The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-10

nave utCdy, VI CUiiiiio
shrouds, and even parts OF skeletons ma!
be seen through the crevices.''
|
AN ARMoRED TRACTION TRAIN
Official Trial of n Novel Invention
for War Purposes.
(From the London Teiegraph.)
With the uses of the armored train and
the traction engine in modern warfare
the South African campaign has made Us
pretty familiar. But a combination OF the
two things. in the shape of an armored
traction siege train. is novelty. At Leeds
| recently the official trial of the first oil
these. trains took place, and. needless to
say, the experiment was watched with keen
interest by representatives OF the War
Office, which is hoping to be able to de-
spatch to the Transvaal before hostilfties
are ended at least one example of this
latest engine Of war. From the works of
| Messrs. Fowler C Co. there set out two
| armcred road locomotives, the first OF
which, by reason Of the vehicles and guns
which followed in its wake, was the prin-
cipal object Of popular notice. Attached to
| it were three armored wagons, and follow
! ing them were two six-inch breech-loading
(, howitzers from Woolwich Arsenal, travel
| ing on their gun carriages. Altogether
there was weight OF between thirty and
| forty tons behind the khaki-coIored loco
motive. which OF itself scales upward of
| twenty tons. The idea OF, this heavy train
/ careering gayly over hill and dale seemed
| preposterous. although it made excellent
| progress over the smooth surface of the
| Yorkshire roads, doing on occasion as much
! as seven miles an hour. The second loco
motive drew a military wagon behind it,
| but in all essential points 1t was identical
with the first. In both CAGES the vital
parts of the engine are protected with
armor plate-no easy task. it may be sup
posed. if free manipulation is to be Sc
! cured to driver and steersman. In time Of
hcstilities those who control the 1oconlo-
tive will necessarily have but limited cp-
pcrtunity for taking observations, but by
a clever arrangement of mirrors such views
Of the course as the peep holes afford
will be augmented. All parts of the engine
except the road wheels are protected from
rife fire, while its water tanks are suffi-
cient for a run of from ten to fifteen
miles, according to load and condition OF
read. The driving wheel is as much as
seven feet in diameter, with a width of
two feet, the section strips being provided
with view Of giving a better grip OF
the surface. Another and very important
point is the spring gear, also fitted to
the wagons, which enables a comparatively
damage.
While it cannot be pretended that con-
veyance in an arInored road wagon repre-
sents the acme of luxurious travelling. yet
1t must be confessed that as a means of
protection against snipers. these vehicles
have many excellent recommendations.
Their hodies are constructed Of rickel
steel-Boynton plates. In fact-manufsc-
tured by Messrs. Charles Cammell & Moo.
ciJ ~ incl
thick. are absolutely Mauser proof. and the
tops or flaps. which are sixteenth OF
an inch less in thickness. are bullet proof
at a distance Of hundred yards. When
the flaps are let down. as. for example,
when ammunition or a field gun Is icing
carried, ridge shaped cover to the wagon
Is formed. On the other hand. when the
flaps are UP the vehicle. which is then
open at the top, gives accommodation for
men, or for a howitZer and its carriage.
The brake gear to each wagon Is access;-
BILE from inside or outside. as desired
while the narrow gauge Ct the front
wheels and the wide gauge Of the hind
wheels secure respectively sharp locking
for turning corners and great stability.
The run yesterday was in the direction
of Pontefract. and at an early stage JON
o. Gaunt's Hill afforded useful test CT
the climbing capacities OF the armored road
locomotive. The rise at this point was as
much as i in 1919. Here the slow speed
one of a choice of three-was used, end at
the rate of TWO miles and a half an hour
the engine made easy work with the thir-
ty-fye or forty tons weight behind it,
The ascent climbed. the downhiII journey
on the other side was effected at a rate
of six miles an hour the braking arrange
ments being manifestly perfect. VIII
oulton village was reached someshlt
long train accommodated it self with great
facility to a sharp triangular turn in the
road. In the neightorhcod OF Neither a
halt was called. and 1t YVES shown how
easily one of the howitzers and its car
rage could be got into wagon by the aid
of ramps and the winding gear of the en-
CINE.
The advantage of carrying the gun, in
stead of trailing it, is not at first sight
apparent, yet there may possibly be an adj
vantage in keeping the train short and in
the saving OF friction. The wheels of the |
gun carriage. too. might not always find |
it convenient to follow in the ruts made |
in wet weather by the locomotive and its |
vehicles. At all events, the |
method would be useful in picking up a |
disabled gun. The howitzer, weighing
with its carriage three ard half tons,
travelled comfortably enough under the |
new conditions.
A real test for the locomotive was
found later on. when a plowed field was |
boldly entered. After dexterous steering |
between the posts of FIVE barred gate, |
the engine found nc difficulty in taking its |
train across the fallow. Turning to come
back, however. slight gradient told |
against progress. and ultimately the train |
came to a standstill in the light. rriable |
loan. Then spuds or teeth OF extra /
length were attached to the surface of the |
wheels. but still without securing more
than the churning Of the soil But the re- |
sources of civilization We're not exhausted.
The locomotive had simply to detach itself
and go ahead. and then by the aid of its
windlass the train was hauled clear Of the
faIlow and onto the hard road again. Had
it been necessary the wagons could have
been rescued in detail. instead of en- bioc
supposing. however that the engine had
remained fast What then? The equiva-
lent of a Hedge anchor would have been
laid out and the locomotive would have
hailed on her wire rope till she extricated
herself. and then. also with windlass.
would have brought the trucks TO frmer
ground.
Copy of the First FoIiosof Shake
spcnrc.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.)
1t seems that q copy of the first folio OF