Victorian weird weapons

 Sometimes authors of historical fiction can be accused of stretching credibility too far, but often truth is stranger than fiction. I was tempted (when writing Sabrina's Teardrop in particular) to put a couple of gadgets at Chard's disposal but restrained myself. Here's one which was considered, brought to my attention via a post by one of my favourite sites (the Virtual Museum of Police in Wales. )some time ago :-

This newspaper article comes from 1897........................

BETTER THAN THE TRUNCHEON.

In the midst of the discussion as to the best means of dealing with the street ruffian, Mr. Frank Garrett, of Armscote Manor, Stratford, appropriately puts forward the claims of a new weapon, which he has patented, and which he suggests should be placed in the hands of every policeman. Mr. Garrett's invention is a small revolver-shaped instrument, which discharge fluid instead of lead, and the idea is to disable the assailant by directing the charge into the eyes.

It is a handy little weapon, weighing but 8 oz., and can easily be carried in the hip pocket. Fifty shots can be fired in almost as many seconds before it is necessary to reload, a small reservoir for the fluid being placed in the stock. There is something decidedly unpleasant in the liquid proposed for use, as Mr. Garrett himself admits that a full charge in the eye will cause temporary blindness for perhaps four or five hours.

He quotes the opinion of an experienced oculist, however, to the effect that there can be no permanent injury, and argues that even from a humanitarian point of view this form of disablement is far preferable to the use of the staff upon the rough's head.

The weapon has been worked out by a Birmingham gunmaker under Mr. Garrett's supervision, and we understand that it has been brought under the notice of the Chief Constable of the city. In view of the attack recently made upon a lady cyclist, Mr. Garrett suggests that his little arm is one which unprotected females would find extremely useful. There is, of course, the danger that the weapon would prove very formidable in the hands of footpads or other unscrupulous persons.

The inventor meets this objection by suggesting that if the aim was supplied to the police, it's use by civilians might be made an offence against the law.