The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-06
THE ARM0RED TRAINS.
How tho GUNS Are Discharged without
Upsetting the Cars.


preparations on both the British and
the Transvaal side the armored train
has already found a prominent place,
and it seems practically assured that
an outbreak of hostilites will soon find
the strategic lines of railroad controll-
ed by each taking the field in person,
so to speak. The idea, itself, however,
is no new one; for, although the eX-
periences of armored trains in open
warfare have so far revealed little con-
corning their more or less problemati-
cal value as an offensive or defensive
factor, yet there are strong grounds for
believing that, cleverly and energeti-
cally handled, the armored train may
be capable of influencing the scale in
any engagement from slight skirm-
ish to a pitched battle. Let us first,
though, briefly recapitulate the
genesis Of the armored train and its
atcive experiences up to date.
We have already stated that the idea
| Is no novel one; indeed 1t dates from
the application of steam power to
! methods of transport, for acting upon
the theory that no epoch-making in
VentiOn could long remain without
making It's influence felt in warfare,
! wildcat schemes were Immediately de-
vised for the application of steam To-
| comotiyes, which might to a great eX-
| tent take the place of cavalry in flu
ture campaigns. Those machines
their wheels equipped with the scythes
after the pattern of Broadicea's war
chariots-zwere to crash through the
| nj Of ba fbnSa
who stood in their path; while a furth-
er refinement provided for the ennis
sion of noxious vapors, to suffocate
those who escape the rotating scythes!
Truly a terrible engine of destruction,
but one which has never yet got furth-
er than the pages of Jules Verne
novel, where, we believe, it assumes
the shape of an automaton, bomb-proof
elephant. To turn to the records of
practical suggestion, it is not surpris-
ing to learn that the great strategic
value of railroads for the transport of
troops (realised as early as the year
! 1881, when in view of rioting regi-
ment was conveyed from Liverpool to
Manchester on the newly opened line
in two hours in ordinary crcum-
stances a two days march) soon
evolved the idea of utilizing the iron
road as a means for the establishment
of armored trains, or, as they were
first termed flying martello towers"
to patrol a threatened coast line.
There have been several claimants to
the title Inventor of the armored
train but the honor really rests with
a Mr. James Anderson of Edinburgh
who in 1S47 prepared and patented a
series of plans and further submitted
a working model of his defensive roll
ing stock for the inspection of some
distinguished engineer and artillery Of
ficers.
Again, in 1919, he forwarded his pro-
position, which included an estimate
for laying down 100 miles of single
branch line along the south coast Of
England, in connection with the exist
ing lines, as the manoeuvring area for
his trucks, to the Duke of Wellington
and Lord Hardinge at the Horse
Guards. AS, however the aggregate
cost of the special railroads and ord
nance carriages was estimated at one
million, the Commander in Chief "did
not think it expedient to offer any
opinion upon the matter" But brief
description of Mr.. Anderson's designs
for his armored trucks will be of more
interest than his visionary project con-
corning the iron girdle with which he
proposes encirclns the country. The
body and form of his patented ord
nance carriage was to consist entirely
of maleable IRON and to be construct
ed of two iron frames. each q feet
in length ~ feet in breadth, placed one
above the other; the upper forming
the platform on which the gun Sc
lected long thirty-two FOUNDER, was
to be worked acting on a center pivot
and friction rollers, similar to those of
a railway turntable; while the lower
frame and its platform were to be
mounted with six strong springs Of six
wheels. BY means of a pinon and !
small vertical wheel, the gun could |
traverse While elevation and depres-
sion We're obtained by the aid of an |
Archimedcan screw, attached to the |
hinder axle of the truck wheels, and |
acting on the breech.
To insure the equilibrium Of the |
truck when the gun recoled at dis,
charge. two oblong blocks of cast iron,
weighing nearly two tons, and resting
on friction rollers placed in the upper
frame work, acted as ballast being at
taChed to the axles of all three pairs of |
wheels by strong chains passing over
pulleys. Hence the truck itself alb
sorbed the recoil of the gun above. To
further guard the chains against the
effect of the sudden jerk spiral draw
springs were fixed to the ends attach
ed to the front axle. For the protec-
ton of the gun, truck, and gunners
the extreme ends of the truck were
made of semi-circular shape. and the
gun and gun detachment shielded by
an iron cupola Offering an oblique sur
face to shots aimed at it. Lastly, the
iron sides OF the truck, acting on
hinges and termed TENDERS" could be
let down to protect the wheels and
UNDER gearing, The total weight of
the truck, with gun ammunition, and
men, amounted to about twenty tons
and the cost of construction, eXclud-
ing the gun. was estimated at gees SIS.
Sd. Mr.. Anderson continued to busy
himself with his designs till the year
S53, but falling to obtain any official
for his park of flying heavy
artillery" then abandoned the pursuit
IF his hobby, Whereupon the idea OF
irmOred trains sank into oblivion