL.
troubled surface he no'Icrd u corrn-caiinn
precisely rrsembng iuikrd lightning. A
column of water was htcd up ~ the air like
. huge inunluin, tom which were projected.
up" "ard of many hundred feet the shattered
ir"gmehls al the vessel, winch tell many Of
them several hundred yards distant, ~ iII
arlicrn. fields. Oar informant cxamln"d
many pieces. aud found the huge mails snap
ped Ike carrots the mast looked like tree
fNen ~ lightning.
How ihIs mighty effect was produced was
of course not disclosed Ia so bumrrmIs II
parry, bat two naval officers there were per.
irctly aware OF tho mode of operation. aud
the inventor Offered 10 go into dclas conf
with one or two distinguished off.
Gers present. ln answer 10 a question from
SIR Henry Ilardngc, the inventor siai"d
that without u ba'lcring train he could trans
port on n mules back the means of destroy
my ire strongest fortress IN Europe. Th. |
existence ni these tremendous powers is pla |
ced beyond II doubt, and the inventor assrrls
them Ia be completely under ms control,
" hch. from what our informant has had an
Of observing, he believes Ia be |
eaily HE case. The instrument that wrought
70 terrible Effect on Saturday, lifting into the
llr boat weighing two and hali tons, and |
He'd IN with five and half tons of solid tim.
'er, ond dl>placlng at least ii or - tons Of 4
'a'er was only is lbs weight. Our inior
rani has handled 1t aud kicked it round n 4
Dom when chnrgrd with lis deadly Contents.
" portable and a, the saime time 80 safe Is II
"A point of vast Importance. when we re.
'"inoer The daily uccldcnls HAT are occurring
'"m HE detoDalIng shells now used in our
ervicc.