BAYONET WITH A SAW EDGE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 251, 27 November 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

BAYONET WITH A SAW EDGE.

INFERNAL WEAPON WITH GER MAS UOVLItNMhNT SIAMP.

Another of Germany's barbarous methods of waging war is exposed by the Aew lork Inoune" special corre-pen-dent, Kiciiard Harding Davis, wJio, in .i despatch sent from Paris and received ui London, said:—

.bo French army as it was fighting the urernians at Soissons., I announced tliat I was returning to Paris and that an> letters anyone wanted posted there 1 .vould gladiy take back with mc. In return lor carrying their mail the soldiers presented nie with many souvenirs of battle. One of them is the mast gruesome weapon of war 1 have ever known to have been issued to a civilised army. It is a German bayonet, half of which is a saw. 'When in London 1 was asked by English officers if 1 had seen in Belgium the=e bayonets, which, because they 'rip and tear the bono and flesh, are forbidden by the laws of war. I had not seen them, nor lid I believe they existed. I classed them with the other false ehargos that are made in every war— A poisoned wells, dum-dum bullets, and riring on ambulances. Yesterday I saw three saw-bayonets- found in trenches abandoned by Germans The saw edge was not given them by soldiers' hamnorinc; one blade against- another, but .vas machine-made, and each bayonet oore a Government stamp, a. number, m Imperial crown, and 1-he word "£rt'urt."

Many peoples argue that if tho object >f Mar is to kill men, how they nro killed makes little difference Hut eivilisd Powers do not assent to that, and ertain methods of warfare rnd certain merciful idea is to kill a man quickly. in<l not to mangle him, or «'ven to .vouml him and keen him out of the firms line. The icndrrn steel-jacket, d veapons are forbidden. The more :ot vindictive. If either can send an ppontnt to hospital for the remainder f the war it is satisfied. Rut this saw-bayonet so tears the lesh that it cannot heal, and splinters he bone. The Made is lFin. long., and n the upper half is a saw with 9m. ot 'erth. each a quarter of an inch wide. have had it photographed n "d lira\v A*ju)i|nu .1110 oj }i p&uoi(tf pun 'jw.ms ache, Colonel Cosby. It was a fucimile of one he already liad in his po>cssion.