New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-09
WAR STIMULATES INVENTION

new ones start into life. II is not true that nationa
impoverishmeDt is inseparable from war; II the Latter
causes trades to stagnate it creates demand for
food chips, fabrics, munitions Of all kinds, OF
which available for without vast expenditure
Of tabor. THIS expenditure is made at home. At pres
ent scarcely dollar goes abroad except for the single
article Of musketry, and that in but limited quantity as
our own factories will speedily supply all deficiencies.
We spent millions Of dollars Mexican soil in our
contert with that country all which went into the pock.
cts Of primers Now the millions about to be ex-
pended by Government will go into the pockets Of our
own people, hence the the Government thus cir
cnates in time of much depression, the greater
will be the effect in removing that depression. What
gold the Government draws from the banks will be
paid out among the people, with whom 1t will circulate,
paying off debs TO ten times it's value and will uti-
natey return TO the banks TO be again paid out and
started on debt-extinguishing mission The gold
is in the banks. While lying Idle there pays no debt'
and earns nothing for its owner. But let the Govern
ment start il lis travels in other words give it cir
culaon and the community will speedily feel its cheer
ing pre- Up this time the amount disbursed is
too small to make much impression; but when the
troops paid up, and large contracts are hquidated
sensible difference will he noted.
One Of The noticeable features Of the times s the
prisng impulse which has been given to the inventive
faculty Of our countymen. They ready to in
vent rihed cannon as goose-yoke Nothing comes
amiss with them--all they need is the occason-and
they dexterous in making arms as in patent
ing churns and washing machines The number Of
these warke inventions is already very large. Some
Of them have, at a single bound, taken position as
highly successful contivances. The Sawyer gun and
ball among these and now in full operation at
the Rip Raps overhauling the Rebel battery at Sew
alls Point Sawyer invented the proecte only, not
the rifed gun. The projectile is a terrible missile,
weighing 20 pounds without the charge, and contains
cavity to receive the three pounds of powder which
constitute the latter It's shape lie oblong, and 1t is COW
cred with soft alloy which adheres to the ball when
discharged from the piece, with fanges on the side
which ft accurately to the grooves. hole extends
through the ball from the cavity in the base to the apex
where cap is attached containing Illuminating
powder. The ball invariably strikes with the apex
foremost, on the percussion cap which sxpodes the
charge, tearing to pieces every thing It. The War
Department has tried this ba thoroughly and with re-
suits satisfactory that large numbers Of the guns and
proectiles are now being manufactured for Govern
ment target four feet thick of seasoned live oak
squared solid aud held together by heavy screwbols
entered two feet into the oak exploded, and fairly
made spn,en Of target eight feet long, break
ing the bolts and covering the ground for so yards with
fragments Of wood. Such shell, exploded near q |
ships water line, would tear her whole side open and
cause her to sink instantly. With half the ordinary
charge Of powder the shell was projected S555 yards
or over A niles At the Rip Raps longer range
than this was obtained and q single shell produced
ID xvhi na ahals at
scwals Point. 1t viii be interesting to watch the fu
ture good works Of this new shell at that point.
A steam gun has been invented by DR.. Draper Stone
Of Milwaukee consisting Of boiler and engine, with
revolving cytsder or barrel, whose length viii vary
according to tho size Of the hall to be discharged This
cylinder contains six bores like revolver from each
Of which the bals discharged fast the cylinder
revolves, and being fed from a hopper, they be
fred several hundred per minute. BY means Of
crank the cylinder be aimed in any direction. The
inventor proposes boiler with steam at pressure Of
900 pounds to The nch and asserts that be can throw
fve-pcund ball distance Of Eve miles, or with
musket ball kill a, two miles. Steam guns, however,
have never been aade practically successful Like
tay engnes they have absorbed and sunk large sums
Of money but without ever having been found to serve
any use,u end gun Of the same character was tried
at wes Point in 1897, invented by Benjamin Reynolds
Of Kirderhook, which, when worked by two men at
the cr,nks actually discharged 60 balls per second
sending them through tbreeiDc plank $50 yards off,
beyond which they travelled some 400 yards further
But rothing has been heard of the gun tnce. The
famous Baltimore steam gun, recently captured from
the Rebels has probably made noise in the news
papers than In firing balls.
The Dahlgren howitzsr Is invention of that eff
IN Capfain nahtoren and dxyae tha 1
result ,f bis experience in the Mexican 1t is in
tended for annoyance to an enemy who may have
great sxtent of seacoast TO defend with numerous
rivers and nlets upgusrded by navy the very eondi
tons row presented by the Rebel States. These how
itzers that s the smallest carry l2pound ball. yet
weigh only $50 pounds. They be quickly and safe
ly moupted on ships launch and rowed after an en-
envy. II landed to operate on shore the gunis mounted
on light wrought-ron carriage, which can be put to-
getber or taken to pieces with the greatest facility.
These howitzers made perfectly plain not particle
of ornamental work being seen about them. They
recognized special in sea-coast warfare and
likely to play an important part in the present
paign The Government is having quantities of them
made for immediate service.
Brayton's breechoading cannon is the invention Of
George b. Brayton Of Providence 1t ia decided nov
city, and obyia,es most Of the objections to breechoad
ere. strong loop Of fwrOughron is attached to heavy
trunnons the upper and under sides Of the gun and
swings righ, and left, like the handle of q bucket.
When swung to side, the bore of the gun Is ex-
posed, and this being closed by tight fitting breech
pin the loop is swung back over the pin, making all
solid. II is obvious that this gun can be loaded
more quickly than any breech-loader yet made. If
abandoned to enemy, it is rendered perfectly useless
by carving off the breechpin. This gun bas not yet