Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Military Technology, Government

    Responding to news that a 'French officer' has 'invented a plan for preventing powder magazines from exploding' (which involves mixing coal-dust with the gunpowder), suggests that this powder would 'please our authorities' because it 'can't be ready at need' and, like 'Circumlocution Powder', is 'warranted not to be heard until it has passed through several departments'.