The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-15
BALL-PROOF CLOTH
BULLET-PROOF CLOTH.
The Invention Of q German Tailor
Meets Expectations.
By It's Ala . eolAleP Wnl Re Rendered
Impervious to Bullets - The In
ventof submits to Hazard
Gus Experiments.


, Experts In military affairs, not only
In Berlin, but throughout Europe, are
discussing the recent experiments made
with the buuet-proof coat invented by
Herr DOVE, the Mannheim talon
There eeems to be no longer any doubt
that Doves invention is most val
liable one, and that he was justified in
refusing the princely offers made to
him by firms Of army contractors and
pthers who are DESTROYS of purchasing
his rights The Russian ambassador,
Count Won Schouvaloff, at the Russian
embassy, says the Washington. Star,
fred two shots at the tailor while the
latter was incased in his bullet-proof
coat, and as DOVE sustained absolutely
no injury the Russian ambassador pro-
counoed himself satisfied with The ex-
Herimept- The experiments before
Count Won Schouvaloff began with a
thorough test of the new rife in use in
the German army. From box of car
tridges one was selected at random,
and the rife was fired at block of
Solid oak, which was pierced by the
small stee]-iike bullet. After the shot
at the block of oak DOVE dressed him
self in his bullet-proof coat and
offered himself as a target. While
the rife was being aimed at the tailor
the spectators were strung to an eX-
treme state of nervousness and in
stinctively closed their eyes in antici-
patton of seeing Dove killed upon the
spot. But after the report of the rifle
rang out and the tailor was seen
standing apparently unhurt there was
a feeling of immense relief among all
present. Dove evidently noticed the
state of excitement produced by the
experiment, for he smiled, much to the
relief of the onlookers, and said: 81
feel nothing" A second sh OF was then
fired directly at the tailor's heart, but
it had the same effect as the first; the
tailor was absolutely unhurt and both
bullets were found imbedded in the
bullet-proof coat, which covered his
breast and body in the manner which
1t is proposed to adopt for soldiers,
leaving the arms and legs, as well as
the head, without protection.
1 Then commenced series of expert
ments which were even more interest
ing than the first. A horse was COW
cred with a bullet-proof coat, for it
is proposed that the cavalry of the
future is TO be protected by the Won
-derful material invented by the tailor
of Mannheim. In this case a number
of shots were fired in quick succession
at the animal while it was quietly eat
ing oats from manger. The horse,
Ceu-trained cavalry mount, started
eighty at the first shot, apparently,
However, only disturbed by the unex-
Iected report of the rife. Then other
laots were fired as quickly as possible,
Eome of them striking almost in the
same place as previous bullets, but the
horse continued eating as if nothing
c1traordinary was happening. A naval
ol-ccr who was present at the expert |
ncnts asked Herr DOVE if his bullet |
proof armor could be applied to war
ships, and he was assured by the in |
ventor that ship protected by his
bullet-proof material could stand
pounding from all the warships in the |
world without sustaining any consid- /
cradle damage. Of course this is only
Herr Doves theory, but as he seems /
to have carried out his theory in re-
gard to the bullet-proof coat for sol |
diers it does not seem unlikely that he |
may be able to carry out his theory in |
regard to protecting warships.
The new garment is described as look |
ing like ordinary army clothing mate
rial, the resisting secret substance be- |
placed beneath the outside cloth. The |
garment is IN the nature of breast
plate and is fastened to the side but !
tons of the soldiers uniform 1t is
only to be used in actual warfare and
weighs about six pounds. Represen-
tatives of several foreign governments
have been making strong efforts to OBJ
tain Herr Doves secret, but il is said
that these efforts have failed. and pa
triotic Germans express the desire
that the German government should
secure Herr Doves secret, so that the
coats may be used by the
German army alone. It is said that
three million marks have been offered
10 Herr Dove by the German govern
ment for his invention, or, as an alter
native, hundred years guarantee of
the monopoly of supplying the German
government with the necessary num-
Der of cuirasses at the rate of twelve
marks apiece.