The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-16
USE Of GAS N WAR
100 YEAR OLD idea
Earl Of Dundonald Suggested Plan fos
Defence OF British
Soil,

Especial Correspondence to New York
SUM-
London. Aug. 15.--Ever since the
beginning OF the war one has heard
from time to time of the famous plan
OF the first Earl of Dundonald for the
destruction of any army against which
England might be fighting
Lord Dundonald Invented 1t when he
was Admiral Lord Cochrane and ne
guaranteed with its aid to overcome
any enemy against whom he was sent.
1t Is now full hundred years ago
since this famous invention was put In
a pigeonhole, and during all that time
it has remained one of the secret
documents of the State. IL was re-
jected in the first place as being OUT
side civilized warfare. Twice Govern
ment committees are said to have ex-
amined the plan during the first hall
of the nineteenth century, only TO put
It back into its pigeonhole again as
being too cruel
At the beginning of this war Lord
Dundonald's famous plan was talked
of again. Nothing, however, was heard
as to what ii was until the day be-
fore yesterday. when Professor. v. p.
Iewes in a lecture 10 the Society OF
Arts gave a description OF 1t, which
SnOWS l0at IL WAH ttoAtlH8 49, y
less than the German plan of using
asplyxiating gases Dundonald's pre-
scription was: s-s.E
Fires fed with tar and pitch 70
give dense columns of smoke which
would act as a screen for the attack;
sulphur burned on the fires to gen.
crate sulphur dioxide gas. which would
produce asphyxiating fumes and AID
the attack"
The professor added that the idea
was revived in the early stages OF the
present war, but the Government re-
fused TO consider IL. u
Talking after the lecture, Professor
I.ewes said that the details OF the plan
had never been made public with the
exception Of a reference to them In
the memoirs of Cabinet minister
published soon after the war began
"The inhalation of very small pro-
portion of this gas." says the pro-
lessor. causes coughing and sspittins
of blood: and four volumes in ter
thousand of air render 1t unbreath'
able A
! ..Tf the sufferer escapes from ths
zone within d reasonable period TINS
effects OF this gas pass on, but tne
German method is more inhufnan. al
they employ chlorine gas, which. II 7
does NOT XIII tDS iuri' waves t.'ssst
fin most frighfful agony and injuries
The lungs for life.
.'Dundonald merely proposed to ust
sulphur fumes make the enems
bolt: the Germans use their gases te
Iasphyx!ate."
The professor does not advocate re-
taliation with gas. as the whole e.
serice Of the gas attack Is surprise
The chief gases the Germans are using
are chlorine, bromine, nitrogen
tetroxide and sulphur dioxide. Al
these can be neutralixed quite simply
-respirators and a bucket of washing
soda soiution in the trenches to ar
them In are simple and efneaeiou'
remedy.
! According to Professor Lewes. thess
gas attacks do not worry the Britisf
troops so much now. a. they are pre-.
pared for them. The respfrators anc
helmets have proved perfectly salts
factory. and there are many PROB.
lens connected with the density o.
1.-The gases In relation with the ar a.
well as wind currents which make tns
successful use OF poisonous vapors Q,
no means a simple problem,