The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-26
Froa the New YORK sunday News, Aug. "a.

We have not much confidence IN new discoveries
orally We are sad skepiics upon the subject OF many
principles in regard 10 which half the world has settled
itself down into comfortable, but perhaps uDwhoesome
assent. II may be that we have substantial fear OF
moral dyspepsy and are unwilling TO swallow what we
cannot conveniently digest. And, again. il may be that
the stom ich OF our somewhat deficient IN
the gastric Juice OF a firm and comprehensive faith
Hence the uneasy appetite with which view every
novel dish that philosophy puts before u.s. anu hence he
mofoid distIus win which we listen 10 me ae.a's %
every experiment characterized by TOO much enthusiasm
and too little plain common sense.
This Is, hcYever, misfortune, and mol our iauit
As misfortune like misery in the adage IS rather socla
BILE In its nature, only consolation lies IN the tact hat
the other half of the world shares with us In our deln
quency and that sin, therefore, IN abundant II mol
IN good company -
our attention aud ELECTS our honest approval even ii it
be rather bypercritca investigation And when that
discovery proesses be peculiarly calculated TO add
10 the agrensns OF social ewhen assumes increase
domestic comforts or diminish domestic apprehen-
OF duy, in addition 10 feeling of response
bility, compes To be candid well crcumspect
Water and fire. for instance, the mighty
W exact philosophy will permit us to class them such)
that orm IN some shape or other the staple of half
and half fellcies. They are .good servants
and bad masters, to the popular expression; and
anything that proposes 10 subject either absolute
control proposes something eminently interesting TO
cry man, woman, and child in the communityproposes
something that appeals at once TO our judgment and our
philosophy.
For this long and patiently tried TO believe
IN Mr. Paine's promised metamorphosis OF into IL
Illuminating gas, and into an electro magnetic motive
power superior TO that oil steam itself We thought we
saw oreshadowed in his pretended discovery results
adapted 10 revolutionize the whole social world But
we fear that Mr. p charlaan and with his failure
to astfy pretehsons faded our hope in the integrity
of this invention. Now called upon TO lend
credence the development OF new idea of equally
imposing, but, we confess, much feasible charac.
ter. Now We are called upon to admit that j, is possible
to extngulsh cOnf1agraton, not by slow degrees, but
al once not by means OF water, but by of vapor
destructive TO flame and yet, when inhaled
tive in lis effects upon human life The daily newspa
nfai nIch r,nttnn ng
hre aDnlhator, and have enlarged much upon It's
raordnary capabilities, that might be excused if
were somewhat inclined TO nantes, our usual disbelief
But we happened 10 witness ourself, when IN Europe
few months ago, exhibition OF The practical power OF
this new and tremendous agent and feel compelled from
regard for justice alene yield its pretensons fair
scrutiny and profound respect
The millions lost in California every few weeks by
overwhelming conlagTations the thousands lost almost
every night IN city through the destructive
fundamentally, the sacrifice OF human life well as OF
the products OF human industry that find depicted in
almost every foreign as we'll domestic Journal teach
us how feeble are all our feeble OF security or
ned as they are by many years of experience ia the
event OF fire. We left, If il once( acghire sufficient
headway at the complete mercy of Tins ravenous ele
ment Our only resource is to supply OF water; and
even that assistance be abundant and the
loss Is commonly immense before the flames be
ngnshed; and il Is still problem whether the water
Itself, from Ills very copousness, does not subsequently,
occasion fully as much destruction It's anagonlsc ele
ment.
And now, let us ask, does this fire annhlator" as il
is Called profess 10 be able TO alter, in any remarkable
degree, this condition of things Does profess
tngush the blaze or does II profess like water, merely
TO effect that object indirectly by lowering the temper
AZURE OF the combustbe material, in its action upon
the lncandescent mass THIS important point, for
herein lies the whole secret OF the mpoency OF water.
Unless the burning substance ne saturated with
water that II cannot give out combusble gas within
few moments after il h ad been igned the heat OF the
hae hst extends, and then generates and gnes other
rsnhammabe gases in It's whole vicinity The flame"
must be exngushed; Tor The hame' is the really de.
suucve agent IN confagraton, Just as the lightning is
in Storm however IN popular language we may attribute
II 10 the thunder. The flame occasions the violent
daught produces the intense heat and generates those
sutocalng gases that render burning apartments
cessble. The " flame" must be exunguished But how !
There are but two ways first the indirect effected
by water, which, as we have said, by lowering the TEN
perature OF the mass on fire. suppresses, after ime the
exndaton OF the inammable by which the flame rs
supported next the direct OF instantly rendering the
generation OF that lnfammable gas impossible, by alter
log, With another gas the chemical condition OF the at
mosphere tlat surrounds II And 1t is by tins latter
means that the tire annhlator proposes TO accomplish
lis purpose. Nay, more, proposes not only 10 exn
go,sh nstananeousiy The conbustbe vapor that we call
fame, but 10 supply It's place with vapor hot only In
combustble but wholesome Ito substitute In the burn
ing apartment atmosphere that be inhaled with
security, and thus enable to enter with IMMUNITY the
scene OF confagraton, rescue It's victims, and remove
everything valuable from lis Immediate proximity
Truly this is promising us great deal. 1t is little
too hatterng, perhaps 1t impossible TO place in
human hands power vast and conservative. And
yet we free 10 admit that have sound reasons,
yet, to doubt the declarations of the inventor. All
origin The simplicity OF that Of the fire annhlaor is
rather proof therefore, OF its merit The possibility OF
exnngulshIng flame by yapor suggested appears
by view OF volcano IN state OF eruption Water, in
any quantity, had sensible effect upon the vomitngs
forth OF the hery Aaienal from the mouth OF the
ter but the sufficient quantity OF vapor had
formed IN the fiery depths OF the volcano cut of all
connexon with the atmosphere and thus prevent the
cess OF oxygen 10 support combustion the flames ceased
and nothing but the heated cnders remained TO picture
this extraordinary outbreak of Nature. The next point
10 ascertain the chemical constituents of this flame
e1lipgulshIng vapor. II fannd TO be mixture of
bonc gas and steam. An artificial prepa
crate the same vapor was medated and finally com.
pounded and now have it before us, compact port
able, and effective, in the 're annibatoT in question
SO much for the claims OF this discovery, They are
great enough, in all conscience, and should like TO
see them established by few actual and unmistakeable
demonstrations, not abroad but in this country. The
portability OF the apparatus renders such demonstration
matter OF no difficulty; and let the public but once be
actually convinced that with canister IN your house OF
the size OF wash-keue, you have the OF extn
gushing, few moments the most frighu confagra
ton, and nothing could be certain than It's gene
adoption. Look al our country fesdeBces-ook at our
villas and cottages From the abores simple hut 10 the
bankers elaborate cottage, what is i that all dread and
few Afford in the slightest degree, 10 provide
edy fori Why il II that the cry oil "hre" will siare all
from Their midnight slnmber flling the millionaire and
the mendcant with the same hopes and the appre.
tensions And how calmly could the whole retire to
pose, whether water abundant IN their
vicinity coald they but feel the necessary confidence in
such convenient simple, and ready conqueror OF
the destructive element
How rapidly would diminish the rate OF fire insurance
could we realize such a state OF security And even in
large cities where, with the FIRE bells in ears
tho ira