Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-13

Sam has been famous for his principles for
the last thirty years; they are seOen; namely !:
fire loaves and taoo fishes.
Wood and Gunpowder Incombustible.
The day of fire annihilators does not seem
to have entirely gone by. A French artillery
officer has made singular discovery, by which
all danger from explosion of powder maya
zine may be prevented His method is to mix
the powder with common coal dust Its eff
cacy has been demonstrated on large scale,
by filling magazine with the mixture, and
then setting it on fire, but no explosion took
place, and after burning considerable time,
the fire was extinguished by applying water.
The gunpowder burned like other combustible
matters, such as pitch or tar, from which it is
presumed the dust must have been that of btu
minous coal. When the powder is required
for use, nothing more is needed than to sepa-
rate it from the dust by means Of sleeves, when
it resumes its original explosive property. The
theory Of this curious discovery is very sim
ple-the dust prevents the several grains of
powder from coming in contact with each
other; hence, as one explodes, the dust prevents
the explosion from reaching another grain. But
a fire-annihlating discovery, which is much
more likely to become generally useful, has
also been made in France by NJ Carperon,
who has proved its value by numerous expert
ments made in presence of the Emperor The
process renders wood, tissues of all sorts, dres-
ses, decorations, &c, absolutely incombustible
Ladies' dresses of the most gauzelike materials
were set fire to, and would not burn. An
officers tent containing bed with muslin
curtains, resisted successfully the application
of numerous flaming torches. A cottage, half
of which was secured by M. Carperon's prep
aration, and the other half filled with straw,
was set on fire on the unprotected side. The
flames quickly spread and ragged with fury, and
consumed half Of the building; but the fire
died away when it reached the prepared part,
and left it sound and altogether uninjured. A
theater was then prepared, with all its scenery,
robes, and decorations, and repeated attempts
were made to destroy it by fire, but in vain
it would not burn. Such discovery, intro
duced into our cities, and applied to the dres-
ses Of the ignorant Irish and German gi,ls,
who are so frequently burned alive by using
camphene, would be great blessing Another
French continuance, not exactly of the same
order, is noticed in recent publications. Its
object is to economist fuel, an article which is
enormously dear in Paris and all other
French towns. 1t consists Of mere pipe of
thick sheet iron, into which logs of wood are
thrown, and beneath which the fire is lighted
This continuance produces so much heat that
the apartment is thoroughly warmed during the
day, and at night the logs, completely charrcd,
but not.consumed, are Withdrawn as charcoal,
and will sell for double their original cost as
wood. The inventor of this chimney is M
Renaud, and the French Journals anticipate
great things from it. But it would seem to be
only a modification Of the wel-known Ameri-
can alright stove, which was highly rec m
meDdcd by an old woman about the time it
was first offered for SALE who declared that in
the morning she put three cents worth of wood
into it, which kept her room warm all day and
night, and that next morning she had sixpcnce
worth Of charcoal to SELL