Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-15
Curiosities of War.

The invention Of gunpowder is popularity
attributed to the twelfth century, and to Eu-
ropean ingenuity But inter is the natural
and daily produce of China and India, and
there the knowledge of gunpowder seems to
be coeval with that of the most distant histo-
ric events. Among the Chinese it has been
applied at all times to useful purposes, such
as blasting rocks and removing Instructions,
and to those of amusement, in making vast
variety of fireworks. They also used it as a
means of defence, by undermining the proba-
bic passage Of an enemy and blowing him up
They constructed machines of bamboo, from
which they projected fire balls into the ranks
Of an enemy, and also certain intlammable
preparations, which adhered tenaciously to
buildings against which they were discharged,
setting the buildings on fire. But as de-
structlve propellant, in firing balls from metal
guns, they do not seem to have used it until
about the period when gunp0wder became first
known to Europeans. As pyrotechnists they
were very expert, but they had not advanced
beyond that art at the period referred to,
though it has been alleged that as early as GI5
b. c., the Chinese had made some progress in
the construction of artillery.
AS soon as gunpowder was known in Eu-
rope, cannon were constructed yet they
proved of so uncertain advantage to their in
NGlliOI llldI history HAS IdllCu 10 record Ine
precise time of their being first used by Eu-
ropeans. Until about 1889 the use of artillery
in Europe was confined to Spain. In 1878,
Richard II. failed to reduce St. Malo, although
he brought 400 cannon to the attack Artil-
lery was thus introduced into all the European
armies. The Chinese and HindoOs kept pace
with them. In 1882, when the former were
besleged by the Mongols, they had stone NOR
tars, which threw round stone shot against
their enemies. The ancient Chinese ingalls,,
which were loaded at the breech, show that
breech-loading is not European idea The
Hindoos were also familiar with gunpowder
beyond all periods Of investigations and some
years ago a colossal breech-loading cannon
was discoveredin the bottom OF river in Ben
gal, which carried ball Is I-2 inches in di-
ameter. This is larger than the monster rifled
cannon just finished at Pittsburg, which car
sizes only l2'inch ball The Bengal gun was
16 feet inches long, or 4 inches longer than
that at Pittsburgh. In 1880 the walls of
Champaign were preached by Mahmud Shah
of Guzerat who at the same time fired shells
into the city. In 1893 the Portuguese found
the Indians possessed of artillery. In 1901
the Indians of Calicut opposed Albuquerque
with fleet of so ships carrying $50 cannon.
Though the seven ancient bells of Pekin, each
weighing 100000 pounds, attest the skill of
the Chinese in melting vast quantities of met
al, yet there is no record of any Of their ear
ier cannon having been made by casting. In
deed, the evidence is clear that all artillery,
for probably three centuries, was made by
building up the gun of longitudinal wrought
iron bars, held together by a succession of
rings which were shrunk on while hot These
contrivances were necessarily very imperfect,
and consequently very inefficient. Yet their
usefulness in battle was so decided, that all
the nations made haste to supply themselves
with cannon.
Napoleon declared at st. Helena that ''ar-
tillery in the present day decides the fate of
nations, and he who knows how to bring a
mass of this arm to act rapidly upon par
tcular point, unknown to the enemy, is sure
to carry it," Acting on this formula, his
artillery became the most formidable of any
then known in Europe. He lost Marengo I'M
der the fire of 100 Austrian cannon, but re-
covered ii by the skillful use Of only 10 pieces
unexpectedly brought up by MarmOnt AT
Friedland SO guns suddenly brought up, did
more service than 10000 men under Ney had
done. In the passage of the Danube at Wa
gram he covered the army with soy guns. lie
was constantly increasing his artillery. He
entered Russia with 1872 pieces, and at the
battle of Borodino $50 were brought into SER
vice, the Russians having GAO in use. AT
Lutzen, when the French had all but lost the
battle, 80 guns, Unexpectedly brought up,
broke through the allied Russians and Prus.
sions, and charge by cavalry and the I'm
perial Guard secured the victory. In the gi
gantic battle Of Leipsic the allies had 1876
guns, and Napoleon 720 These he dis
charged 100000 times. At Waterloo, how
ever, the usual superiority of Napoleon's ar
tllery failed him. In that action he had 24t
guns, while the British had but 1856. 1t is Al
extraordinary fact that during the whole pc
ninsula war the quantity of artillery possesse,
by the British was much less than that of tn,
French, yet the former were almost uniform
ly victorious. 1t was when Napoleon brough
his batteries to play against the allies that hi
successes were secured.
There are many curious facts in relation t
gunpowder, which seldom reach the publ,
eye. The charcoal used in making it is oh
tanned from the poplar and willow, thos,
branches only being used which are of abou