A BULLET STOPPING JACKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 170, 18 July 1916, Page 3

A BULLET STOPPING JACKET.

AN* t>'G_SIOUS INV_ST_>K- ■'■ .'■- ■.--: -. ■•.. ?» In an endeavour to reduce the number of casualties sustained. - by:-armies in modern trench warfare.we have [alteajdy witnessed a reversion to the ..use of armour, and the adoption by the British, and French armies of the steel helmet has already been justified by the" results. The present Anglo-French offensive along the Sorame suggests the great advantage to be derived from a further protection for the body .as well as the head at- a' time when . men have to ' leave . the trenches to advance... In this regard, it is. interesting to note .that ~.inventors claim to have produced an efficient bul-let-stopping jacket. ."As' long ago" as last December," writes a. correspondent in the "Xaval and Military BecOTd, 1 ' "an ingenious invention was submitted to the War Office and Admiralty, !which those departments are 'still' considering.' Tired of waiting, the inventors of the Cheniico Body "Shield.a few days ago gave a demonstration of their invention to a large company of the Press, service men, and others in Fleet Street, and very soon no doubt people will be sending sets of them to their brothers 4 and friends at the front. Instead; of * the chain mail of old the new. shield "looks like a thickly-padded leftist '•=';"—*t;'_ is quite flexible, and weights. enly.44lb. ;« consists of numerous .overlapping, naps of linen chemically treated and covered with linen. The effect-is not .only a direct 'stop' for the bullet, but.deflection from its' course, thus reducing the concussion; At the demonstration a pow* erful trooper of the 3rd Dragoon Guards,, just returned from the front, tried in. vain to piece it with a bayonet. It (gives complete protection against cold steel. The shield was then fired at. with a Colt revolver at four yards'" distance. [It stopped the first bullets completely, but then one or two others got'through. This was attributed, quite fairly, I think, to tbe fact that the sack of bran upon which it. was fixed to represent the human body, had become indented,..- and had failed to offer the necessary support. As soon as . tag.'. .'backing' was strengthened the test proved successful. '■."■;-. . There seemed little doubt that it would stop bullets and. p_c« of shrap,nel and bursting -^11' <_»