The News in 1846

I recently ran across a copy of the Scientific American from August 6, 1846, not too many months after the Mexican-American War had begun. The weekly paper billed itself as “The Advocate of Industry and Enterprise, and Journal of Mechanical and other Scientific Improvement,” and contained information about new inventions, both American and European, scientific discoveries and other “curiosities.” Here are a few tidbits that I found interesting.

On the front page appears the attached illustration of “THE FIELD ENGINE,” a “machine for harrowing, sowing and rolling at the same time.” The thing consisted of an 8-foot roller preceded by four rows of harrow teeth. Above the teeth was a smaller roller that was turned by a belt from the larger one. This small “Sowing Cylinder” contained several small cavities, which were filled with grain from the seed hopper above and then dropped to the ground. The front rows of harrow teeth loosened the soil, while the back teeth covered the seed and the large roller firmed the ground.

On another page, the following poem illustrated the folly of war: “My father was a farmer good, with corn and beef in plenty. I mowed and hoed, and held the plough, and longed for one-and-twenty. For I had quite a martial turn, and scorned the lowing cattle; I burned to wear a uniform, hear drums and see a battle. My birth-day came, my father urged, but stoutly I resisted; my sister wept, my mother prayed, but off I went and ‘listed. They marched me on, through wet and dry, to tunes more loud than charming, but lugging knapsack, box and gun, was harder work than farming. We met the foe, the cannons roared, the crimson tide was flowing; the frightful death-groans filled my ears, I wished that I was mowing. I lost my leg, the foe came on, they had me in their clutches; I starved in prison till the peace, then hobbled home on crutches.”

Then there was this little complaint about Congress: “ARMY POSTAGE. — We mentioned the other day the probability of Congress passing a law to relieve our ill paid army of occupation from letter postage. We ought to have known Congress better. When did that august body ever take a step for the benefit of the ‘common herd?’ When it was brought forward, Congress had no time to give to it. Our soldiers get 20 cents a day, and each letter costs ten. If they were given to arithmetic they would see on the evening of the day at Palo Alto [the first major battle of the war and an American victory], that each [soldier] had exactly earned the price of a double letter home. Just enough to pay for telling their family where they had gotten a wound or lost a limb for that same twenty cents. This is a great country, and it has a magnificent Congress.”

Under “Foreign News” were these items: “The Royal Mail steamer Hibernia, arrived at Boston, on Monday morning, bringing intelligence of the ratification of the Oregon treaty, under the seal of the new foreign minister, Lord Palmerston. The Autocrat of Russia has resolved to abolish slavery throughout his dominion [somewhat ahead of the U.S.]. The new Pope has granted a free pardon to all political offenders. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are preparing for a tour on the continent.”

Other trivia included, “A man in Cincinnati, who had an awkward turned up nose, recently employed a surgeon to make an improvement thereof by cutting a wedge-shaped piece from the cartilage. This operation was readily performed and the remaining parts were drawn and sewed together, after which the patient took a look at himself, and expressed much satisfaction at his improved countenance. “