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A New Tool.—Major N. Willoughby Wallace of the King’s Royal Rifles has, the Times says, invented and patented in England and on the continent a spade to meet the requirements of the authorities—first, that it shall render men independent of any ground ; secondly, that it shall cut roots ; thirdly, that it shall be able to lever up stones ; fourthly, that it shall bo useful in camp life, and, if necessary, be capable of breaking open boxes of ammunition or provisions ; fifthly, that it shall be able to loophole a wall ; and, sixthly, that it shall combine lightness and durability. The tool may be described generally as a 6mall pick-head, about seven inches long, formed by steel armouring which surrounds a wooden crutch head, and is securely fastened by rivets and screws both to the crutch and to the handle, which are of ash. One end is a pick, the other a grubber, both of solid steel. The blade is of peculiar shape, flat at the bottom for cutting purposes, and hollow in the upper portion. A protection guards the knuckles and forms a fulcrum when the tool is used as a lever. The length over all is 23 inches, and the weight is only 2Jib. The tool is also specially useful for military mining purposes, when men have to work with spade and pick in confined spaces ; and it would be a very formidable weapon of defence at close quarters.
Newspaper Details
Cootamundra Herald
Cootamundra, New South Wales, AU
Wed, Aug 09, 1882
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
FR 04 Apr 2020
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Cootamundra Herald
