The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-15
PART +.

were walking together on our way to
the postoffice, when we met regiment
of infantry. OF course we stopped to
look at them, for l don't suppose there
is man living who doesn't like to look
at soldiers. Even regiment of coun-
tcr-jumpers, dressed in ridiculous uni
form, and playing at soldiers, interests
me, and as for this particular regiment,
II was one of the best in the federal
army, and that's saying good deal.
The professor booked at the men in the
critical sort of way that everybody puts
on in such circumstances, and present.
ly he said: "Colonel, isn't it your opin-
ion that a regiment that could march
two hundred miles day would be
much more efficient than one that could
only march twenty miles?"
"All other things being equal, it GER
tainly would" l replied: but the sol
dier who can march hundred miles
day. not To speak of two hundred, isn't
born yet"
II think you are mistaken, colonel"
said he. IT'S my idea that by the use
of proper means it can be made just as
easy to march at the rate of twenty
miles an hour as it is now to march at
the rate of four miles AN hour"
There you are again.. said j.
"You'rs thinking of some invention that
is going to revolutior!2e the art of war
fare! My dear professor! You've been
revolutioni2.rg warfare ever since l
knew you, but haven't noticed that it
has been revolution!zed to any great eN-
tent"
Well! nothing more was said on the
subject at that time, but about a month
later Van Wagener came over to my
house one morning with big hasketful
of machinery and chemicals on his arm
and asked me to lend him the use of my
backyard for an hour or two. while he
revOlutioniZed the art of warfare. OF
course, | told him he could do anything
in my backyard that he might want to
do, provided he didn't do II with dyna-
mite or any other explosive, and he as
sured me that this time there was moth
ing in the slightest degree dangerous
in what he meant to do.
81 will explain the whole matter to
YOU" he said, sitting down on u bench
in my back yard, and wiping his fore
head with IL cloth stained with chemi-
Gals, for the basket was heavy, and the
day was hot. you remember we were
speaking the other day about the
marching abilities of infantry regi-
ments. Now, let me ask you what it is
that makes it hard to work for sol
dier to march, on for any man to walk
Isn't it, the force Of gravitation, which
holds him down to the ground. and pre-
vents him from lifting his foot excep.
by muscular effort?'
81 suppose it is" said I.
every good" said Van Wagner
snow if you could reduce the force of
gravitation one-half, or, say, two-thirds
it would be Just that much easier for a
man to walk than it is in existing cir
cumstances wouldn't it?'
II admit it," said |. For Il was al
ways necessary to admit Van Wagner's
premises, provided you wanted to carry
on q conversation with him.
You are really an Intelligent man.
colonel!' said he. although at times
you are rather slow to perceive the
merits of any valuable invention. As
was saying. the thing to do'if you want
to make walking or marching easier is
to reduce the force of gravitation Now,
this is what | propose to do in the case
of every Individual soldier Why no
one has hit ON the same idea long ago is
something i can't understand. But
that's the way with most inventors
They never see what is directly before
their eyes. but always look for some
thing that is miles away"
AS this was what l had said hundreds
n tfsV Vo No H., l.
inventions, / began to think that he
wasn't as utterly unteachable as a
scientific man generally is.
please to look at my shirt for a
moment" continued the professor
"As you see, it is made of very thin
cloth coated with coating Of india rub
ber. Also, you will perceive that it is
made of two thicknesses of rubber cloth
Joined together at the neck and the
waist, and that just where the collar
buttons would ordinarily come at the
back Of my neck, is a small valve. Now
this shirt will hold as many cubic feet
of hydrogen gas as would tie sufficient
to lift man of my weight. together
with eighty pounds Of arms and. ac-
coutrements."
Don't you find the rubber shirt
rather warm?" I asked.
1T is a little warm" he replied but
can easily overcome that. Resides.
the warmth of the shirt has nothing to
do with the question. The fact on which
wish you to fix your mind is that by
filling this shirt with hydrogen, over
come the effect of gravitation. That is
to say. l make myself as light as air."
Then you mean a soldier shall fly
instead of march?" said.
Not at ALL" said Van Wagener. 81
simply propose to make him so light
that he will be able to take steps thirty
or forty feet long, and to jump over
hedges and streams with perfect ease"
l wanted to remind the professor of q
iumuinr machine thnt hn hnd ouao L.,