Modern Weapons of War

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 16, 1859

Modern Weapons of War

As if in a view of some great struggle like that now approaching, there has been a vast improvement in the kind of missiles used in war. The old-fashioned horse-pistol, calculated to sacrifice the unoffending quadruped on which its discharger was carried, has been superseded by Colt's, or other equine revolvers, and the Minnie rifle will despatch a body of troops almost before they have come into sight. Then, we have the Armstrong gun, the name of whose inventor is appropriate, as this strong arm will carry a ball five miles that will still dance through the enemy's lines at that distance. Though we have spoken of this from a pacific position rather lightly, it is no joke to feel that your emeny can pop you over long before you can see his weapons, unless you use a telescope. Dr. Lardner advertises in the London papers that with the metal arsenium he can poison the air of a camp so that people will die if they remain there, and somebody else proposes to fire balls loaded with assefœdita into the enemy's quarters, which will speedily empty any garison of its troops, provided with the ordinary olfactory proportions.—New Bedford Mercury.