Show A OOEBESPOSDKST of tho Scientific American at York Pcnm suggests the use Of burning petroleum for repelling re-pelling hostile fleets from harbors like those of Baltimore Philadelphia and New York A hundred thousand barrels of oil poured upon an out fiowin tide would cover n large area of water and when set on fire would sweep a flat with a torrent of destruction de-struction that nothing could reast Another plan h virtually a modification modifica-tion of the fireship He proposes to link together long linos of rafts of oil barrel and send them against the fleet by email swift steamlaunches that could be steered by electricity from the shore The barrels could be exploded and tho oil fired by the cams agency at the proper moment The editor does not give an absolute support sup-port to the views of his correspondent but cautiously says that the floating fire expedition in certain emergen cies might be resorted to with terrible tfieot and he might have added to iriends as well u foes in any of the harbors named |