The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-17
Arso ed-Trains at Warfare


Although it is impossible 10 OBTAIN a Y
| reliable details. it is certain that the
! Franco-Prussian war was the first cam
paign Witnessing the use Of protected
trains and locomotives on the field az
! battle. In their sorties from Paris. the
French troops were frequently backed NJ
by the fire OF light field pieces carried In
this manner, and when the Communists
were holding the capital against the Yer
sailiese an armored train operated upon
the railway in the direction OF Chateau
Brecan, and is said TO have achieved its
OBJECT in siencing the batteries which
the regular troops were endeavoring to
/ establish In that position. 1t Is this ex-
/ perience. perhaps, that has given rise 10
the belief that the French were the ori-
( ginal adapters OF the idea for the utiIiza-
ton of permanent lines Of railway for the
! transport Of artillery, capable OF being
! brought into action upon the metals
| themselves. Shortly after the war OF 1870
| an Englishman, Mr. Evelyn Iiardet took
out patent for an armorsd train. which
/ was nullined by the discovery IN the pat
ent office Of Mr.. Anderson's prior scheme.
Where the British army IS concerned.
I Capt Fishers armOr-ciad train. used du-
ring the first stages of the campaign
( against Arab, was the first. and 50 far,
only active example OF its type. The train
! was constructed at Alexandria by a par
/ ty of blue-jackets. and was composed of
a locomotive and q number Of trucks
/ protected by iron rails, hron plates and
/ sandbags The engine was placed in the
middle of the train. while a Nordenfelt
machine-gun was mounted on the leading
! protected truck, and a forty-pounder on
! the next train. The latter. by means Of
4 a small crane carried with the train,
/ could be quickly mounted and dismounJ-
+ ed. one minute sufficing from the halt
/ ing Of the train 10 remOuut and FIRE the
! gun. The vehicles behind the engine con-
/ veyed detachment of skirmishers. while
it was found expedient to attach one or
two empty trucks in front OF the working
portion carrying the guns. so as TO min
| imize any danger from the explosion OF
the mines laid under the permanent way
by the enemy.
Unfortunately. Capt Fisher had but
few opportunities of bringing his train
into action, but during a smart skirmish
on the Mahmoudiyeh Canal II came
steaming up from Gabarrie and by throw
I ing some well-directed shells into the
very center Of the enemy, compelled him
| to retire with considerable loss. Since
then, however, both France and Germa-
ny have recognized specially construct
ed armored trains as formidable units OF
fighting equipment; but neither sppar-
emily, have yet gone so far IN their expe-
riments as have the First Sussex Artil-
lery Volunteers, who since 1925 have pos
sessed what is probably the completest
thing Of its kind in the world The truci.
specially constructed for the gun (which
is mounted on an ordinary field-carriasIe)
/ consists Of a turn-table platform pivot
ed on the center and revolving on a cir
cular racer. The gun detachment is pro-
tected by plating some six feet high
round three OF the sides, and the gun Is
fired through an aperture, the recoil be-
ing checked by a hydraulic brake on its
own carriage, and by rising slides on
which the wheels Of the latter rest caus-
ing the gun 10 return automatically 20
the firing position. BY an ingenious ar
rangement of cross-girders, which can be
run out and supported on blocks. a
broad base can be obtained for the truck
when the gun is fired at right angles
to the permanent way; while TO increase
the stability. the truck can be connect
ed with the rails by strong screw clips
The vehicle however. has proved itself
sufficiently steady on the metals without
these last aids. and so slight is the jar
TO the permanent way when the explosion
takes place that a stone placed on the
rail remains unmoved The remainder
OF the train is made up Of an ordinary
locomotive and two steel-plated vans con-
veying a Maxim gun, the men, the horses,
the timber, and the pTcjectlles.
ArmOred trains mounting field pieces
and machine guns are being extensively
utilized by the American troops engaged
in the conquest Of the Filipinos. and II
will be remembered that the successful
issue Of the fight at Calumpit was at
tributed to the opportune arrival Of just
such a flying battery.
The main objection raised against the
practicabiity Of armored trains f. the
suggestion that the enemy with a few
men carrying small parcels Of dynamite
could easily destroy the permanent way
Doubtless they could do 50 II the de-
tenders cavalry stool idle while they
advanced for this purpose: hence 70 must
be a sine qua non that armOred trains
are always accompanied by a strong force
Of cavalry. Again. 70 guard against the
compulsory abandonment Of the guns II
the train K derailed. Capt. Fishers pre-
caution Of including a crane IN the equip
ment should be followed. We note that
in the accounts Of the hastily construct (
ed British and Boer armOred trains. ma
chine guns or only very Hight field-pieces
are given as the srmaments- Trucks car /
ryiuE these should certainly have the gun
detachments protected BY bullet-proof /
mantlets, but any very high plating. with /.
the idea OF keeping out shells. IS "a mis- +.
take. In South Africa Of course, the mar .
row gauge OF the railroads vii neces- !
state great attention being paid 20 the .
questions Of equilibrium and stability,
while the probable methods of warfare
to be encountered must insure the most .
watchfuI precautions against mines and .
ambushes.