The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-23
THE EXPLOSION.


channel Of the Potomac
Before entering upon my description il may be
well to state that that Mr.. Colts contrvance is de-
signed to protect rivers and narrow channels from the
entrance of hostile fleets OF ships by placing in such
channels large quantities of gunpowder contained in
tight metallic cases which may lay the bottom an
indefinite time, ready for when wanted thus is
| formed the battery. BY some means not explained,
the inventor is enabled to communicate fire to this
battery at WILL though the operator may be-as he
was in the present case-several miles from the ter
rible instrument of his power. The communication
is, by some, supposed to be effected through the
agency of electricity, conveyed by wires extending
along the bed of the river channel, from the bate
ny to the apparatus of the operator in respect this,
however, am not fail and only give II as poPu-
lar conjecture
But to proceed. The hour at which the explosion
was to occur being s. o'clock, P. NJ, determined
to time by the forelock in order to avoid crowd
on the road, and at quarter past 4-snugy slowed In
a caryal-turned from the Avenue down a street
toward the Arsenal but had scarcely crossed the
bridge before | found myself involved in a crowd of
vehicles onstant stream of which were, even at
this early hour pouring out from the city toward the
|
pedestrians of all ages sexes and degrees trudged
resolutely on, red with persPraton, and begrmed
with dust Dust indeed I! never did | see the like.
had heard Of clouds of dust, and supposed had seen
them, but here regular bank-mpervious and
interminable-to which fog bank on ST. Georges
shoals were as gossamer and London fog trans
parent as ether. At length, however, we turned
from our dusty way, and how delicious the con-
trast beneath feet carpet of deep green YER
dure stretching away either hand along the pic
uresque and beautiful banks Of the river, and before
us, bright, placid and glorious is the noble Potomac
| 90 great Potomac We banks of shade
! Ye mighty scenes, in natures morning made
While still with rich magnifcence of prime
| She poured her wonders-lavshly sublime"
| About mile below the Arsenal fine taunt
looking brig with her tall spars clothed with canvas,
all her eight kites" aloft, to the breeze which
seemed hardly to dstend the Hottest of them as she
stretched lazily the rver-her motion barely
sensible to the eye. To this gallant vessel-around
which several small boats were seen plyinghe eyes
of the uninitiated were directed the doomed VIC
| tim of the terrific experiment. while as each new
conner arrived and breathlessIy inquiI ed which is
the vesse? dozen friendly fingers were pointed
toward the pyramid Of canvass, with "there she is"
-" that's herr The attention Of the knowing ones
was however, directed to an object of less imposing
appearance much the shore, which might
well have been overlooked on ordinary occasions,
and probably never before an object of great in
erest to any body This rusty looking schooner
of some GO or 70 TONS anchored directly abreast of
the Arsenal two three hundred yards from
| the shore. She had the head of her main-sail
hoisted about half way up, if she had just
come to anchor, and person appeared on
her deck it might have been fairly inferred that she
oyser-man, or other bay craft just arrived.
and that her had gone ashore after fresh grub
| This was the craft which had-aiier escaping many
peril of shoal reef, and hurricanebrough her old
frame here to become the victim of continuance in
comparison with which the internal machine was
| as bottle of ginger pop. Like weather beaten
old tar who after buTetting with tie ocean lifetime
should be forced to give his battered to the
dissectng knle-or the benefit of scicnce-to pay his
| funeral expenses But let 90 ahead
The eager thousands still coninu, to arrive and
the moment designated for the catastrophe is near
al hand, the crowded vehicles emerge from the dusty
| road in perfect fury of haste, lest they may be too
late. AT half past five, there were probably, ten or
twelve thousand persons SC altered along the bank of
the river ADORE the arsenal, and how many below,
have means to npute. Scores ofcrowded coach
es there were from which bright eyes peered steadily
with thrilling interest upon the gallant brig expecting
| each moment TO her eight kites hurled aIof by
| power more terrible than the whirlwind while the
humble little coaster lay quietly at her anchor
| attracting glance About this time, when expecta-
ton at its highest PITCH whispered that the
President had not arrived, and then every eye was
turned towards the city, from whence put
ting off fine steamer decked with flags. As knew
that the catastrophe could not happen until the arrival
of the steamer, spent the interval of few minutes
in threading my way through the crowd, listening to
various questions and remarks elected by the
81 wonder" says one what the explosive power
is I" don't know" nor neither" " believe
i, is gunpowder" &c guess mott heard it was deto-
mating powder" " | reckon said a quiet looking
man, very naireiy " it must be the Veto power, as
know of none likely to produce an explosion. But
here is the steamer paving the waters like thing
of life" She ghdes gracefully and swiftly by, ceav
ing the placid waters, which rolled off in mimic
pillows from her path, and come-frst ang,y, then
gently, and " beautifully less"-towarl the shore till
they break in gentle whispers on the pebby beach
On the promenade deck is group composed of
the President of the United States the Heads of De-
parments, and other dignitares Here and there,
among the crowd, nvldious remark-half playful
| ly expressed-s heard; but generally, the multitude
view with respectful and gratifed attention. the gal
liant pageant which passes before them Now :" the
plot thickens AS the steamer rounds the point and