The times., 1898-07-25
623 Thirteenth St. N. w
SHIELDS TO TURN BULLETS.
A Movable BuIlct-Proof Fort ON
Wheels

Movable Huiict-PrO0f Fort ON
Wheels.
Lieut. Lewis, of the army, has just in
vented a bullet-proof shield. 1t has been
tested, and cold lead makes no impress
sion on its steel face. The trial took
place back of the steel works on the
Newark marshes, near Harrison.
Some big-eyed Jerseymen who happen
ed to be in that neighborhood were the
most astonished men in forty States The
latest of the new cyclone guns. warrant
ed to shoot through a whole company of
men if standing in a row, were tried on
the target and the figure behind 1t
laughed al the attempt. But the noise Of
the bullets, crashing and banging against
the saw-tempered plates was enough to
stampede a corps of Spaniards. The test
seemed to satisfy the Government ex-
perts, for on their report a lot of the
shields was ordered shipped to Washing
ton and mounted on wheels and fitted up
for army use.
This invention OF Lieut.. Lewis carries
one back To Babylonian days. The Assy-
rians claimed TO be the original patentees
of war chariots, but they got their tips
from the Egyptians.
The Persians. however, added improve
ments of terror-scythes projecting from
hubs, axletrees and various parts of the
machine When the Persian charioteers
mounted their vehicles, eacn with three
runaway broncos harnessed abreast, the
enemy fed for the woods. Read Isaiah
| Their wheels are like a whirIwind.'
The shields fir-t used on the ancient
charfots were movable and the warrior
attendant was expected TO hold big
wicker shield in front of him when dan
ger became imminent
As civilization progressed the chariots
were made higher in front and wood was
supplanted by bronze or shee,s of copper
ali highly ornamented with war scenes
in bas relief
One day a genius out of a job con-
structed sort of sheet iron fortress on
wheels-a chariot larger and on q more
formidable scale than any on record The
| early Britons also went into the manufac-
| ture of fortified chariots on an extensive
scale and, according TO Roman authGIi-
! ties. one is led TO believe they were more
| fatal than Western moving machine.
| The warrior and his chagioteer stood be-
| hind a high dashboard of metal curving
| around him, reaching to his breast. Only
| an arrow winged by the gods could hit
| them so long as the steeds escaped But
| the enemy took 10 shooting the horses.
| Coats OF mail for the Quadrupeds were
| the answer and the war chariot became
| a terror again. Still later on in history a
| kind of fortress on wheels appeared, pro-
vided with scaling ladders for siege work
| and with clusters of spears and javelins
| bristling in front and on either side ready
| to transfix any insolent enemy daring to
| venture too near In addition, the wheels
| had sawteeth rims 10 woSk havoc and
death on the battlefield.
| Gen. Miles and other Government Off
cials are said to be much interested il
| this Harveyized modification OF the an
| cient chariot. The shields used by the
| lieutenant are by feet in size and
somewhat rectangular in shape. The
| steel is one-eighth inch thick, bolted or
both sides with hard wood pianking
| nearly seven-eighths of an inch thick,
making the total thickness one inch. The
| machine is mounted on broad wooden
| wheels similar TO the chariot wheels OF
| wicked old Pharoah, which Sunday school
| sailors sometimes find hooked TO their
anchors after a cruise through the Red
! Sea.
Where Lieut.. Lewis improves over the
| ancient war chariot is in using a scaling
1 lduuSE lcE the pptS 1AilS t1OSS away Will
the need of horses.
With this ladder squad of men car
| draw or push the shield chariot in any
direction 1t will protect them when tht
firing begins, while through its steel kno
| holes they can pour a deadly hail of bull
lets on the enemy in front
In case walls or Notifications are to bt
scaled the men behind, the shield witt
| their guns can easily protect with
heavy fire the men using the ladder.
Even the bow and arrow of the an
| clients were not such childish weapons a!
careless readers might suppose. Accord
ing to the records we are told that frs
rate archer, who in a single minute wa;
unable 10 draw and discharge his bow
| twelve times with range of 2I0 yard!
(120 feet) and who in those twelve shOtl
once missed his man, was only lightly
esteemed The spiked arrows shot by III,
crossbows killed horses and penetrated
armor, often killing the man within hi
load of steel plating.
FOUR G. D ILL.,. apoT1
| AS defense against these crossbow:
| it became necessary to use special porta
BILE breastworks or iron mantIes. which
rested on the ground or on wheels. en-
| tirey covering both the valet, who man
aged it, and his master, who did th'
shooting. Besides having this big shield
six feet high, the warrior still carried hi
ordinary battle shield. So terrible did tn
crossbow seem when il was first intro
duced with pulley and crank devices 70
pulling home" the wire string of th
bow, that an edict was issued foTbiddin:
its use by Christian armies. II was th
Mauser gun of its day. Its metal spike
for arrows were as revolving then as i
the explosive bullet of our time
In those great days kings went out &
battle in protected chariots Their Owl
royal hands showered the enemy will
clouds Of heaven directed arrows.
good. comfortable Assyrian arm,
numbered: infantry. I7G901: cavalry
2ie.os0. chari0gs, I.6ea.
History is said 10 repeat itself Fmazin
Grant al Donelson shooting arrows. wit
Badeau handbag the chariot nustanNs
Imagine Cleveland 81 the hattie ~ Nsns
/ xueta. with Dan Lamont IS his stlst
bearer