Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-04-06
Terrible Engines OF War.
Startling Inventions.

ors, even TO members Of Parliament while these
new and terrible machines were being made
and experimeuted upon. and no knowledge of
their existence was ever permitted until now
called forth by actual service. Mazy wears a.
60, the English government had a propositiop
before them 70 adopt Wagner's fighting gun,
and besitated, A member Of Parliament ex-
claimed e He demands but f3OO,OOO, and
yet you hesitate Hasten TO buy this ma,
chine, declare war against France, and you
will destroy her marine in a few days time /"
No attention was paid to this apostrophe atthe
time in France, and apparently none in Eng
land. But to this terrible invention of which
the public has ceased to talk, and which was
even ridiculed at the time, has been maturing
in consealment in the arsenals of WoolWieh,
and is now nearly ready to go ont on its work
of destruction.
The Count Lavalette, captain ofmilitary mar
inc in France, who knew the construction of
this gun, il IS said, made endeavOrs to have it
adopted by the Minister Of Marine under Louis
Philippe It is simply long congreve gun,
which glides along on the water in straight
line, till it strikes the vessel, at which tits dir.
ected when it thrusts into its sides its iron head
containing two pounds illuminating powder Of
mercury. When the FIRE attains this reservoir,
it explodes. blowing hole in the vessel ten or
twelve fee. in diameter, which it is impossible
for them to close up as they do the round holes
made by cannon balls.
In admitting that the Russian fleets shall re-
tire under the inapproachabe fortresses of Cron
stsdt and SebastopOl. they cannot be in safety
from this terrible congreve gun, which carries
to almost any distance within reach OF the aim,
and far beyond the reach of any other gun
1t cannot be prevented from passing through
the most contracted straits where ships pass
The submarine boats are so perfected at this
moment that they can reach and attach bur-
ner to an enemy's ship without running the
least danger. Experiments are also being made
with an asphyxiug ball, which does not kill, but
which paralizes an entire crew Tor several hours
or until they are made prisoners. They are
embarking also large number of burning ex-
plosive balls, which explode invariably when
they strike even in the body of horse for they
inAame at the moment of discharge from the
gun, and fly burning like small coEgreves until
the moment of the explosion, when they may
apply fire to the ammunition chests and other
| infammable material as easily and as surely as
if they were to fall in a stubble field.
They are furnishing also two small steam
boats of singular appearance, which will car
ry only two enormous Paixhan guns, placed
on the forepert of the vessel The walls of
these little vessels have thickness Of six feet,
made of oak, standing upright, and this cover
| ed with a mattress of cotton substance foot
and half thick, whicn is inlpenetrable to bull
let, and this again covered with sheetng Of
iron and lead. Its prov has the angular form
of cuirass intended to turn bullets the roof
or deck is covered in the same way, so
as to allow the bombs to glide into the sea with
without doing damage
| This fre-shlp, very heavy. and very bad
sailer, will be lowed, and let loose at the prop
er moment, to approach near the enemy's yes-
sells, either when at anchor or laying to, which
| it will attack fore and aft with bombs thrown
between wind and water, and sprinkling the
ship with a shower OF Grecian fire. One of
these burners, taking by surprise feet Of ves-
sells in calm. could with ease destroy the whole
fleet, and yet it only requires the labor of ten
determined men to operate it.
The English fleet is largely provided with
balloons, Intended to carry inhammable mate
rials to scatter over towns, villages and fleets,
when the wind favOrs such operations. 49,, a..
The English land force will be largely pro-
vided with rifles carrying the Mine ball which
has at last been adopted in England; while the
French will send still larger proportion of
troops carrying the Batc-dtige, which is used
IN the French service in place of the Mine ball.
The Russian vessels will have one advantage,
in being more largely supplied with Colts Re-
yolvers than either the English or French,
which will be used with an overpowering ad-
vantage in boarding contests. Altogether, the
contest will be quite different affair as regards
its killing power, from those which we're seen
as late even as fifty years ago. Already the
reader must have observed, that in the contest
on the Danube the numbers killed in compari-
son to the numbers engaged is enormous, when
compared even with the last general war be-
tween those two nations. li#Es 2" Ha
| EE Smith lately went into chandler's
shop, and was served with a pound of candles:
Aren't they dear 2 he asks. t...