Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-08
The Internal Machines at Sebastopol
and in the Baltic.

and in the Baltic.
The London Times correspondent
gives the following account of the small
mines which the Russians have strewn
the ground with about their out-works
l was shown here TAT the Mamelon)
one of these extraordinary fougasses, or
small mines which are exploded on the
touch of the foot, and which the Russians
planted thickly about their advance works.
A strong case containing powder is sunk
IN the ground, and to it is attached thin
tube of tin or lead, several feet in length
in the upper end of the tube there is en-
closed thin glass tube containing sui
phurlc acid. This portion of the tube is
just laid above the earth, where it can
be readily hid BY few blades of grass or
a stone. If person steps on it he bends
the tin tube, and breaks the glass tube
inside. The acid Immediately escapes
and runs down the tin tube till it arrives
close to its Insertion into the case, and
there meets few grains of chlorate of
Potass. Combustion instantly takes place,
the mine explodes, and not only destroys
everything near it, but throws out guam
tity of bitumen with which it is coated,
i'll state of ignition, so us to burn what
ever it rests upon. Later in the day
very nearly had a practical experience of
the working of these mines, for an Eng
lish sentry, "ho kindly warned me off, did
not indicate the exact direction till he found
he was in danger by my firing it, when
he became very communicative on the
subject. One Of them blew up during
tl,o l,,k T I,
damage it did. We have lost several
men by them. While the ground is oc-
cuPied by the Russians they mark them
by small flags, which are removed when
the enemy advance. 1t makes it disa-
greeable walking in the space between
the works.
The following is a description of one of
the machines, which are sunk in the Bal
tic, which have caused SO much appre-
hension among the allied fleets 5:
Each machine consists of cone Of gal
vanized iron, sixteen inches in diameter
at the base, and twenty from base to ap.
ex it is divided into three chambers, tie
one near the base being largest, and con-
tanning air, causes it to float with the base
uppermost. In tie centre of this chamber
is another, which holds tube with fuse
in it, and an apparatus for firing it. This
consists Of two little iron rods, which move
in guides. and arc kept projected over the
side Of the base by springs which press
them outwards.
When anything pushes either of these
rods inwards, it strikes against lever,
which moves like pendulum, in the fuse
tube and the lower end of the lever breaks
or bends a small leadcn tube, containing
n combustible compound, which is set on
fire by coming in contact with some sui
phuric acid held in a capillary tube, which
is broken ut the same time, and SO fires the
fuse. which communicates with the pow
der contained in the chamber at the apex
Of the cone, and which holds about lbs.
or 10 lbs.
At the extreme apex is brass ring, to
which is attached a rope and some pieces
of granite, which moors them about nine
or ten feet below the surface, SO that the
only vessels they could hurt-the gun
boats-hoat quietly over them, and now
we know what they are, they have been
disarmed Of all their dread. But they
prove dangerous play-things; the com
mander-in chief was examining one Of the
fuse tubes that was supposed to be spoilt,
for it was full Of mud and water, when he
accidently touched the lever, and. it ex-
ploded in his hands, scattering the mud
into the faces of all present, and literally
throwing dirt into their eyes, but doing
no hurt.