The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-04-07
NEW ENGINES OF WARFARE.

gentleman named Macintosh has Just propounded a
certain new invention which he asserts will entirely
change the conditions of modern warfare without loss OF
life eusion of boodat least comparatively speaking
By this system those who intend to attack sea fort
battery upon the patent principle have only to pro-
vide themselves with suitable coil OF hose, force
pump stock of coal naptha and ball OF potassium
Taking to keep well to wndward of the point to be
asaled the attacking party allow the tube to drift to-
ward it by of boat or other buoyant object
they then discharge through the tubing supply OF the
naptha which cannot mix with the water and may
easily be naed, il floats upon the surface by means
of pellet of potassium Immediately there arises from
the blazing naptha dense sufocating vapor almost
ntoerable the London fog. In this horrible atmos
phere the unfortunate enemy becoming cnvelopcd, will
have possible alternative but to fly remain and be
asphyxiated In any resistance is useless the
aants cannot be deserted through the mpenerable
bonio curtain there is need of any expenditure of
ammunition, and the day is noiseessly The idea,
il must be admitted, is ingenious, though perhaps not
absolutely original In the insect world, the lombard
Ter beetle, when pursued by hungry adversary, dis
charges with bright flash and sharp explosion from
minute 'stern-chaser volume of acrd smoke, efec-
tuay preventing further pursuit. The cuttle-sh hav
ing vanly tried other modes of escape suddenly has
course like certain officials TO discharge of ink, and
bales all further investigation. The American skunk is
provided for purposes of sefdeence with the of
generating at will atmosphere nearly pestilental
that of one Of law courts n crowded omni-
We have it upon the best authority that Juno when
placed In an awkward predcament by the opportunities
OF Ixion relieved from her embarrassment by ready
and udicious application of smoke Hneas, too,
all know, saved from untimely fate by similar
means Few people will fail to recall belonging to
this cass of cases, that memorable duel so we'll de-
scribed by Marryatt in which the midshipmsn after
rapid discharge of several ship pistols with which he
had been literally supplied by his second the gunner
had outass put into his hand by the unctionary,
with emphatic injunction to aboard the enemy in the
smoke before he recovered from his confusion There
various other modes Of applying this bottled smoke,
according to the peculiar exgences of different cases Elk
pements a large scale at Portsmouth have proved
that the execution of the various plans is simple certain
and comparatively mex pensve As far back Deem
ber 1854 Mr. Macintosh wrote to the Duke of Ncwcas
e who granted him interview, and after witnessing
several practical experiments in the private gardens OF
the War Department expressed his intention of having
the matter fully investigated and directed Capt Sir Thos
Maitland to report upon it,. AT this time the Crmean
raging, the allied fleets had been repulsed from
the Notifications of Sebastopol the entrance in the har
bor closed by barrier which IL had been found i'm
possible to demolish remove; yet, notwithstanding
this accumulation of adverse circumstances inventor
boldly undertook to render the snpendous forresses az
feet and TO place Sebastopol in few hours at the dspo-
sal Of the English and French forces. Az his cost
Mr.. Macintosh eighed vessel and proceeded TO the
Crimea while the memorable siege yet proceeding,
and he then and there offered to admiras ready
means of closing tedious and costly war; and Of saving
to use his own words, eighty millions sterling, and
forty to fifty thousand valuable lives.'' But from
cause or other the authorities gave him encourage
ment, and beyond the payment of 81 600 towards reim
bursting his expense he has received remuneration for
all his labors in the service of his country # f,