Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-23
Precautions Agains. Assassination.

Precautions Against Assassination.
There Is, so far as We can see NO possible
method OF preventing a repetition Of such q
crime short OF locking up the sovereign In
well guarded prison. The bowling has per.
manently beaten the batting. Modern science
has applied Itself to the work Of destruction,
tecting life for which resolute enemy Is
willing to give his own. The use of the knife
can be prevented. fer it presupposes contact;
cessant watchfulness, contact between SOW.
ere1gn and an enemy can be rendered nearly,
II not quite, impossible. The sovereign can
fight for his lie against the dagger as anT
other soldier. Even the use OF the rifle
can be prevented. partly by armor, partly
slant interpretation OF attendants between the
be threatened. It used to be said of Napoleon.
as he drove up the Champs Ely sees, that it was
that was very nearly, though not literally.
true No man along the line could have drawn
q pistol without some Corsican seeing him.
man, who. though he does not care whether he
Kills the innocent or not, Goes exceedingly care
not to miss his aim. But neither these pre-
one or two men throwing in succession bombs
powerful enough to blow up q carriage or
s Sah,os CROWD. There are always points at
Mnicn cavaicade really enters pass, or ap-
stationed at the side have only, as 1t were. to
pitch cricket ball tolerabIy straight, to change
tne succession to the throne. II the murderer
knows how to measure distance, the speed
OF the carriage is useless, the iron plates
give way, the guards are destroyed IKE
MN MN they guard. and the sovereign is
him IN the midst Of armies. or course. If by
any chance he leaves the carriage the Chances
are increased mere, by his immobility. The only
con0ltlons required are that the assassins shall
careless oholl
bombs, and tha5 they shalI Just have nerve
enough at the moment to pitch straight; and
zone E OF these conditions can be absolutely pre-
vented. True courage Is hardly required only
a KIND OF resignation, very common in some
races, especially among women. Few of the
a @s O. recent days have cared to escape.
TN her acquitaI, Vera Sassulltsch, nor is there
any method OF shaking their nerve, They risi1
s arrays one OF the most horrible Of fates~
their bones. Horrible punishments, even N
nooern feeling would allow them, would not
40 II, LOT you could not go beyond breaking on
Deen tried, the one In France, the other In the
Soutnern states OF America, and both have
Jailed. The modern fanatical assassin is al.
ways rea0y 10 commit suicide. and on q man
raised or lowered to the suicide temper. threats
OF inhtcttng torture have nc effect. He viii
only Kill himself and so battle inquiry into hts
confne the use Of explosives to known Ders9ns'
Laws to that effect only drive the Criminals tn
learn chemistry for themselves-that 1s Invest
them with q new power OF keeping their own
secrets. Any student Of chemistry can make
gun cotton or nitro glycerine, aud powder is an
article which must be manufactured, and. II
manufactured, can be stolen. Granted q few
rt solute conspirators, with one man OF esuca.
ton among them. and some little Command OF
money, and no conceivable laws, or rules of
police. or detective ARRANGEMENTS, can prevent
lneir making or carrying and throwing bombs.
Wnicn are as dangerous to the victims as hostile
batteries only so yards OF. Science has armed
ene assassin. and governments, with sill their
enu!ess resources In men and material arg
almost as powerless as II their opponents conid
WELD the lightning or direct the course OF
Spectator.