The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-10-15

tile, for, even If the defense is not penetrated
the resultant shock is serious as bullet
wound. 1t is therefore this glancng surface
which should be studied If armour is to have any
place in modern warfare and metal of high
temper and light in weight should be employed
1t is unthnkable that such defenses will ever be
officially recognized for, If issued on a large
scale, they would greatly impede the mobility or
troops already carrying dead weight than
did the soldier of the sixteenth century in his
suit of half-armor. IL such contrivances pur
chased privately an exhaustive test should be in
sisted upon and proof should be recorded by
some responsible body. it in the days OF
Charles /, when the Armorers company of Lon
don were ordered to carry out such tests and
stamp all armor that satisfied the conditions
with their mark. If these defenses are care
lessly made of Indifferent material they will as
suredly be far more of danger than a protec-
tion.
1t is impossible to criticize the modern produc-
tions without seeing them in actual use i'm the
trenches. but IL would seem that the pistol
shield with crossed bars is in direct opposition
to the theory that the "glancing surface" is of
importance, for here wherever the bullet strikes.
Il will deliver the full force OF it's blow and will
not fly off at a tangent It would from Henry
Wis pistol shield which is preserved in the
Tower. The plain skull-cap TO ful1ll the
required conditions. except that IL should be
provided with brim curving outward, like the
cndpel ue Ter OF tne sixteenth century. Inc
French helmet appears 10 provide lodg-
ments for the bullet in the straight brim and
high comb, but again IL should be noted that II is
impossible to criticize practically until the de-
fense is seen in action.
Besides the ordinary body armor OF the late
seventeenth century in the Tower collection
there are a few interesting specimens OF siege
implements which were the precursors OF modern
contrivances. The chevaux de frise oi the days
OF Wellington are series OF sergeants pixies
Joined by horizontal rods and so arranged that
they be stretched road the breach
in a wall as a protection against cayalry-an an
ticipaton of the present barbed wire entangle-
ment. The sappers' mantels OF leather and iron
have continued in use from the time Of the Ro.
mans up to today. and the weighty trappings
that were used in the middle OF the seventeenth
century show that even then armor was serious
ly used in the trench work. Several OF the eight.
eenth century muskets in the Tower OF London
have brass cups fixed to the barrel or butt from
which grenades were thrown. a necessary precau-
tion when the fuse used was the slow match.
Step by step we can trace the evolution OF mill
tary invention. and II s peculiarly interesting
70 find that today. I'm the light OF all our scien.
tihc knowledge and experience we are suddenly
forced back TO make OF appliances OF four
hundred years ago which we had but recently
stigmatized as relics OF barbarsm.
The facts show that from the stone age onward
arInor never became extinct. II has always been
worn At the present day. to be sure. IL appears
less for service than a uniform OF the body
guard OF royalty. And you recall that corselct
and steel headpiece are TIL I'm St James
park. or In Potsdam, or indeed In Republican