satisfied they may read the plan of John Coefiled and rest in absolute security. John’s plan is a simple one, and it is only strange that it has not occurred to any one before. In brief, the would cover the ocean for several miles out from the port to be defended with petroleum. When the attacking fleet came into sight, but before it got near enough to do execution with its long range guns, he would touch a match to the floating oil. In other words, he would set the ocean on fire. Lest any one should fancy that it might be difficult to distribute the oil equally another gentleman suggests a system of pipe lines which might run to the far extremity of Cape Cod, with discharge stations at frequent intervals along the line. The members of the Chicago fire department, who on several occasions before the opening of the drainage canal were called on to put out the river, will doubtless give the scheme their hearty endorsement. While the oil is burning a number of balloons might be sent up to a point high above the smoke and flames, from which they could drop their bombs upon the doomed vessels of the enemy and make his discomfiture complete.     Many inventors have devoted more attention to providing improved shells for cannon and field guns than to any other one point. One man wants to fill them with chloroform and so stupefy a whole regiment at a time. Another thinks it would be an awe inspiring plan to fill shells with inflammable oil, so that when it burst a torrent of flames would consume everything within reach. Snuff, which would set the enemy to sneezing and so render him

harmless; red pepper, which would have a similar but even more violent effect; a chemical which would develop great clouds of dense smoke; prussic acid, which is the deadliest poison known, and gasoline, the explosive powers of which are painfully familiar to many housewives, are among the materials suggested as filling for shells. Not one a these startling suggestions seems to have met with favor at the hands of the board, though ridicule is admitted to be one of the most deadly of weapons, and certainly nothing could be more ridiculous, for instance, than a whole army sneezing violently from the combined effect of a rapid discharge of snuff and red pepper shells.     Most terrible of all is the idea of a man who has a scheme for bottling lightning. This terrifying product he would use in loading shells, which he calls “lightning balls.” Their effect on even the bravest enemy, particularly if accompanied by stage thunder, can hardly be imagined.     As a means of further improving the artillery arm of the service John Craddock thinks four cornered shells should be adopted in place of the present round or cylindrical shapes. His square shells would not glance us do the present models, but would penetrate on the first impact. Along the same line John Kauck suggests four cornered bullets, which, instead of boring a round hole through a square man would perforate all alike and never be deflected by brass buttons or cheek bones.     And if this array of suggested horrors was not enough, G. W. Blakely has a modest plan for electrocuting an entire