The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-08

post Office, when we met regiment o1
Infantry. OF course we stopped TO look
at them, for / don't suppose there is a
man living who doesn't like 70 look as
soldiers. Even a regiment of Chicago
counter-jumpers, dressed in ridiculous
uniform, and playing at soldiers, inter
ests me, and as for this particular reg
irnent il was one of tho best IN the
federal army, and that's saying good
deal. The professor looked at the men
in the critical sort of way that every
body puts on in such circumstances,
and presently he said: Colonel, isn't
ii your opinion that 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, IL GER
tainly would" / replied; "but the sol
dier who can march a hundred miles a
day, not TO speak of two hundred, isn't
born yet"
"I think you are mistaken, colonell"
said he. Its my idea that by the use of
proper means il can be made just az easy
to march at the rate of twenty miles an
hour as il is now to march at the rate of
four miles an hour"
There you are aRain!" said I.
"You're thinking of some invention that
is going TO revolutionize the art of war
fare! Ny dear professor! You've been
revolutionizing warfare ever since
knew you, but haven't noticed that it
has been revolutionized to any great ex-
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 a big basketful
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.
II will explain the whole matter 10
you" he said, sitting down on a bench
in my back yard, and wiping his fore
head with a cloth stained with chemi-
calls, for the basket was heavy, and the
day was hot. "Yo~ remember we were
speaking the her day about the march
ing abilities of infantry regiments.
Now, let me ask you what it is that
makes it hard work for soldier to
march, or for any man to walk. Isn't it
the force of gravitation, which holds
him down to the ground. and prevents
him from lifting his foot except by a
muscular effort?"
81 suppose il is" said I.
"Very good" said Van WAGNER.
~Now if you could reduce the force Of
gravitation one-half, or, say, two-thirds,
1t would be just that much easier for a
man to walk than il is in existing cir
cuinstances, wouldn't it?"
81 admit it," said /. For il wns al
ways necessary TO admit Van Wagener's
premises, provided you wanted to carry
on 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 i propose to do in the case
of every individual soldier. Why no
one has bit on the same idea long ago is
something / 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 had said hundred
of times TO Van Wagener about his own
Inventions, / began 10 think that he
wasn't as utterly unteachable as a scien-
tific man generally Is.
please TO look at my shirt for
moment" continued the professor.
"As you see, it is made Of very thin cloth
coated with "a ing of india rubber.
Also, you will perceive that IL is made Of
two thiclSnesses of rubber cloth. Joined
together at the neck and the waist, and
that just where he collar button would
ordinarily come at the back of my neck,
is small valve. Now this shirt will
hold just as many cubic feet OF hydro.
gen gas as would be sufficient to lift a
man of mywcight, together with eighty
pounds of arms and accoutrements."
Don't you find the rubber shirt
rather wnrm?" asked.
1T is n litsle warm" he replied, "but
can easily overcome that. Besides.
the warmth of the shirt has nothing 10
do with the question. The fact on which
wish you 20 fix your mind is that hy
filing this shirt with hydrogen, over
come the effect Of gravitation. That is
TO say. make myself as light as air"
"Then you mean soldier shall ny
instead of mrrch?" said.
"Not at ALL" said Van Wagener. II
simply propose 90 make him so light
that he will be able 10 take steps thirty
or forty feet long. and 10 jump over
hedges and streams with perfect ease"
wanted 10 remind the professor Of n
Jumping machine that he had once in
vented, and that had nearly killed him
when nc tried 20 use H. but kent ,uiet