The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-03-23
ON WAR AND ITS WEAPONS.

The French pamphlet Of Italy tell US the
King Victor Emmanuel, at the battle OF No
yara, received sixteen bullets in his coat.
But, though the battle Of Noyara il a very
recent event, the science Of projectiles has
been reyolntionized since il was fought, and
a sixteenth part of such risk would now
probably produce far more fatal result. Ii
seems hard to saS how armies are in future
TO be manGu,red. As guns are now manu-
featured and handled, they must literally
sweep the field Of every thing living. With
such rifles and cannon as we now use the
great Napoleon could have been picked of
the observatory at Waterloo or the tobacco
mill at Leipsie as surely as Nelson was shot
down on the quarter deck of the Victory.
There is famous painting Of Louis XIV.
standing on the bank Of the Rhine with the
marshal of the day imploring his Majesty to
remove his sacred person from the scene Of
such danger, and even threatening 10 termi-
nate the battle by a retreat unless his pray
er is attended 10. There is no longer room,
however, for such affecting scenes. To en-
ter the field at all IL to stand at the lannon's
mouth. and none will 60 there except at the
stern command Of duty.
These considerations ought TO have some
weight with the imperial and royal person
ages whose military ardor IS thought to count
FOR something at this moment in the tremen-
dous balance Of war and peace. The En-
peror Of Austria and the King Or Sardinia are
both something more than holydav soldiers,
and the inclination Of the Emperor Of the
French 10 studies Of war is well known. But
the life Of a sovereign concerns more than
himself Kings cannot at the present day
afford 10 be killed on like Charles XII. or
Richard C9ur de Lion. However brave
they NAV be, or however disposed to the sci.
ence Of arms, they can be but amateurs in
ire field Of battle, and for such indulgence
there !. no longer any fair scope.
An inquiry will naturally suggest itself,
after all these reflections, as TO the probable
end Of such marvellous progress in the terri
bic art Of destruction. II war Is to become
rear by wear more dreadful, more deadly.
and more expensive, what will be the prac.
itcal effect upon society," We trust that il
NAV be this, that il will be less readily IN.
derisken. When war i almost certain ruin
10 both sides, both sides. we NAV hope, will
pause before they accept such an issue. The
Enfield rife. as We have seen both in the Cri.
m.a and India, can change The very face Of a
battle; but tie Enfield rife IS mere popgun
compared with the elaborate weapons which
are now introduced TO the world In the A.
msrican ifiestes single gnu worked BY hall
4 dozen srsmen will throw 10 distance Of
two or three mile, shot equal ID weight
10 an entire troadside Of such cannon as we're
used by DUuean and Jeryis. Armstrong,
guns are expected to carry nearly twice that
distance. and rifles have been produced which
~ill send bullets through target al one thou
sand yards with rspidity d succession like
that Of hail stones on stylight. How any
shtp or battalion is 70 stand against sneh pro
jsrite, il 10 q puzzle 70 conceive. But ]
var eau be thus made 70 eIiinguish var, I
will be true blessing. though realized by ;
strsng, process. fenjoH Tia9 Feb.e.