Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-08-31
CoLT's SUBMARINE EXPLOSION AT


House of Representatives MIR. Stanly noti-
fed the members that. after the adjourned
sitting, trial would be made OF Colts
Submarine Battery, in the channel, OPP
posite the Arsenal Most ofthe members,
and throng of gentlemen and ladies, cit
liens and strangers, accordingly attended.
The beautiful grounds of the Arsenal aud +
the neigh5oring shores and bluffs were
crowded with spectators. Onthe opposite
shore too, in the vicinity of Alexandria,
though six miles off. there was large
assemblage. 1t was beautiful and calm
evening, and the vessel ito be operated
on" sat on as placid and smooth sheet of
water as was even seen. The Navy De-
partment had designed that the old Java /
frigate should be the subject of the exper-
iment; but she could not be got up from
Norfolk in time.
On the arrival of the President, Heads
of Department, Navy Commissioners,
Gen. Scott and suite, SC. in a stsa mboat, |
national salute was fired By the u. s. !
artillery, stationed at the arsenal The
steamboat passed near the vessel, aud took
station favorable for observation. Colt
was stationed, with his apparatus, at a
point on the shore near Alexandria, five
miles from the vessel to be operated on.
The signal for firing the battery was to
be given from the Arsenal, and was to be
two Paixhan guns, fired in quick success
ion. AT the flash OF the second gun, Colt
pulled trigger; and simultaneously with
the report of the gun, magnificent and
astonishing spectacle " as presented to US.
The water around the vessel was upheav-
ed, and rose in vast and majestic column,
to an astonishing height-a gigantic jet
d'core-a marine volcano. No CON-
parison can give an adequate idea Of its
grandeur. AS TO the vessel, she was not
visible in the mass of foam and water but
the thousands of small dark splinters into
which she was shredded, were seen rails
ing with the upper mass Of the column,
into the air. The success of the exper-
iment was complete. The power exerted
would have blown the big ship Pennsyl-
vana 10 atoms.
The President directed that his steam
boat should proceed to Mr.. Colts station,
and boat was sent for him, with re-
; quest that he would come on board He
was warmly congratulated by the Presi-
dent, the Secretary of the Navy, Com
modore Warrington, and Mr.. Webster,
on the complete success of the trial and the
universal satisfaction it had given.-Cor
). of j. ofCom.
d Twentv.seven deaths. and fifiy-eigb
e houses and barns destroyed by Lightning
have been reported in the United States
% since June last There never was seas
. on in which the terrible effects of thi:
d agent of nature were so severely felt.
k A lard lamp has been patented and is OF
G sale in Boston, where it is spoken of il
# high terms. The Evening Gazette says
20 Half cents worth of lard will burr
er more than twelve hours in this lamp. CIV
g ing clear white and brilliant light, full
l. equal to that of the best sperm oil--N II
ID Bap. Reg.
r. Upward Of twelve hundred passengers
from Europe, arrived at this port yeste'
A day.-N. Y. Spectator.
-; A NOVEL SPECULATIoN.- The LII
% nois Penitentiary has peen leased for tn
=; sum of $4,000. The lessees pay al! e.
:, penses and are entitled to the service OF a
the prisoners therein, or that may
thereto committed, during the term OF II
lis lease. OF course. if a: any time the bu
o." mess of the lessees happens to press rat
er hard they will only have to send out
en- few barrels of whiskey 10 the nelgnoo
zee ing villages, and give general treat al
'rn their ranks will be soon recruited
wn might be for the interest OF the Lessee
to moreover, to employ a few extra sheriff
est at their own expense. NJ
led chanac.
'io BosToN AND CINcINNATI-When
'"o Sandusky Rail Road is finished, Cine
natl will be within three days of Bostt
or From Cincinnati to the Lake the dlstar
YES may be accomplished easily 10 10 hou'
all a magnificent steam packet will then
las- ceive the passengers and transport them
;ept Buffalo in 20 hours; and from Buffalo
de- Boston they will 60 by railroad, say
lem 81 hours; the whole distance from Z
ing cinnati to Boston requiring only 70 houI
rful Does this prediction startle any one
and very few years it will pass into hlsto
s. and be regarded as very common pis
ern fact.-P hilaathropist Il. ~.... "a -
,a'n Free TRADE INEGYPT.--Letters frt
'e sn Cairo state thatthe Pacha of Egypt, "
aln, view of putting down the slave ira
isio has laid heavy tax upon the sale
the slaves in his dominions, this being the,
b " way 10 which he can attack the 'raI |,
ne as it is tolerated by the Mahomelan rel
P p. ion, and vindicated by the oiemas
~ Pennsylvania Inquirer.
Distress IN ENGLASD.-Sir jar
hicn Graham announced to the House OF u
re- -. ~. fac, that twelve hund
the i'ouS snI - > 70 q, present receiv
vast 'houo - :, EnoIand and Wa