The Detroit times., 1915-11-27
Wheeled Body Shield
Is Among New Con-
trivances
PROTECTS MAN
FROM BULLETS
p a t rio tic Geniuses
Work Hard to Meet
Demand

Since Europe has been merged in
hostllities, scarcely a month has
passed unmarked either by the de
velopment OF some new agent OF
destruction, or the introduction of
some new medium OF defense. The
creative genius OF half the world
has been concentrated in an effort
10 make war more terrible on the
one hand, and safer on the other.
And first one belligerent and then
the other has met crucial emergen-
cies by ingenious, not to say start
ling. inventions.
The apparent deadlock on the
western frontier has presented a
perplexing situation. For months
the armies have fought battles more
sanguinary than Waterloo without
making progress except in terms Of
yards. Trench warfare has been re.
sponsible for this.
To make the trench less secure
for the enemy is an object which
each OF the belligerents is striving
TO accomplish. A step In this direc-
ton is found in the work OF Brit
ish inventor who has developed p
wheeled body shield that affords i'm
munity from rife bullets and shrap-
mel when advancing upon fortified
positions. The body OF this Is con-
structed OF tempered steel plates.
the front so rounded and tempered
that bullets strike the surface at an
angle and glance on without doing
harm. The rear 10 open. while the
interior is just large enough to ac-
commodate one soldier. who rests
on his hands and knees. The device
Is propelled forward by pushing
against the ground with one foot.
ft was inventive skill applied IN
different channel that made pos
sible the construction OF gigantic
steel network across the Narrows
In the Dardanelles to check the op-
erations OF the Allies submarines
in the Sea OF Marmora. The bar
rier extends some 75 feet beneath
the water and is long enough to
block the entire channel from Cha
max Kalessi In Asia Minor to Ma
mazieh on the European side. It is
composed OF number OF great nets.
each approximately 900 feet long
moored end to end by means OF
buoys and anchors.
The net across the Narrows has
been practical means OF defense
because there Is little tide In the
eastern Mediterranean to disturb t.
This condition is not true in the wa
ters about England, where a differ
ent scheme has been used by the
British Admiralty with remarkable
results. Here, 1t is claimed, the
submarines are caught by literally
seining them. The nets used for
this are made in lengths OF about
10 feet. with heavy iron wire
They are usually about 27 feet In
width and OF 15-foot mesh. When
IN use they are stretched between
the bows OF two oil-burning destroy
ers and buoyed by means OF large
blocks OF wood attached 70 the
binding cables along the top. When
an enemy submarine Ia sighted, the
fast destroyers cut ahead OF the
vessel and moore the net directly
m the path II is pursuing.
The rough condition OF the water
IN the North Sea greatly restricts
the range OF periscope, making II
effective for distance or only
about a mile. This permits the de-
stroyers 70 set the trap, after OBJ
serving the course n submarine IL
taking. and escape unuotlced. The
result is that the submersihle pro-
ceeds. ignorant OF danger, and
drives It's nose into the netting, the
top OF which Is about eight or ~
feet beneath the surface.
These illustrate a few ot the nu'
merous ways in which the wars
emergencies are being mot. For
every new instrument of destruction
introduced some means is promptly
developed to counteract its effect or
rullify It's efficiency. Ard for every
fresh obstacle encountered In the
ever-changing methods OF war. some
scheme is devised for surmountinT
it.-Searle Headee IN November
Popular Mechanics Magazine.