The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-04-19
The European War-Improvement In
Military Science.

Military Science.
The division OF the Baltic feet, which
lately sailed from Portsmouth under the
, command of Sir Charles NAPIER, carried
on board many implements of dostruc.
ton, whose terrible effectiveness u.s. as
yet, only matter Of scientific prediction,
which goes to seek is practical accom-.
Plishment. During the forty years which
have elapsed since the close Of the last
general war in Europe, modern science
has achieved more available results than
during the whole preceding period since
the Protestant Reformation. New and
improved methods, instruments of obscrv.
alton, whose ingenuity and accuracy
seem little less than miraculous; and an
extraordinary fertility in that species of
genius which is adapted to scientific dis.
covery, have not only caused this age to
TEEN with wonders which startle and as
tonish, but to wrcst from nature valuable
secrets which place her most powerful
forces at the disposal Of man. At once
goddess to be worslfipped, and a slave
obedicnt to his bidding, the science of
the last forty years has elevated man to
the rank, and clothed him with the pow.
ers Of supcrhuman being; comforting
on him the rapid locomotion. the instan
taneous transmission of intelligence, and
the prodigions force attributed to demi.
gods and demons. Scarcely less a de-.
mon than demi-god, he has si2nnlized
his ingenuity almost as much by the in.
vontion Of curious and potent instruments
of destruction as of machines for abrid.
ging human labor aud ministering to
human comfort. Many of these terrible
engines are yet scarcely known, even by
name, it having been the policy of gov.
ernments to keep them secret till they
should burst like thundcrbolts on the
heads Of armored and interpreting en-.
emies. The arsenal at Woolwich is said
to have been closed for some time past,
not only to ordinary spectators, but even
to members Of Parliament, whilo expert.
ments have been industriously prescott.
cd, designed to test the value of military
and naval engines, whose existence has
heretofore been concealed from the pub
lie.
The impending contest will DO watched
with intense interest, not only on &C.
count Of tho great power and resources
OF the parties engaged in it, and the ex-
pected magnitude Of its results, but be.
cause il will be tho Inauguration of new
era in the art Of war The application
OF steam to navigation, the effect of
which, in naval warfare on large scale
is yot to be tested, would alone invite
the keenest scrutiny. 1t is true that
steam can do little for cruisers that
must be long out of port but nothing
would be easier than for large feet to
transport, in addition to its armament.
ON amount of coal sufficient to supply, in
time of action, few steamers that might
accompany it and these could not only
annoy and damage tho enemy by the
velocity of their movements, but also
readily tow the sailing vessels into what.
ever position the exigencies of the battle
might require. They would, besides.
prevent the escape from any vcssels that
had not themselves tho advantage of
steam. But the dreadfully destructive
power Of the newly invented engines will
probably impart greater efficiency than
steam itself Colts revolvers, the MIME
rife, Wagner's floating gun, cub marine
boats and explosive balls form only q
part OF the new apparatus Of death. The
terrible demon of carnage not only dives
beneath the surface of the sea, and rises
directly under hostile ship. armed as il
with hell-frc, brought up fresh from the
Internal pit but he also mounts into
mid'air, like winged messenger Of dcs
truction, and careers in the tempest.
which watts him forward to his victims
Balloons, which until now have been on.
ly splendid philosophic toys, or at best,
the exploring ships of the meteorological.
will be sent up pregnant with On Internal
progeny of coinbustibles, and, borne on
the wings Of the wind, they will hover |
like angels of death over hostile fleets
and cities, and rain down fire and brim. |
stone to consume them. The asphyxiat.
ing ball, which, without destroying life.
suspends animation, will exert its be.
numbing influence, till its victim, who
foil fighting bravcly for victory or death.
awakes and finds himself in ignominious
chains, prisoner of war. The long
congisve gun, called Waguer's, which
shoots along the suface of the water lik.
rocket, or rather, Ito borrow again an
image from the most poctical book in the
world, like fiery serpent, thrust its
head INFO the solid side Of ship, and
spits out its mouthful of Illuminating
powder, which explodes with tremendous
force and when the crash is over, behold
an opening ton or twelve feet in diamet.
or, which unlike the round hole made
by cannon ball, cannot be stopped the
staunch ship gulps be, fll of brine, and
the ocean rolls above her.
These terrible agents Of Death which
90 80 much more credit 10 the inventive
powers Of man than to the goodness of
his heart, will render the present the
most remarkable war in the annals of the
human race. War is always q dreadful
scourge, but it seems now about to put
on an aspect when shall intensity ten.
fold the shuddering, sickening horror
which it has always inspired in the man
Of humane, christian feelings. While We
are rot insensible to tho great amount
suffering which must be caused by the
increased efficiency Of the instruments of
human destruction, we cannot see, since
tho evil is unavoidable, what good would
result II we should all turn weeping phi.
losophers, and spend our time In deplor-
ing what we have no power to prevent.
Alive as we are to the evils which they