Images de page
PDF
ePub

which it was introduced: he then put it into a forge fire until the steam was generated, when he withdrew the plug, and the vapour rushing out, the rocket was driven with amazing force across a large court-yard.

"I have often wished," says an animated writer, "that it had been in my power to exhibit to the sages and heroes of ancient times, some of those improvements which, though familiar to, and thought little of by us, could not fail of surprising and delighting minds like theirs. I would give to Aristotle the electric shock; I would carry Alexander the Great to see the experiments at Woolwich Warren, and the evolutions of a modern battalion; I would show to Julius Cæsar, the invader of the barbarous Britons, an English man-of-war; to Archimedes a fire-engine and a reflecting telescope." Now we would show to the defender of Syracuse something more: we think he would not be an unmoved spectator of the Fulton, which, though the first American steam-frigate, as she was misnamed, being rather a locomotive battery, gives a tolerable idea of the tremendous powers about to be introduced into warfare. This floating monster, with her massive sides of alternate planks of oak and layers of cork, carries 44 guns of from 42 to 100 lbs. calibre. In case of any attempt to board in action, the machinery is so admirably contrived as to enable her to discharge on her adversary's decks 100 gallons of boiling water per minute, at the same time that it brandishes 300 cutlasses with the greatest regularity over her gunwales, and works an equal number of heavy iron pikes of great length, darting them from her sides with prodigious force, and withdrawing them every quarter of a minute.

While navigation and manufactures were rapidly improving, it was not to be expected that other views of employing this agent should not open to inquiry, and amongst others, the conveyance by land. So far back as 1759, the intelligent Dr. Robison suggested the application of steam to the moving of carriage-wheels. This idea was followed by Mr. James Watt's patent in 1784, for a sort of locomotive engine; and two years afterwards Oliver Evans petitioned the American legislature for the right of using steam-waggons in Pennsylvania; but nothing appears to have been effected till 1802, when Messrs. Trevethick and Vivian took out a patent for high-pressure engines, expressly for working carriages, as the weight of water necessary to effect condensation in other machines, would have been too great. Mr. Trevethick made a locomotive engine in 1804, which was tried on the rail-roads at Merthyr Tidvil, in South Wales. It drew after it several carriages, carrying altogether 10 tons of bar-iron, for a distance of 9 miles; and it performed all that distance without any further supply of water than that contained in the boiler at setting out. This application of locomotive engines to draw upon railways soon became general, and the permission of Parliament only is now required for the still more extensive adoption of steam-draught on common roads.

Having taken this excursive view of steam, we will bestow a few words on locomotive engines, because it has recently been shown that common roads will answer better for steam conveyance than railways, the prodigious expense of which must always operate as a bar to their universal application. This point once proved, we are likely to substitute steam-draught for horse-draught, even to the plough, the harrow, and other operations of husbandry. From this substitution of an inani

mate for an animate power, we are well grounded in anticipating that agricultural productions may be as much augmented as those of the factories have been, by the agency of steam labour, and afford occupation and maintenance to the thousands who now seek the precarious remedy of emigration. By reducing the expense of bringing goods to market, experience has everywhere shown that the consumption of the cheapened article acquires a proportionate increase. In thus morally shortening the distances between places, the blessings and comforts of civilization are equalized through a country. The economy to individuals would become evident in every article of consumption; and the saving to government in the post, in the transport of stores, troops, &c., would be immense. We should no longer hear of fish being used as manure along the coast, or rather not being worth the catching, from the want of cheap inland communication.

There are, however, some beetle-browed growlers, who, instead of viewing the political and social benefits likely to accrue, apprehend mischief, from the innovation of travelling in a more expeditious and less expensive manner than at present. To such we may repeat an instance of shortsightedness which occurred so lately as in the last century: many persons promoted petitions to Parliament from the vicinity of London, not to extend the turnpike-roads into the remoter parts of the country, lest those distant districts, by means of a less expensive labour, should be able to sell their agricultural products in the London markets at a less price than themselves!

It is undoubtedly true, that the extent and excellence of our public conveyance by posting, mails, stages, waggons, canal-boats, steamvessels, and coasters, already surpass those of the rest of Europe to an incredible degree; yet the investigations carried on by the committee of the House of Commons satisfactorily show that, by the substitution of elementary for physical power, passengers can be transported for half the present horse-draught fare, and soon perhaps for one-third, with still greater safety and comfort. The danger of explosion is guarded against; and as this perpetuum mobile is much more controllable than a team of spirited blood-horses, the terrors of hills, corners, and sharp angles in roads, are done away with. Waggons indeed will probably continue to be drawn by horses; at least as far as our present knowledge of steam goes, we perceive its advantages most when speed is required. The cheapest horse-draught is at the rate of two or three miles an hour; the expense increasing so greatly in proportion to the velocity, that the speed of nine miles instead of eight, is only to be acquired by an additional outlay of one-third of the original sum; and that again, accelerated to ten, doubles the whole cost: such are the number and quality of the horses required, and such the mortality occasioned by their being over-urged. The portion of a horse's strength available for the purpose of drawing a burthen, depends on the speed at which the animal is to proceed. To this speed there is a certain limit, at which the whole power of the horse will be required to move his own body, and at which, therefore, he is incapable of dragging any load. It follows, then, that in each quick-going stage-coach, the effective tractive power of the horse is, by the speed which they obtain, reduced to a mere fraction, and is maintained at a loss of physical power equal to at least 88 per cent. In fine, by the practice of high

feeding for the purpose of supernatural exertion, the life of those noble animals is reduced to the average of three years!

To conclude: the steam-engine is amongst the most valuable applications of philosophical principles to the arts of life, and its invention is honourable to human genius and industry. The intellectual powers which have developed the sublime study of astronomy, and the scientific resource which constructs and navigates a ship, form a wreath of glory for human nature. But the state to which these fine inquiries have arrived, is the fruit of the combined ingenuity and experience of all nations; while the mighty steam-engine is entirely English. This invention is not, like many others, the production of accident; it is the result of profound reflection and philosophical reasoning. It is now impossible to state whether the plans of De Caus, Branca, and Papin, were descriptions of what was generally known, or whether they were independent and original inventions; but even if the latter could be substantiated, the Italians and French have no claim to notice afterwards it is solely to the English that the world is indebted for rendering the steam-engine what it now is,-the noblest and most beautiful invention of man.

[blocks in formation]

Is on th' unconscious slumberer silent bent,
And motionless as the pale monument
Napoleon stands-stern and dejectedly ;-
And he that long a wondering world had awed,
Envies the "toil-worn" labourer's peaceful sleep,
And as he gazes, could for sadness weep
(The while he scorns the applauses of the crowd)
To think how, for ambition, he had ta'en

Farewell of all the charities of life,

And ever foremost in the ranks of strife
Impetuous rush'd, supremacy to gain ;-
And he, an Emperor-conqueror-confest,
Sighing beholds the lowly peasant's rest.

REVISED MOVEMENTS OF THE CAVALRY *.

BEFORE We proceed to enter into the details of the Third Part of the Cavalry Regulations, it may be well to draw the attention of our reader to the remark which has reached us from many quarters, that although the Board have designated this Third Part as Instruction of the Regiment, they do not seem to have confined themselves to what merely regards the movements of a single regiment, but have extended the instructions to matters which regulate the manoeuvres of brigades and larger bodies. Whether a more comprehensive title would not therefore have been more suitable, or whether complete provision for all that comes under the head of Instruction of the Regiment, does in fact virtually embrace all that is necessary for the movements of larger corps of cavalry, we do not pretend to say, contenting ourselves with simply stating, that in that restricted edition, which was issued only to regiments, in the spring of 1832, there was some allusion in the order prefixed, to a Fourth Part, "intended to comprise the Movements of the Brigade or Line, but which had not yet been finally considered by the Board."

were of

In the Third Part, however, of that edition, there are many general rules laid down with reference to the Brigade; and in this fresh edition, there are many further Brigade Regulations, and likewise several additional Sections upon Skirmishing, Outpost Duty, and other matters which decidedly lead us to the conclusion, that what was intended for a Fourth Part has been, in fact, embodied into the Third Part now before us. And we confess, that whether the present title of the Third Part be proper or not, we opinion at the time we first noticed the order announcing the preparation of a Fourth Part, that it would hardly be possible to effect any distinct separation between Regimental and Brigade Manoeuvre, without encumbering the regulation with a vast deal of perplexing and tedious repetition, or else having recourse to numerous back references, which are an annoyance to the reader in any description of book, but amount to serious objection in a work where the first object should be, that he who runs may read." The larger the force the more simple should be its movements, is a principle which holds good with cavalry, even more than infantry.

[ocr errors]

Dundas's methods of manoeuvring a second line of cavalry, in conformity to the Changes of Front, and other evolutions of the First Line, were possibly very scientific, but certainly much too difficult for execution without regular rehearsals and the aid of a vast number of markers, on whom as much reliance was necessarily to be placed as if they were living rules and compasses, but whose real correctness greatly depended on the absence of dust and clearness of the weather. So great indeed was the difficulty of this duty, that it generally drew down upon them much objurgation and blame, which they often did not deserve.

Though it is very properly left open to the discretion of the officer in command, we are led to infer from several passages in the Revised Regulation, that the regiments in second line are to conform to the movements of their first line, by forming independent double, or close columns; a method applicable to real service, and which prevents the

*Concluded from P. 179.

risk of any material confusion or mistake from attempting to move the whole of the troops in second line as one body.

As we announced in our remarks on the 1st volume of these regulations, we shall not think it either necessary or advisable to enter upon the various controversies which have been going on between some officers of high rank in the cavalry respecting the placing of halfsquadron officers in front, further than to say, that as far as additional exposure is concerned, no one can tell at 200 yards' distance from the front of a line, whether those officers are in front or not; and also, that we are not aware of any greater danger to them than to the squadroncommanders, who were always placed in front of the line, and whose position never appears to have been regarded as one of any peculiar hazard during the late war.

Among other modifications of the old regulations, which we understand have also been much disputed upon, are the diminution of the quantity of markers, and the employment of officers in some cases to assist in giving bases. Of these points we shall merely say, that at the few reviews we have witnessed within the last year or two, the cavalry appeared to take up their line with facility and correctness; nor do we hear any complaints from regimental officers of the new regulation being imperfect in this respect. One decided improvement we have on these few occasions personally remarked, namely, a great diminution of noise in the word of command; and, indeed, when it is considered how very difficult it must be in times of confusion, or even in bad weather, to obtain correct circulation of the commonest commands, it will be allowed, that having them few and simple is a matter of the utmost consequence.

We now proceed to examine the Third Part in detail. It commences with plates showing the exact position of every officer, non-commissioned officer, and man in a cavalry regiment, whether in line, in open column, or in close column. There cannot be a better means of ensuring uniformity than thus giving a sort of ground plan of the regiment, as formed in the field, besides the avoiding of much tedious explanation.

The 1st Section is entitled "Definition of certain Terms of Formation and Manœuvre,”—and here we must call our reader's attention to the pains which the Board of Officers have evidently taken to fix and determine the nomenclature of cavalry movement. It was not indeed to be wondered at, that many contradictions and discrepancies had arisen from a want of some such standard as is here provided. The denominations adopted are all familiar to the cavalry, although they had been variously applied in various regiments. The only deviation from the old practice is, the calling a troop still a "troop," whether in the field or in barracks, instead of causing it to assume the appellation of "half-squadron" on taking its place in line. The designation of squadrons, as 1st, 2d, 3d, &c., from the right of the regiment, is an undoubted improvement upon the old distinctions of right centre, and left, which were extremely puzzling when carried beyond three squadrons, because it then became necessary to use the further distinction of left centre, right centre, &c. Not only did this entail greater length and less clearness in the general word of command, but whenever squadrons were in inverted order, the further distinctions of proper right, or proper left, became requisite.

« PrécédentContinuer »