Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-04-10
The APPROACHING War.

III we are to believe the numberlcss rumors and
surmiscs with which the newspapers teen at present
the coming struggle in Europe is to be marked by the
most terrible havoc and destruction that has
occurred in any war in any age Of the world. Du>
ring the existence Of long peace all sorts Of unusual
weapons and internal machines it is said have been in
vented, and will be employed by the respective com
batants to annihilate each other. Whole armies
to be moved down, and whole navies burnt or sunk
in something like the twinklng of an eye. 1t is
gravely intimated that the Governments Of Europe
have been pei fecng all these horrible engines Of de-
structon in the most secret manner possible Nobody
but crowned heads and Cabinet ministers have been
permitted to know anything about what was going
on. tits even supposed by some, that this inhuman
and devilish work all performed in the dead 81.
lence OF nght-t being voted dangerous in view of the
immense necessity of preserving sacred and nvioate
the awful secret for any hum Of uncommon prepare
ton to be heard issuing from workshops and arsenas
during the day time. Even the sacred palace Of the
Car himself is shrcwdly suspected Of having been
desc Grated by being converted into an establishment
for the manufacture of these potent and mysterious
instruments of human destruction. So important
was that knowledge of these terrible things should
not SO forth to the world Nor has Queen Victoria
woman she is escaped the suspicious and scrutiny
OF those upon whom are dependent for the infor.
nation that so startes and confounds us. For we
have upon the authority of divers responsible
papers and letter-wrters that the arsenals of her
gracious Majesty have been closed for months to vsi
ters-not even officers of the Government nor mem.
bers of Parliament nor any of her loyal subjects be-
ing permitted to obtain the slightest intimation of
what was going on within. 1t is thereupon openly
limited, much to the dsparagement Of her womanly
natuie that she is secretly connivng the construc
ton OF any quantity and variety Of barbarous ma
chimes wherewth to destroy her foes with electrical
rapidi,y and appal the world.
How all this is, we know not. We cannot even
venture conjecture upon the subject. This we
say, however, that men have grown so wise and
so wicked in these latter times that we are pre-
pared to believe any thing Of them, no matter how
improbable or astounding. And that something I'M
commonly dreadful and disastrous is in store for the
bellgerents of Europe-somethng in the exclusive
possession of each side of which the other knows
nothing, and which will fall upon the opposing hosts
with the sudienness and fatality of lghtning-is true
beyond all question, unless to believe that this
world is hopeessy full OF mschievous and malicious
newsmongers, who make their living by operatii e
upon the easy credulity of their fellows. An admis.
sion, which our respect for the First estate in the
realm" makes us unwilling to hazard.
There is practical question, however, growing out
OF these alarming rumors, which think our duty
to suggest by way of precaution. We wish to in.
qure, in view of the probability of this country be-
coming involved in the conflicts of the old world
what preparation the Brgader is making? Has he
any ''infcrnal machines" Any "Greek fire." ANY
floating gunS:" Can he sack fortresses exterminate
armies, and blow up navicS like the big folks in Eu.
rope-like Nicholas, and Bonaparte, and Victoria p
We feel great delicacy, we confess in suggesting
interrogatories Of this kind to n man of the well
known military ability and enlarged military OK
perlcncc of the Brigader. But We deemed it
possible that his many dome site troubles, the
trying difficulties he has had encounter in distrb
utng the spoilsand the vilainous strife of the Hards
and Sos with which he has been continually tor.
mented, might have had the effect of operating as A
drawback upon his usual vigilance and skill in war
like Affairs We hope, therefore, for the sake of the
counrys honor, and chiefly for the sake of his own
reputation as military chieftain that if he has not
yet provided himself with ''nfcrnal engines" he will
forthwith do So Don't let him blast the hopes which
the country has of him. 1t was never so important
for him to keep up his military credit. 1t will never
do for him to let the military Foges of Europe &c,
the advantage Of the proud and chvalrous represent
tatiye Of Young America. A little "Greek fire."
few floating guns 'inferna machine" or two. is
all the Brgader wants to make him immortal Will
he accept the opporturityP