The Columbian fountain., 1846-10-31
PRICE ONE CENT.
EASY METHOD OF CAPTURING THE
CASTLE OF SAN JUAN D'ULLOA
AT VERA CRUZ.

I AT VERA CRUZ.
Mr. Wise, the @ronaut, has come before
the public, in the columns of the Lancaster
(Pa.) Republican, with a plan for taking
the business out of The hands of General
Taylor, Worth, and Patterson, and doing
up the Mexicans at short notice. We do
not think our readers would be satisfied
with less than the whole article:
Mr. D. S. Kieffer.-The present condi-
tion of the war with Mexico, will require
our forces to reduce Vera Cruz. And il 10
acknowledged on all sides to be an extraor-
dinarily well fortified point Of defence, al
most impregnable to the common mode of
warfare, and at best cannot be taken in that
way, without great sacrifice OF life and
ammunition. will suggest plan to our
War Department, that will render the cap
ture of the Castle Of San Juan D'Ulloa as
feasible and easy as the launching Of fri
gate.
Although the plan shall propose may
seem novel to many, still brief detail Of
it, think, will satisfy the most incredu-
lous Of its efficacy. In the first place, it
will require the construction of balloon
of common twlled muslin, Of about one
hundred feet diameter. This machine,
properly coated with varnish, will retain its
buoyancy for many days or weeks. II will
be capable, when inflated, to raise over
10000 pounds--say 10000 independent Of
its own weight, net work, car, and cable.
1t tan be inflated in day, or less time, il
necessary. at tsn
The process Of initiation may be accom-
plished on land, or on board Of man OF
war at sea, as circumstances may require,
the car to be loaded with percussioned bomb
shell and torpedoes to the amount Of $4,000
pounds, which will leave 1000 pounds for
ballast and men. Thus it will be ready to
be placed in a position for deadly action, in
a very short time. The cable by which it
is to be manGuvred, may be at least five
miles long, SO that the balloon, at mile
of elevation, would leave the vessel, or land
position, which act as the retaining point,
out of the reach OF the castle guns, and under
the cover Of our own batteries. The man
ef ,rar balloon, hovering mile above the
Castle like cloud IF Iyst.~-4:-- =, ~,.,fA
be out Of danger Of the enemies guns, since
they could not be made to bear at an object
Immediately above them. The position OF
the balloon as to height and distance from
the retaining point, could be easily main
tanned by keeping a proper eye to its bal
lasting. AS il would become lighlened by
the discharge Of shells and torpedoes, an
adequate quantity Of gas can also be dis
charged.
IF gun from the castle could be made
TO bear upon the war balloon, it would
soon be silenced by the rapidity, precision,
and certainty, with which the deadly mis-
ses could be sbowered down upon them.
With this arial war ship hanging mile
above the fort supplied with thousand
percussioned bomb shells, the Castle of
Vera Cruz could be taken without the loss
Of a single life to the army, and at an ex-
pense that would be comparatively nothing
TO what it would be to take il by the COM
mon mode Of attack.
Through the medium Of your Journal, /
would most respectfully suggest this plan
to our government, and will tender my ser
vices for its construction, and when con-
structed, will, if Unnecessary, most cheerfully
undertake its dictatorship into actual ser
vice, at a moments warning
Very respectfully, your friend and fellow
citizen, j. WISE.
LANCASTER, Oct. 90, l846. 49,
TTERE,S THE PLACE, 9th street ans