The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1864-09-23
PAPER SHIPS AND PAPER GUNS.
A Curious StOry--.Is 1t Hoax.

y -.
A Curious StOry---Is 1t Hoax.
The London Observer describes a new
preparation of paper of a remarkable
character. The uses to which it may be
applied were explained on the 18th of
August, at the Phoenix Works, Battersia,
as follows:
There were tubes made of paper which
had been tested in the most satisfactory
manner as rocket tubes. Being made of
paper, they are, of course, very much
lighter than the ordinary iron tubes, and
they stand the test of rocket firing equally
as well as metal. Not less remarkable
were the thick slabs and boards made of
paper. These boards, of one inch in
thickness, had been tested by bullet and
ball, and the result showed that their
power OF resistance was equal to ten
| inches of solid oak. The bullet, which
has passed so far through the paper board
as to cause a projecting surface at the
rear, would have gone clean through the
oak, fracturing and tearing it in all direc-
tions, while in the paper board the perfo-
ration made was small, clean, round hole.
These paper boards are admirably adapted
for the sides of ships; their specific grav-
ity is somewhat less than that of oak, and
they are easily fixed to the framework OF
vessels. They are, however, this addi-
tional advantage over timber: they do not
require copper sheathing to prevent foul
ohcor
animal nor vegetable life fourishes upon
their surface, as is the case with the tim
ber and iron. They have also this further
advantage, that they are incombustible.
No amount Of heat will set them in blaze.
The application of great heat will produce
combustion in the immediate neighbor-
hood of the flame, but anything like ordi-
nary burning is quite out of the question.
In addition, however, to all these good
qualities, paper has positively the advan-
tage over timber and iron in the matter of
cost
N. Szerlemy, the inventor, well known
for the successful manner in which he has
arrested the decay of certain portions of
the exterior of the Houses of Parliament,
has discovered fibre which may be con-
verted into a rough kind of paper at a
cost so tritiing as to enable him to COM
pete with the builder Of timber and iroa
ships. Not content, however, with FORM
ing the sides OF ships OF paper, the invent
or is now engaged in the constructionfN
light field pieces, specially adapted for
mountain warfare, and these, Judging
from results already obtained by experi-
ments with paper tubes, will be found to
answer the purpose admirably. Tubes
have already been formed Of this prepared
paper, and they have stood the test against
iron in the most satisfactory manner
So far as we were enabled TO ascertain
the process of manufacture, it consists of
tapping sheets or rolls of paper moistened
with a solution of which zopissa is the
principal ingredient, one over the other,
until the requisite degree of thickness or
strength is attained, and exposing the ma
terial for a short time until it becomes
thoroughly hardened. This zopissa is of
the nature of gum, and is found in con-
siderable quantities in Egypt. 1t has the
popularity of giving extraordinary hard
ness to any surface upon which it is placed,
and it was very extensively used in the
preparation employed for preserving the
stone In the exterior of the House of
Commons. 1t has also been used for the
exterior of the Bank of England, the in
terror OF the dome of st. Paul's, on which
Mr. Penrose has pai.4ted his frescoes, and
it has just been applied with extraordinary
success to the arches of the London, Chat
ham and Dover railway at the Elephant
and Castle station, which has lately suf-
fered considerable from damp and infiltra-
tion of water from the roadway.
There appears to be no limit to thu ap-
plication of this useful material. In addi-
ton to the preservation of paper, linen,
stone, brick, plaster and other material,
another most useful application of the ad-
vantage was shown in the perfection of
material resembling flock paper, and suit
able for carpets, which can be prepared of
any color and with endless variety of pat
tern. A slight alteration in the mode of
treatment converts canvas into descrip-
tion of oil-cloth which will stand any
amount of wear, as may be seen from some
pieces which have been for several months
laid down in the workshops Of Battersea.
The materials of house are now in course
of construction, for the purpose of show
ing the adaptability of the paper boards to
the construction of emigrants' houses, tenn
porary churches and barracks. Already
large quantities Of material known as
"Panonia, "or leather cloth, is manufac-
tured by the use of this extraordinary SUBJ
stance, and made up into boots and shoes.
which rival in their durable qualities the
best kinds of leather, and it is equally val.
liable for preserving stone, brick, works in
plaster, or any similar substance.
Merriam's Submarine Vessel.