The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-21
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NE aEH30
TESTING BULLET PROOF CLOTH.

The Invention Of a German Tailor Has An
swered Expectations.
Experts IN military affairs not only in
Berlin, but throughout Europe, are dis
cussing the recent experiments made
with the bullet proof coat invented by
Herr DOVE, the Mannheim tailor. There
seems to be no longer any doubt that
Doves invention is most valuable one,
and that he was justified in refusing the
princely offer made to him by firms of
army contractors and others who are de-
sirous of purchasing his rights.
The Russian ambassador, Count Won
Schouvaloff at the Russian embassy,
fired 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-
nounced himself satisfied with the ex-
pertinent. The experiments before Count
Won Schouvaloff began with a thorough
test of the new rife in use in the German
army. From a box of cartridges one was
selected at random, and the rife was
fired at block of solid oak, which was
pierced by the small steel-like bullet.
After the shot at the block of oak DOVE
dressed himself in his bullet proof coat
and offered himself as target.
While the rifle was being aimed at the
tailor the spectators were strung to an
extreme state of nervousness and in
stinctively closed their eyes in anticipa-
ton of seeing DOVE killed upon the spot,
but after the report of the rife rang out
and the tailor was standing apparently
unhurt there was a feeling of immense
relief among all present. Dove evident
1y noticed the state of excitement pro-
duced by the experiment, for he smiled,
much to the relief of the onlookers. and
said, 81 feel nothing" A second shot
was then fired directly at the tai1or's
heart, but it had the same effect as the
first. The tailor was absolutely unhurt,
and both bullets were found embedded
in the bullet proof coat, which covered
his breast and body in manner in which
it is proposed to adopt for soldiers, leav-
ing the arms and legs as well as the head
without protection.
Then commenced a series of expert
ments which were even more interesting
than the first A horse was covered with
bullet proof coat, for it is proposed that
the cavalry of the future is to be pro-
tected by the wonderful material invent
ed by the tailor of Mannheim. In this
case a mum Der of shots were fired in
quick succession at the animal while it
was quietly eating oats from manager.
The horse, a well trained cavalry mount,
started slightly at the first shot, appar-
emily, however, only disturbed by the
unexpected report Of the rife. Then
other shots were fired as quickly as pos
sible, some of them striking almost in
the same place as previous bullets, but
the horse continued eating as if nothing
extraordinary was happening.
A naval officer present at the expert
ments asked Herr Dove if his bullet
proof material could stand pounding
from all the warshipS in the world with
out sustaining any considerable dam
age. OF course this is only Herr Doves
theory, but as he seems to have carried
out his theory in regard to the bullet
proof coat for soldiers 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 material,
the resisting secret substance being
placed beneath the outside cloth. The
garment is in the nature of a breastplate
and is fastened to the side buttons of the
soldiers uniform. 1t is only to be used
in actual warfare and weighs about six
pounds. Representatives of several for
eign governments have been making
strong efforts to obtain Herr Doves Sc
cret, but it is said that these efforts have
failed, and patriotic Germans express
the desire that the German government
should secure Herr Doves secret, so
that the bullet proof coats may be used
by the German army alone. It is said
that 5000, 900 marks have been offered
to Herr DOVE by the German govern
ment for his invention, or, as an alter
native, 100 year guarantee of the mo-
nopoly of supplying the German govern
ment with the necessary number of cui-
raises at the rate of 10 marks apiece
Washington Star.