The record-union., 1897-03-25
SELF MOVING CANNONS.
Extraordinary Engines Of Light Warfare
to be Introduced.
Food and Drinks of All Kinds to
be Served by rlaChinery
in Berlin.

The latest achievement in aut0moDll-
ism is self-moving cannon, when Is
set in motion by a very light motor, the
wheels of which are furnished with
pneumatic tires In a word, here we
have a. moVeable fortress which is
guarded in front and rear by two rapid
fire guns these guns being mounted on
q pivot and maneuVered by the motor
itself They can discharge 700 pro-
jectiles a minute. a feat which is said
to be UNPARALLELED in the history of
artillery, and they are sufficiently pro-
tected from the enemy by massive
shields
Moreover, the walls of the automobile
are sloping and are carefully protected
with sheeting, so that under any cir
cumstances it would be difficult for an
enemy to wreck this novel fortress. A
shot from a gun would ricochet without
any result on this metallic, polished
and elusive substance, and it would be
next to impossible for a. cannoneer to
hit this liIputian fort. seeing that it is
able to progress at the extraordinary
rate of eighty kilometers an hour.
A BICYCLE CANNON.
This fortress, however, is a monstrous
dttdI N1ltiI COtIpdIeu Will the lillit
cannon which it is proposed to use in
future in connection with a bicycle.
This little cannon is fixed in front of
the bicycle and weighs only eighteen
kilogrammes.
The notable feature about it is that it
is self firing. The charge is put in and
the breech is closed by simple expan-
sion of gas. The cartridges, which are
stored in small compartment in the
upper part of the bicycles frame work
are fixed On a band which rolls around
drum. After each discharge the band
or belt advances one notch, a new cart
ridge comes forward to the spot where
percussion takes place. and all that the
cannonear bicyclist has to do is to keep
a steady pressure on the trigger. Fire
from this cannon ought to be effective.
considering that the discharges are at
the rate Of 400 a minute
Cycles, however are to be used for
benevolent as we'll as for belicose pur-
poses. Thus, thanks to the inventive
skill of DR.. Honig of Berlin, they can
be used as ambulances in time of war
being fitted for the purpose with medi-
cine chests and other indispensable ar
ticies. Hence, those who may be
wounded by the bicycle cannon can
console themselves withfthe hope that
they Will receive succor from the bicy-
Gle ambulance.
RESTAURANTS WITHOUT WAIT
ERS
An invention that is just now causing
great deal of sensation in Berlin is
nothing less than an automatic restau-
rant The Germans, it seems have for
some time been trying to find a substi-
tute for dilatory walters, and at last
they have found what they wanted.
The principle of this restaurant is
not new, the same mechanism, though
on smaller scale, being found in the
ordinary penny-in- -the-slot machines
Fancy scores of these machines. each
serving different purpose, scattered
over large room, and you will have a
good idea of this Berlin restaurant.
Everything in the place is done by
machinery The guests, when they
want anything to eat or drink do not
summon walters; instead, they go to
the little slot machines which are
stamped with the names of their favor
lte Vlands and rinks, and, dropping in
a little money, are quickly served The
room IS comfortably furnished and the
food is said to be first-class A dinner
of several courses can be obtained here
with as much ease as in the best con-
Quoted restaurant. Napkins. finger
glasses and all other minor de-
tails which add so much to the enjoy
ment of a meal are forthcoming on de-
mand.
The various kinds of food appear un-
der glass vases on a moving platform
and are gently shifted to their places
in front Of the guests according to each
ones needs.
For smokers a special machine has
been constructed. 1t contains cigars,
cigarettes and loose tobacco. and dis
tributes them when called upon With
aids of this kind a person can be served
much more quickly than in the old way.
and il is likely that these automatic
restaurants will soon come into use at
German railroad stations and other
places where quick and well served
meals are a disederatum-New York
Herald