The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-14
STODDfRD pASHf.
A Yankees Plan for the settlement OF the
Eastern Question.

Unless the Russians and Turks hurry up
and finish the Eastern war there Is n possibility
that it may be settled for them by tho use of a
new machine of American invention. whose
destructive qualities arc calculated to mako the
widest Of the Bashi- Bazouks gnash his teeth
with envy. The inventor is Mr. j. ii. Stoddard
OF Worcester. Mass. Mr.. Stoddnrd arrived in
New York last.week in search offunds TO enable
him to lay his invention before the Russian
Government Hcis n middle-ngcd man. with
an iron-gray beard and firm features. In con-
vcrsation he displays n CHEEKY good nature and
wholesome courtesy that would never lead n
listener to believe him the originator Of ~ scheme
Of wholesale destruction. His plan ~ TO drop
dynamite cartridges from balloon upon the
enemy town. camp army, or lortiilcntion.,, All
he wants Is II starting point and n brecze. First
he sends on pilot balloons to get the exact dircc
ton Of the wind. Then. havngtaken n position
to the windwhrd OF the object to be destroyed
he sends OF final test balloon 10 get the We
lOcity of the wind, so that he may properly ad-
lus the fuses OF the destroying balloon. The
cartridges are In sizc and shape something
Ike bananas. and. when strung together. thcy
resemble a bunch Of that fruit. Each cartridge
Is attached to Il fuse that connects with the
stem fuse. Of course no person is sent with
Over the near edge Of tho doomed city the
hrst OF the dynamite bananas drops and cx-
plodes by conclusion. Thence at short inter-
walls fall the terrible cartridges, dealing death
and destruction on all sides II will he seen
that simply by Increasing tho carrying capacity
Of the balloon, and supplying larger cartridges
sgyof about the the size of lager beer kegs. and
plenty oi them, 1t would he easy to settle the
Eastern question forever bv blowing Turkey
clean out of Europe. At a casual glance the
scheme would seem to- he open to some slight
drawbacks for instance. II the wind should
change. or another current be struck. the bal
loon might come back and drop destruction not
upon those against whom II was sent but upon
those who sent 1t. The reporter did not men
ton this to Mr.. Stoddard though doubtless that
gentleman has some effective means Of prevent
INK such n catastrophe. for he Is n skilled in
yentor and man Of practical common sense.
He has been invited 10y the Russian Govern
m"nt 10 mako experiments with the machine in
St Petersburg.
Mr.. Stoddard IL enthusiastic in tho belief that
II he can get n chance 10 work he can wind up
any war in next to no time by destroying the
enemy and his country. He is confident that
there's millions in it. When the reporter saw
him he had Just made friendly call on the
Rev. Or. Burchard of the Thirteenth Street
Presbyterian Church. The Doctor had seemed
greatly Interested in the scheme. and had. so
Mr.. Stoddnrd lnughingly said good humorcdy
assured the inventor that he would not be- sur
prised to hear Of him before long rs Stoddnrd
Pasha. though this rank would of course be
conferred upon him only In the event Of his
services being engaged 10y the Sublime Porte
instead ol the Russian Government.
Mr.. Stoddard has produced about twenty in
vcntons. among them the steam calliope.