The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-24
USED IN ALL AGES.
TIRE SWOHD NAY WELL BE CALLED
THE UNIVERSAL WEAPON.
Early styles Were Made of wood.
Have Figured in Conflicts in All
Parts of the NorId-DurinE the
IL
From the Phnadelph a Times.

or all the weapons used by man, the
sword is the most universal Its begin
ninss are older than history, and it has
appeared in every part of the world Some
OF its forms, however, are very different
from those with which We are famuiar-so
much SO chat We should scarcely recognize
the true character Of the weapon at frs,
glance.
Indeed, the earliest swords were not
made of any kind of metal but of hard.
heavy wood-a style which has existed
among savages in remote regions und
very recent times. Such swords are evil
IDENTITY The result of an attempt TO improve
upon the war club They are more or less
paddle shaped, and are brought to a keen
edge, which is Gre-hardened. Their cleav-
ing power in the hands of a stalwart and
skilhul savage is far beyond what might
be expected, and is increased by the FIRE
quent use of drawing out" su!l wood
IS easily blunted, and all sorts of expert
ments have been tried with a view 10 get
ting a more refractory edge. one device
was TO insert rows of sharks teeth. firmly
imbcdded, but this ugly fighting tool was
more ike a rip-saw than true sword
better weapon was made by armiug the
edge with razor-like fakes of flint set in
the wood. These gave an edge like broken
glass, and every boy knows how keen
that may be. The best example of this
style is the "masquahunt." formerly used
by certain Mexican tribes. and with it, We
are told, they could sometimes sever a
mans arm at one stroke 1t was the mos
effective sword ever constructed out OF
any material inferior TO tempered metal
The first swords of metal were not at all
satisfactory. AS iron was scarce and cop
per was altogether. TOO soft bronze was
used; but this, If made hard enough TO
cut, became brittle Such were the swords
OF the early Greeks and She stories of the
combats in which they were used show
that they often shattered when a heavy
bow was struck against shield or helmet
Yet we are told that when Ajax was de-
Tending his ships, almost single handed, by
thrustng back the Trojans with a long
lance one blow of the sword of Hector
c,eft the brazen head from the tough
shaft-no easy task even for a sword Of
steel 1t is not likely that any such feat
was ever performed with a blade of bronze
except in the heroic dreamland of the
poets The sword was never of much ac-
count among the Greeks. anyhow; their
weapon of war was the spear.
The Romans however. were real swords
men. They wanted no fifteen-foot pole be
tween themselves and the enemy; their
chief desire was TO come to close quarters.
with weapon bearing considerable resem-
bance to the modern bowie knife. They
were accustomed to strike with the point.
which was broad and keen. rather than 10
slash with the edge. This, in general, is the
most effective way for men on foot. EX-
perts have remarked that a thrust kills,
while a slash merely wounds; but there are
notable exceptions, as We shall see. These
Romans weapons had well tempered
blades, which gave them a decided advan-
tage over some of their onemies-as, for
instance, the Gauls, who often used iron
so soft that the blade bent in striking and
had to be Strengthened with the foot"
This, l suppose means that the soldier
had to draw back lay his sword on The
ground and step on it. After this opera
ton had been many times repeated the
weapon must have presented as wavy an
outline as a Malay creese.
Ii is in the medieval period that we find
the most wonderful stories about the
sword, which was in great favor with the
knights and plays all sorts Of incredible
pranks in the tales of chivary. These IA
nous weapons had names and pedigrees,
and frequently were scarcely less renown-
ed than the warriors who welded them.
The swords of these crusaders We're for
the most part two-edged, straight ana
MASSIVE while the scimeter of the Sara
Gems was light, much curved and of more
than razor's keenness and temper. The
European sword was chiefly used for
straight chop downward, but for the sci
meter what Is called a -'slicing cut was
preferred. The characteristic difference
in the style and handling Of the two weap-
ons Is well shown In the familiar story Of
the friendly contest between Saladin and
King Richard. The latter laid a heavy
mace on a block and severed the thick
Steel shaft with one sweep Of his huge
blade. The def SaTacen then drew the
up lurned edge of his scimeter through a
gossamer veil floating through the air,
and with quick turn OF the wrist dvid-
ed one of the pillows lying on the divan.
Neither tool could possibly have done the
work of the other.
In naval warfare to-day, as the thick
ness of the steel plates which guard the
vitals of our battleships is increased 1t
becomes necessary TO use stronger can
non and heavier projectiles. Just So as
the weight of the armor worn by men was
gradually increased, it was found neces-
sary to increase the weight of the weap-
ons used 10 cleave 1t. Hence, along with
the battle AK and mace, huge two~handed
swords came into Vogue-and these pom
derous implements, some OF which have
been preserved. make us almost ready to
trained athlete could possibly brandsh
them, and the blows they dealt must
have fallen like the stroke Of a tripham-
mer.
AT last, however the Introduction of
aunpowder made an end of The wearing Of
armor and The Tearing Of shields Then a
new style of weapon became fashionable
The dueling sword used only for thrust
ing-and with II came what was called
the new poking fight of the rapier and
dagger" The dagger held in the left hand,
was at first used for parrying, but was
soon discarded, the needle-ponted blade
OF the rapier becoming both sword and
shield in the grasp OF an expert. This art
of fencing seems to have originated in
Spain but Italy soon took the lead, with
France as close rivaf
SIN. the saber, wi its sashing edge.
was by no means wholly superseded; II
held its own for many purposes, and espe-
cially for use Ia cavalry charges. II was
with a blade Of this kind that sturdy old
Niles Standsh is said to have struck of
the head Of an Indian, who treacherously
attacked him during a conference.
Come NJ the most wonderful sWOrdsma0