Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-05-25
Military and Naval Inventions.

The Inventive faculty of the country,
reused to extraordinary activity by the in
tense mental excitement pervading the
community, viii now be directed to an un
usual extent to improvements to implements
of war and in all mechanism connected
with naval and military operations. OF
the thousand clements in this broad field
of invention, the most prominent at the
present time are rined cannon and the iron
plating of ships. The great military pow
ers, England and France, after expending
hundreds of thousands of dollars in ex.
perimcnts, have adopted both of these i'm
portant improvements while our own
Government, which, Notwithstanding its
peaceful policy, usually occupies the front
rank in the quality Of its small army and
navy, is strangely behind in the movement.
The rifle cannon of the French army
are loaded at the muzzlc, while British
G oyernmont has adopted the broach-load-
ing gun invented by Armstrong; though,
since the recent astounding revelations in
regard to that famous weapon, it is prob
able that its use will be abandoned, and
the British Government also will adopt the
simpler pieces which are loaded at the
muzzlc. a great deal of attention has
been given by English inventors to the
forms of the rifle grooves whether they
should be rectangular, triangular, or round
whether they should be broad Or narrow,
few or many, &C.; and many of these
points remain entirely un settled.
The plating of ships, too, notwths tand-
ing the fact til at both nations are expend.
ing millions of dollars upon these shields,
is regarded by the most intelligent English
engineers as still open for experiment and
Improvement. a great deal of discussion
has been expended upon plans for making
the sides of the ships which were to bear
these plates sloping it being asccrtained
that a much thinner plate is required to
turn away a shot striking at an angle, than
will resist perpendicular impact.
1t is easy to conceive Of numerous mod
ifcations OF this idea by which inclined
plates will be offered to the reception Of
the shot Ono plan invented in England
is to have the plates fastened upon indie
pendent floats, to be carried by the sides
of ship; and the intellect Of the nation
seems to be teeming with an endless variety
of ideas in connection with the subject,
But the rifing of cannon and The palting
of ships are only two of an innumerable
multitude of detail connected with naval
and military mechanism. The shot, the
wad, and cartridge, the lock, the gun car
riage, the cartridge box, the tent and tent
cquipage, the cooking apparatus, preserved
meats and other provisions, and, in short,
everything relating to the operations, the
armamcnts and the supplies Of navics and
armies will be examined with eager scruti-
ny, by both comprehensive and acute in
tellects, in earnest efforts to make some
improvements, either in their general plans
or in their minute details.
1t is very important for the country to
have the military operations carried Oh
with the greatest possible efficiency; and
all of these inventions which arc really
valuable ought to be promptly adopted
1t is impossible for the responsible officers
Of the Government to devote their time to
examining the various schemes offered
and We would suggest TO the Administra-
ton the appointment of competent COM
mission for this purpose. There can be
hardly doubt that such a commission, il
the members were properly selected, would
contribute immensely to the efficiency Of
our naval and our military operations and
would save its expense to the country Il
thousand fold. .-Sclentifc .Americun.