New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-09
as well as another precisely like IT, whOse barrel had

as well another precisely like It. whose barrel had
not been opened II 3, is interesting discovery should
prove TO be valuable a large scale il has been
shown to be in small model il will materially reduce
the weight of ordinary rifles and cannon the barrel
may be Heightened, and greater precision secured,
without increase Of weight.
The most remarkable piece of ordnance in this cout
try is the Rodmsn gun at Fortress Monroe, cast at
Pittsburgh under the superin,eBdsnce Of Captain T. j..
Rodman of the Ordnance Corps. This enormous gun
carries ball - inches in diameter; is 10 feet long,
feet in maximum diameter and weighs ~, 100 pounis
The monster mass Of metal s so admirably adjusted on
its carriage as to be easily worked by Elk men. IL can
be loaded and run into battery in ! minutes, and
throws shell four miles. The of tbisgun seems
to explode the idea which appears in come Of the mod
ern military books, that ten-ncE columbiad is the
greatest calber which can be made with safety of cast
iron. Guns of 20nch calber are now freely spoken Of
by artillerymen.
Massachusetts, inventor has offered 10 the Govern
men she'll which lie represents TO be worse better
than any Internal machine. A New-York inventor pre-
sents grenade intended to protect merchant ships from
being boarded by prvateers. Il varies in weight from
to six pounds and ia To be thrown by hand. Two
blow her pieces Another proposes to ncase cannon
balls in a thick jacket of Inda-rubber to render them
fit for in rfed cannon while another suggets tie
covering Of our forts with thick plates of the
terial. Thus while one mind is bent on destroying,
another is anxious to patent has been taken
for cleaning musket barrels by attaching piece of
gum hose to the nipple, on which il is secured by
metal tleeye fastened to the end Of the hose. The
ba, Il. 4.
other end Of the hose being inserted in basin Of water
the ramrod is wrapped with rag and used as piston
in the barrel Thssmple continuance makes nusket
barrel perfectly clean in few minutes without smear
ing the gun. single hose win serve the purposes Of
of whole company. The railroad battery, buih at |
Philadelphia il another remarkable invention of the
day. But perhaps the application Of the telegraph 10
balloon, raised within sight Of an enemy,
overlooking all bis movements, and faithfully reporting
them to the Commander on the field may be regarded
as the crownng triumph Of this military The bal
loon has long been in use TO the movements Of
army. Napoleon had them constantly at work OF Ma
genta and Soerno; but II reserved for American
yenust TO suggest and apply the telegraph This app-
cation makes the balloon q new power the battle
ield and gives TO baooning the only really practical
value it ever possessed. The discovery will create
profound sensation in the military and scientific circles
If Europe; and it has been proved to be perfect
success, corps of telegnphic coudscaper viii hence.
orlh be indispensable to army park Of artil
cry.
But invention has not been devoted entirely 10 the
of engines for destroying life. Mr.. 4. II.
Hill Of Massachusetts,, Is patenting portable camp
cooking apparatus, which, wherever introduced must
,anish the complaints made by the army Of
being compelled 10 eat raw food. IL moves on four
wheels, has large furnace which heats ovens and
'oers contains table and kneadng trough and is 50
light an affair that two men easy draw il. II will
10 the cooking for whole regiment. Mr.. Dcrrom of
sew-Jersey, Is patenting a camp hut, made Of thin
zine boards, formed into pannels, and fitting together
,y dovetail oints. II is intended moro for permanent
han for flying campe For the siek il must be superior
o the common tent, which Is intensely hot, and poor
protection against cold and dampness. 1t is in fact
,ortable house, applicable to many temporary uscs.
Another Jerseyman has invented portable tent de
igned for single soldier, which weighs only three
,Ounds can be carried in his knapsack aud put up on
he field In two minutes, where it viii keep dry in
ieavy rain. Other tents have been patented, and
dopted largely in the army, where they greatly i'm
rove the health and comfort Of the troops Some of
hese inventors will make immense fortunes out Of the
emand for tents created by the war. humber, but
qually valuable device has been patented BY q Boe-
oman, being flexible drinking tube, with mouth
ece at one end and filter at the other, by means Of
which the soldier may drink conveniently and safely
rom any shallow stream or spring, without turning
eels uppermos,. The tube folds up and fills but q
mall space in his pocket.
The foregoing Is really but @ brief recital Of
7hat inventors are doing in military appliances.
iany new ones having been noticed before, are not
eferred to. But il clear that our inventors are
usy and that gives full activity to the inventive
enius of our countrymen, which turns, with flexible
agerness, to whatever field for their ingenuity
nay be opened. This war will probably deveiope
ome Of the most valuable conrvances in military his
Dry, such as will be permanently adopted not only
ere but in Europe. One fact must strike the most or
mary observer-that smoothbore guns of all descrp
ons are as rapidly going out of The old fntlock
,usket.
PzrTg EOR EARMERS