New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-22
on TRIAL BEFORE THE ARMY.
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL TEST OF TIE
BULLET-PROOF SHIELD.
THIS TIME MR.. LENNARD TOOK HIS INVENTION
TO GOVERNORS IsI.AND-THE OFFICERS
THERE MrCH INTEREsTED

THIS TIME MR.. LENNARD TOOK HIS lNNENIION
TO GOVERNORS IsI.AND-THE OFFICERS
THERE MUCH INTERESTED.
w F J. Lennari. the inventor OF the american
bulet-proof shield" had chance TO exhibit Its I'M
penetrabe qualities before the Army officers at
Governors Island yesterday afternoon. He ~ per
mission from Captain q. =. Cotton. OF the 1st Ar
tnlerv and in command of the post in the absence
OF Major Haskns to test his shield the island.
and a number Of other officers and about l5o pri-
Yates and other persons were on hand and showed
great interest in the trial. one OF the most inter-
esting features OF the test Yesterday using the
regulation Army Springfield rife In addition to the
Winchester.
Mr. Lennard gave his Srst public ties; on July u
in Brooklyn. and on that occasion put on the shield
and let a friend shoot al him. An account Of the
trial appeared In The Tribune OF July l3. William
Richards was the marksman AT the Brooklyn exhi-
bton. hut Mr. Lennard had another friend 70
handle the rifles yesterday. The test took place in
the north moat. Four inches OF oak plank were set
up. and a Winchester bullet penetrated II two
inches at distance OF 40 feet. With an Army
Springfield rife loaned by Captain Cotton. Samuel
+ Johnson, the marksman. put bullet In the same
planks over two inches and a half the distance
being the The cartridges used in
the Winchester the regulation Gov
ernment standard centre-hre .45-calibre. with
a i05-gran bullet and a charge of 20 grains OF
powder. The Springfield rifle cartridges were much
the same as the others. the principal difference
being in the weight OF the bullet II weighed 80
grains and this accounts FOR the difference In pene-
,ration The calibre and charge were the same as
the others. Bullets from these cartridges IN \
Springfield rife have muzzle velocity Of l2@ feet
a second and have often gone through twenty inches
of pine.
The fat shield which Mr.. Lennari made some
time ago was put up the planks and IN hTsi
shot nred. which was from the springheli rife. hit
the shield near the edge and went through Il. II
tore out OF the secret composition ana when
this was examined 1t proved Nh Lennarfs state
ment that there was no metal In II. IL looked
something like felt would II IL were subjected to
great pressure. II nhrous and showed
the wood in 1t. This examined without
Mr. Lennard's knowledge. After the tests he
told Captain Cotton that he would bore
hoe through the shield with bit and brace II he
wished him to DO It The Captain said II vas not
necessary.
The next shot was with winchester rife The
bullet penetrated near the centre Of the shield one
inch. Another shot from the Springfield gun went
in l7s inches and made the last plate in the shield
bulge out the back about an eighth OF an inch
John Lennard Of the inventor. fred these last
shots. Then the convex shield put up. ana
Lieutenant G. q. Treat. Of the 9th Artillery took
the Springfield rife and shot at Mr.. Lennarfs In
vention He fired Shots and the results "vl-
Gcn.ly surprised tn Army officers Each shot pen~-
traed the shield only seven-e.ghths OF an inch II
WAS practically the result as the test IN BROOK
lvn with a Winchester II IS only right 10 say ihat
the shield was put 10 extremely severe test II
is made convex SO that ii Will h' the chest OF
a man Yesterday Il tied tO plank. ana
strip OF board about half an inch thick ana three
inches wide was nailed behind IT, II was also the
first time that a Springfield rife had been used
Captaln Cotton said that II he had not arrived
so late from the city he would have hung up a
bag Of oats and tied the shield - II. He asked MI
Lennarl what advantage his shield had over steel
mate OF the same size and resistance. The IN
ventor said steel plate OF that Size "oni "eieh
twenty-five or thirty POUNDS, while the she.d
weighed only about eleven pounds Inc dP'dn
said afterwaTd to the reporters that MI I"h'hi =
h,d fully shown that MS shed was pTacuch.y I'M
nrnetraIl. 10 a Springfield rife bullet. but whrth'r
il was better than metal was a dcpatab.' 3u's'vn
When some one asked him II rep'r' "ns 10 De
m All. 10 ihe department, he said, no, D. " S "nIy
an Informal test" MIR. Lcnnard had aSkri p'fhlS
sion 10 have the exhibition, and the captain h'u
granted IL. that was all ., , ,..
Mir Lennard offered to put on The shieA' ana nav
fhn mark sman shoot at him. rs ne diI IN HryohF"
Inn, capialn Cotton would not allow II Tor rear oi
an accident He feared tnat one or The pals ihlSh
20 i'm one Of the holes now IN the shl''' ""'
fhaf 4 coroner might have 70 be called.
Sornr of the other officers who were present were
Captain Van Ness. Lieutenant Andrews, Lieutenant
Harris Major Phipps and Lieutenant NoodDIHee'
al ~ ;hr 1st Artillery. Captain Rasqun. OF INC
al Rattcrv Brooklyn. and his men were lhVi'r1
~ be present but unable to 90. as tney had 10
po 10 camp Captain Kasqun. IN ietter. Wishei
Nr IcnnarI every success with MS INVENTION