Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-11-10

in the next generation might arm udhnhu ~. 49,
the widest powers. The inventor was nan
who could tear up The rotRs, anu diino'' e"'
down the lishnings." ,o,o
understan nd that 1875 lbs. OF cotton IN Inc ssa.e
in which il is found in the bale, when properly
prepared, will weigh l65 lbs, and that even ngIe'
where The staple is much dearer IMAM IN ine oni
ted States. The article will cost considerably less
than sunpowder. What the other materials are,
used in the manufacture, will OF course remain q
secret until patents are secured among Tue sdii
Gus nations. One has already been taken out lot
Great Britaip. and The States OF The Germanic
confederation have, through the Diet consented
10 give 100 900 forms merely for The rIshl OF
preparing il Tor The army, provided conmis-
sion which has been instituted IL test II IN every
conceivable way, shall report lavoraby inns
experiment will be made at Mayence IN lew
days.
The proportion OF the ingredients IN sunpow-
der necessarily vary 10 a considerable degree W.
Thai of GOOD qualify may he composed ol ~
nar,s of ni,re, Is OF charcoal, and 9 Of sulphur
So that we are dependent upon foreign countries
! for eighty hundreds OF the material used III
! The manufacture of all the gunpowder we con-
sumc-a fact which is not generally nor sufficient
| IL known by our counuymen. BY The vigilance
OF that sterling patriot and faithful officer Colo
mel Talco!l, OF The Ordnance Department. who,
| year after year, acting upon The principle, IN
| peace prepare for wal" has been accumulallns
stock of saltpetre, we are happily prepared win
| an abundance oflhe material 10 carry Us lhruueh
| long and arduous contest, should we ever he IN
| yolved in one with any nation. BIT with The re-
cent improvement our dependence upon HE re-
| mainder oi The world ceases Tor The articles es-
senlial 10 defence or 10 The prosecution ol hoslih,
| ties. while the dependence OF other powers ana
States upon US increase in The same ratio. More
| over The increased production OF our chiei staple,
and the consequent diminulion in value, has, Tor
The last lew years, scarcely afforded remuneralins
prices 10 our planners Should The prepared cotton
| supersede sunpowder entirely, a new market will
be created Tor any redundancy OF yield, and an
absolute consumption occur. Twoo or three hun
| bred thousand bales, al a moderate calculation,
will be burnt UP annually MIR. Grove, cele-
hraled chemist of England, commenting upon
The importance of the discovery says: 1T is me-
cessary 10 mix a combustible substance with an
other substance which will bring forth suih'
cent quantity OF oxygen TO catch hfe, wherepf,
under certain temperature, The whole VIII ex-
| plode These Two substances are contained IN
The gunpowdel but even in the best OF inns afllcie
that is manufactured, parl OF II remains alter
explosion on which account firearms require
cleaning after being discharged OF their contents.
| The invention OF Professor Schonbein is without
| this fault while the power oil lis explosion Is
twice as great as that of sunpow6er"
Germany is distinguished above other coun-
| tries Tor many Of The inos important discoveries
which have been made since The Christian ela.
! This has resulted from The character OF The peo-
ple. who have ever delighted in the study Of the
sciences, and who have cndeavored, perseverins.
| " and patiently 10 make them useful Tor The
| practical purposes oil life. To monk oi TO.
/ loone-a city not 100 miles distant from this
the credit belongs Of having furnished the NATIONS
OF the earth with sunpowder. Five centuries have
elapsed since that period, and Notwithstanding The
millions OF individuals which II has been insliu-
mental in cutting down, ii has exercised a SAUL
lary influence in cyizng and lettering The con-
dition OF the human race. The prepared cotton, II
il be moi over-estimaled is destined 10 drive il al
together out Of use, and to extend The power OF
liberal institutions, and, through them, Christian
| w. 10 the most remote and benghled regions OF
the earth. America will be 50 fortified in her
strength, as 10 assume wholly invinciblc posi-
ton with reference 10 other powers and Siaes anu
acluated by the noblest OF all desires, 10 spread her
| principles and 10 establish and perpeIuate uni.
versa peace, the place assigned her is CHIEF OF
NATIONS.
"Whereyer the bright sun Of heaven shall shine,
| Her honor, and the greatness OF her name
shall be, and make new nations; she shall flourish,
/ And, like a mountain cedar, reach her branches
To all the plains ABOUT her."
While speaking of the inventions Of Germans,
| cannct overlook that which gave birth 10 The
cart al all arls'-prin;ing. ] have been re-
| pealei visicr during my present >'Juuln here, 10
| the public Library. II contains Valuable col
lection of rare books among ohciS. and he ilrsl,
copy OF the first edition Of the Bible, published
| by Fauslus in 1862 II is one OF the seventeen
comics which were originally printed. When
look upon It's sacred pages, what reflections and
inquiries are awakened! Al the beginning oil me
| fourteenth century, The cost OF Bible was aus
forms. (about one hundred and sixty-thrce dol
| iar>:) and such was then the chcapness o labor
Two cents per cay--lhal the earnings Of twenty
seven years were required 10 purchase copy
Now, particularly in our own country, IL Is With
in the reach OF every hand that is disposed open
| its lids tree to such as are in INDECENT cIIcum-
stances, and al low price 10 those who have tie
ability 10 buy.
The potato plague, which has caused The food
OF 600 900 of the Irish people 10 perish has also
been most blighting 10 the hopes oil The peasan'ry
on the continent. In some districts OF Germany
which have visited whole fields have been ui-
terly des,royed added to which, in every direction
around This place. the grain crops are wofully de-
] Gcient The yield in the central States oi Ger
many is not more than three eighlhs OF an aver
| age one, and all eyes are turned 10 our country
10 its abundant surpus-ior the means OF sustain
ing humanity under such affecting dispensations.
Large orders have ALREADY been sent out Tor bread
s,uffs. and they will he followed by others. Wur-
temburg and Baden actuated by desire TO see
their subjects literally provided for, although
members of The Zoll-Verein have issued ordl-
| nances Tor the free admission OF foreign gram un-
til the Isl Of May; thus practically carrying OUT
| The principle commenced in Great Britain-and
under whose benign influence our most remote
wilderness will ultimately blossom as the rose,
Of "iotal and Immediate repeal" In France The
subject most discussed, next 10 The MonpensIer
marriage, is thai of tree trade. II is advocated
with great ability hy the Deba,s, The Epoque and
the Courier Francois. Upon The meeting oil the
Chambers, il is confidently expected lhal ei1cenl
| demonstrations will be made Tor an lmmediae
change in the commercial policy OF The Kingdom.
The Debals states that a ministerial despatch
which reached Chelbourg On the 18Th instant,
commanded that the steamships Uloa and Da
rien. Of $50 horse power each, should be lmme-
diaely prepared for sea, in order TO constitute a
packet service between New York and Cher
| bours! This is most unexpected news and y
contributes to strengthen the opinion which !
EXPRESSED in former letter, that al no distant
period steamships would leave New York daily
! ior European ports Cherbourg is the only good
channel port Of France. Indeed, no other can
he al all times entered BY steamers, although its
business is quite inconsiderable and its popula-
tion small. ii is about FIVE hours run by steam
! from Tie Isle oil Wight and IS 10 connect with
Paris by railway. As The spell OF The entente cor
d,ule has been broken, il is apparent 10 my mind
that Louis Philippe will avail himself OF every
means al his bestow 10 multiply his mail and
commercial intercourse with the United States,
and TO regain that elevated position in their esteem
which, during The last Two years, he has SO incon-
sideraley in no small degree forfeited.
Asa crumb of comfort 10 the iron interest in
Pennsylvania and elsewhere which great pains
have been taken 10 create a n impression that The
late Tariff &C, has etlcctually Frustrated, deem
il but Just 10 make an extract from report re-
Gently made upon the iron trade, by G. R. Per
ter, Esq, OF the board OF trade, and President OF
the Statistical Department OF the British Associa-
lion for the Advancement Of Sciences. After
enumerating the causes which have occasioned
snch a resnI, as a decrease OF manufacture, he
says-"The produce in England and Wales in
ls45, is less than il was in 1910 How the enor-
nous demand existing and 10 arise from carving
out the railway schemes already sanctioned, is 10
be met, il would be difficult TO say The laying
- thnn, l1