Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-13
Now Engines Of Wa faro

A gentleman nnnled Macintosh hes u-t pro
pounded certain new invention. which le asserts
will entirely change the conditions Of modern war
fare without has af lfo or cffusion Of Ll o lat
least comparatively speaking. BY this new sys-
tom these who intcn,l to attack Sea frt or bnte-
ry upon the patent principle have only /, provide
themselves with suitable coil 1T ho>e, II force
pump, n stock of c,nl .nrthn. and bali "f potns-
stun. Taking car" keep well 10 win'lward Of
the int t., be assnilea. tho attacking laetv allow
the tube tu drift toward 1t by means Of II boat or
other huoyant Object. they then discharge through
the tubing supply Of the napha, |'i,eh caunot
mix with tho water, and mny now easily be in
flannel. as it floats upon the surface lay means 1T
IA pellet oi potassium. Immediately thcle arises
t,om the blazing nap,la d"nse suii'rating vapor,
almost ntolcrahc ms the Lpadon tng. la this
hurrbc atmnsrh re- the unfortunate enemy. be-
coming en,elopc1. will have no possible ulterna.
tive hut to fly or remn,n ind he nsphyx.ncd. In
any case resistance is u.cle'- tie assailants eau
not be deserted through the mpcnetrnhle cng bolic
curtain; there il no need of a,y expenditure Of
ammunition. aud the day is nniselesl y won. The
idea. it mus, be admitted, l. inSeninu~. though
perhaps not absolutely original In the insect
world tho hombnrlcr beetle, when pursued 10y u
hungry adversary. discharges, with hrRh. 6ash
and sharp explosion, from II inmate 'scrn-chasor,
n volume of ncrd sm,kc. cfcctuallv preventing
further pursuit. The cu'tle-tish, hnving vaiDly
tried other modes Of escape. suddenly has re-
course, like cortnn officials. To discharge of ink,
mud 50 bnlcs all further investigation. The
American skunk - ! eviied for purposes Of self
defence with the mcaus Of generating Mt will an
ntmns sphere nearly ~ 1c.iicntal M thar of one
Of "ur oHh law courts, or cromH , r,hn'bns.
We have il upon tue les' au,hurit, that juno.
when nccd in mn awkward prodirumcni by the
opportunities If Ision. was relieved from her en-
hnrrassmcnt by II read, nni ulcions application
"f smoke. .Enons, too. ~ we nll know, was suv cd
al, G,,o It pt,, En
people will fail to recall, iolonging to this
"clnss Of eases" that memorable duel 80 well do
scrbcd bv Marryait, IN which tho mdshipmnn.
rfter rapid d.~rl0 - II several ships pistols
,v,'h aala ne had been lihern'ly euI p'iei by his
vi, tho gunner, bad u cutlass put into his
hand by tho same funotiunaiy, with m emphatic
iniunc,on 10 "bonrd tho enemy in tho smoke,"
before he recovered from his confusion There
arc various other ,dcs Of applying this bottled
smokc, according to tho peculiar exigences Of diff
icrent cases. Experiments on large scale ut
Portsmouth havo proved that the execution Of tho
various plans is simple, cerannnd comparatively
inexpensive AS far back ns December, 1854, Mr..
Macintosh wrote to the Duko Of Newcastle who
granted him an interview, and after witnessing
several practical experiments in the private gar
dcns OF the War Department, expressed his inten-
ton of having the matter fully investigated, and
directed Cnpt. Sir Thes. Maitland to report upon
it. At this lime tho Crimean war was raging. the
allied fleets had been repnirod from tho torthcn-
tions of Scbastopol, tho entrance in the harbor
was closed by barrier which it ha1 been found
impossible to demolish or remove: yet, notwith-
standing this accumulation of adverse eircum-
stances. our Inventor boldly undertook to render
the stupcndou. urtrcsSes nt the mouth Of the port
un,cnahle, 10 destroy tho Russian fleet, and to
place Se'nstnpol in few hours at tho disposal of
the Engli.h and French forces. At his own cost
Mr.. Macintosh frcighed vessel and proceed led 10
the crimea while the memorable siege was yet
proceeding, and he then and there offered to our
aimlrals ready means If closing u te1ious and
, costly war. and Of saving to use hi. own words,
'.cieh'y millions sterling" aud "frty to fifty
thousand valuable lives" But from some cause
or other the authorities gave him no encourage
mcnt, and. beyond the payment oi 81 900 to-
wards rcimbur,ing his expense. he has received
no remuneration for oil his labors in the service
Of his country