St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-10-20
FIRST USED IN THE STATES.
Originally During the Civil War
In This Country.

AS with . great many other utlil'
tartan devices, the Americans were the
first to construct an actual armor-
plated train. During the civil war
in the states n mob destroyed the
bridges on the Philadelphia, Whining
ton d. Baltimore railway, and in order
to prevent n recurrence of the disor-
ders and TO protect the line generally,
the government hit upon the expedient
of converting long, fiat baggage car
into a small movable battery. The car
was built up and covered in with thick
sheet iron, in which were pierced a
number of loopholes for musketry.
Port holes were arranged at the center
and at each end, and a cannon on
turntable was mounted for
duty at each or either of the port holes.
The projectiles used were of a some
what extraordinary character, being
nothing more or less than disks cut
from boiler plates.
Perhaps the most effective use of the
armored trains. upto recent years, says
the Chicago Chronicle, was made by
the French during the siege of Paris.
In these trains both engines and car
riages were bullet proof. and contained
a number of loopholes. Each train car
rying four small cannon which could
be readily and expeditiously maneu-
vered from the train. was capable
of holding 500 men. Considerable use
was made of these trains in bringing
in provisions to the beleaguered
Frenchmen, and they were turned to
account Dy the communists afterward
against the government troops until
their position was outfianked by heavy
naval guns.
In the year 1852 an armored train,
which was only partially protected by
boiler plates and sandbags. was used
against the Egyptian rebels under
Arab Pasha. A similar contrivance
was also employed at Kassasin previ-
GUS to the British advance on Tel-el-
Kebir. One operating in Chill during
the civil war, and sandbag protected,
or armed train. equippedwith field
gun. was utilized with advantage in the
Soudan quite recently. In Cuba a To-
connective and truck. protected with
three-eighths-inch boiler plates, was
sent in advance to pilot and protect
from the rebels the trains between
Colon and Santa Clara.
The South African armored trains
now being employed by the authori-
ties consist Of nothing more or less
than ordinary cars covered with from
half to three-quarters of an inch OF
common steel, the locomotives being
similarly protected. and a car placed
in front with a gun in advance. These
trains are. of course. of little or no
use if the line falls into the hands of
theenemy-a few dynamite cartridges
or the removal of a rail or two (as was
painfully demonstrated in the recent
disaster to the Mafeking train) would
render them source more of danger
than service.
The German emperor has an idea
that war cars" can be constructed on
. plan which he has devised, which
will enable tnem to traverse at will
over battlefield or territory which
does not present Impossible geograph-
ical difficulties. He proposes that each
car shall be complete in itself and in
size about that of Pullman. The
sides are to be constructed to fall Just
above the level of the ground, in order
to protect the wheels. These plated
sides will consist of steel of great re-
sisting force, and will be pierced with
a requisite number of port or loop
holes for quick firing and machine
guns and rifles. In order that a pos
sible enemy may not be able to get
on top of the car. it is to be made
with sharp bayonet spikes protruding
from the sides and roof. The whole
idea seems very chimerical, but as the
world-famed Krupp is responsible and
has now an experimental ear in prog.
ress, it would scarcely be safe to say
that there is nothing in the idea.