, 1893-04-26

hemp. the elias lefty Of which il enormously
Increased 10y hydraulic pressure the latter
consists of hemp over which is laid a number
Of small laths Of Sheffield steel the ftnda
msntal principle in both cafeS i elasticity.
Although the latter plast Oh weighs oniy
from 6tb TO lib Scarneo believes il unNuited
TO infantry regiments, but calculated to zen
der great service in tbs form Of lnovabjS
screens on bicycle wheels to pr, tect gunneIs
and likewise as armour for cui assiers.
He is Very hopeful about its application to
hospitals, Red Cross tents, ana summation
wagons.
l called on HIM this SUNDAY morning fnr
the pu pose OF testing the plast on on my
own body, but first fred at It on til. wall.
The plastron used was only for r~volvets
and does not possess steel ribs. 1t consists
of pressed hemp, and | noticed five revolver
bullets enbe lded in it. | used Smith amt
NELSON'S pocket revolver. Having fred 1T
seven PAGES the Bullet went clean through
the plastron, struck the wall, and dropped IA
the ground.
Herr Scarneo then remarked that the n!as
tron was SIX years old, and had been kept in
damp places, losing it's elasticity ia cunse.
quence. | fired a second time al the same dis
lance with The same result. Her Scarneo then
gave me Gnoth her plastron, better presses yed.
$1,000 AANN HuNit ClS tI All IltA tUiCK.
Having fired at this from a distance Of
three patrs, | found the bullet in ercepted BY
the hemp, in which IL remained embedded.
causing the other side of plaStron TO bulge
out somewhat. Repeating the experiment
achieved Il slmilat satisfactory result.
Then took ore Of the plastrous which are
SAID to be proof against bullets iIei from
lnnIicher rihoSI 1t was only partia ly compile
ted, tile steel ribs being uncovered. fred
q revolver at a distance of thlee PAGES
and found the steel rib had penetrated the bull
lst to a depth of about haitian inch, complete
~ intercepting 1t.
On the blsis Of these and similar expe-
ri'nents J infer that there is Il possibylt If
Doves invention proving efficient. Herr
Scarneo applied last year for a patent in
Germany, o for his process, but for the
ready made bullet proof plastrons. but his
application vas refused, on the ground that a
bullet proof plastEon of asbestos Tas already
patented In Prussia, and that his invention.
therefore. lacked originality.
Scarneo still possesses the right of appeal
ing against the dec sion, and If obtaining a
patent for his defensive cloth. He maintains
that Doves invention is an imitation of his
own. To me this seems unlikely. because III
that case Germany would refuse him a patent,
as it refused Scarneo.
Inc general opinion here ~ unchanged
If the invention be genuine it does not break
Scarneo's record, and it can in 40 case, come
into general use in the Army.
Berlin, March IS.
The reported invention CT a tu!let proof
substance TO be applied to soldiers cuiras-
ss attracts considerable attention here.
Details have been received tom Mann
helm Of the experiments lately made there.
Shots were fred at a wooden figure dressed
IN a soldiers uniform, under which the al
legged bullet proof composition was placed.
The ranges chosen were 400, 3u0. land 200
metres, and seven -millimetre bullets were used,
which will completely pierce an iron plate six
millimetres in thickness.
The results are described as astounding,
the bullets remaining embedded in the
composition which is composed apparently Of
a kind Of cement held together by wire net
ting.
1t was observed during the trials that the
point of the steel coating of the proiectile
dropped as the bullet struck, and that the
lead contents fell in a liquid form. On cool
ing down the lead becomes a large ll-shaped
mass, the steel coating fattening down to the
shape of a short tube.
Maj n Won Kameke, who was formerly,
attached 10 the Rife testing Committee At,