The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-01

ping several companies of the army
with the machine. No definite decision
in the matter is likely to be announced
for several weeks, for the most careful
study is being made of the cycle and
the ideas set forth by the inventor re-
garding what it can accomplish. 1t is
limited, however, that all things point
to the decision being of a favorable
nature, and the adoption of the ma
chine as a regular feature Of the
French army may therefore be consid-
cred more than probable.
There have been many experiments
with the bicycle in the army of Europe,
and the military authorities of no
nation have taken more interest in the
machine and its development than
those of France. While it is only
within the past year that any fixed eff
fort has been made in the United
States army to test the value Of the
bicycle as method for conveying Z
soldier from place to place, both IN
company form and as dispatch bear
er, our French cOmpatriots have been
experimenting with the wheel from a
military standpoint for more than five
years. 1t is not surprising, then, that
this somewhat startling addition to
the merits of the wheel that genius has
made should be the emanation of
French mind.
Now as to the motor cycle itself. 1t
is, as the accompanying Illustration
shows, in form and principle like unto
the motor cycle with which we are all
more or less familiar There are, how
ever, one or two important exceptions
the most notable Of these, 50 far as
the operation Of the machine Is con-
cerned, being that the rider steers the
cycle with his feet the handle bar
or rather the substitute for 1t, being
adapted to a totally different purpose.
The motor, the impelling force of the
cycle, is located just forward of the
rear Wheel and is Of sufficient size to
insure a satisfactory rate of speed
The small tank which carries the fuel
which supplies the motor contains an
ample quantity to guarantee at least
a days journey without replenishing
The inventor claims that the machine
will easily make, over a fairly rough
country, from II to Is miles an hour
and believes that with good roads, I'M
impeded, it would do even better than
this.
Perhaps the most notable feature of
the cycle is the row of bayonets at
tached to transverse bar. which is
supported by a heavy steel rod that
runs forward from the frame Of the
machine AS the Illustration shows,
the bayonets extend forward sufficient
ly to clear the machine entirely, and
to be without an impeachment to pene-
trate whatever the rider may charge
at In place of the handle bar is
curved gun rest, which may be moved
upward to suit the desire of the rider.
Every rider is supposed to be armed
with a repeating rife, and it will be
understood that from the fact that he
can steer the machine with his feet.
he is left entirely free to use the
weapon-as unincumbered as he would
be if he were standing on the ground,
like the ordinary infantryman of to-
day
Such a combination as this, the
French officers argue, would be almost
irresistible. A charge by a company
mounted on these cycles would prac-
( tically be one of those most dreaded
events in battle, a bayonet conflict.
and a heavy fire from rifiemen com
bined. Every wheelman knows how
expert the rider of a motor cycle can
become in maintaining the equilibrium
of his machine against both ordinary
and extraordinary shock. 1t would