The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-11-12
Artillery vs. DToughts.

Col. i. J. Turner. of Jacksonville contrib
utes an interesting article TO the Prairie
Farmer, maintaining that severe droupbts.
such as desolated a portion of Illinois last
summer, caa be broken up by the liberal use
Of artillery. We copy enough of the article
to explain ms theory and the philosophy of it ::
Observing men have suspected for some years
past that it might be possible if not profitable to
break up our great droughts by firing cannon.
Tho amount OF conclusion, disturbance and
surplus heat, suddenly thrown into the air by
such process, and their necessary effects, are
to some extent apparent TO all.
But few, II any, can fully appreciate and fore
cast the WIDE spread electrical and other changes
and disturbances 1t must produce, possibly and
even probably co-eXteu.ive with the great globe
itself and Its whole surrounding atmosphere
watched this phenomenon during the whole
OF our last war, and 80 far as l could observe
the rule was that soon after heavy duel of can
non shot, storm of rain was incidentally re.
ported III the near vicinity.
| have also been watching it with still greater
interest during this French war; both because
the war commenced was notoriously reported
on "a field smitten with unparalleled drought
and on account of the extreme amount of hard
lighting and firing done ON a very narrow area
and within aR a. most incredibly short space of
time Until this morning however, l have seen
no reports OF results. But our morning papers
now assure Us that heavy and widespread
have been the rains III that region within the
past month, that the river Rhine has risen even
TO dangerous height, and Is already filling the
cellars OF Strasbourg with water.
Here, then, As another fact we'll worthy Of the
notice and careful investigation of all the friends
OF science AID. scientific agriculture. II it be-
true that cannon can be used to break up our
severe droughts, would it not be better so TO EN-.
poy them than 70 massacre harmless Prussians
and Frenchmen, in order to furnish youny
Napoleon with his baptism Of fire" which has
already proved quite toe fiery even for his vood.
Had It been possible Tor Louis Napoleon to have
devoted hi HE ~ the solution of this most in.
terestlng pheuomeus, and had he actually burnt
the same amount Of gunpowder TO dissipate the
great drought in France tina, he has consumed
III this baptism Of FIRE and death, he would have
attained more glory than any kingly throne can
give, and been deemed the saviour instead Of the
destroyer of his fellow men.
Who among our young men will seek this i'm.
mortality OF true glory Enough is already
known 10 justify the researches OF the learned
and the practical experiments Of states and ma.
Nons.
The laying of railroads and telegraphic wire.
over the land has already almost annihllated our
old fashioned series o.; summer thunder showers
and, As 1t Is said, materially changed the climate
OF millions OF acre, our once great western
American desert, 10 one OF comfortable humidity,
and practical forest aud sraniierous growth
W ten lines OF iron And steel come TO wholly
e4shIlle climates under the same latitude and
cannons blow all our drought- into the Atlantic
and Pacific seas, If tn mileuium Of agriculture
does not FULLY come, it. joy and blessings will
be more widely ditfg-ed and more securely en-.
ioyel than now