Stephen Wren
Biographic Data
| ID | 6588533 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Stephen Wren |
| GIVEN NAMES | Stephen |
| FAMILY NAME | Wren |
| SIGNATURE | WREN S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Independent researcher |
| ORCID | 0009-0006-8366-396X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 4 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 4 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Testing times
This article concerns Swiss weapons procurement at the end of the nineteenth century and attempts to explain how and why a small number of officers and politicians made consequential decisions about the arms that would defend their nation. People and processes are described and selection criteria are illuminated by looking at some weapons proposals that were rejected. The article concludes by explaining why the rigorous and logical procedures pre…
The Swiss Vetterli rifle in America. From soldier to coal miner
This article examines the connections between Switzerland and America that led to the development of the Vetterli infantry rifle. Using primary archival research, it shows why the Swiss Army was so keen to dispose of obsolete rifles and examines trade catalogues and other press resources to show how the Vetterli gained a ‘second life’ as a civilian weapon in North America. Finally, it uses recent archaeological evidence to show that the weapon be…
The Slight Effect of Little Bullets’
This article discusses developments in military rifle ammunition at the end of the nineteenth century. It extends and challenges existing scholarship by showing how claims about the efficiency and humanity of ‘modern’ bullets were quickly challenged by soldiers and doctors in many nations. It shows why some imperial powers believed they faced particular challenges that required bullets designed to cause huge damage to supposedly ‘uncivilised’ bod…
A Forgotten ‘Merchant of Death’. Auguste Schriever, the deal-maker of Liège
Most scholarship on the arms trade of the late nineteenth century has focused on the big players in the industry; the ‘Merchants of Death’ whose activities are said to have made war inevitable. However this article focusses on a smaller, but no less troubling, aspect of the arms business: the trade in new and surplus military rifles and on one largely forgotten dealer; Auguste Schriever of Liège. Using contemporary reporting and the order records…
No prominent works on this page.
A Forgotten ‘Merchant of Death’. Auguste Schriever, the deal-maker of Liège
Most scholarship on the arms trade of the late nineteenth century has focused on the big players in the industry; the ‘Merchants of Death’ whose activities are said to have made war inevitable. However this article focusses on a smaller, but no less troubling, aspect of the arms business: the trade in new and surplus military rifles and on one largely forgotten dealer; Auguste Schriever of Liège. Using contemporary reporting and the order records…
The Swiss Vetterli rifle in America. From soldier to coal miner
This article examines the connections between Switzerland and America that led to the development of the Vetterli infantry rifle. Using primary archival research, it shows why the Swiss Army was so keen to dispose of obsolete rifles and examines trade catalogues and other press resources to show how the Vetterli gained a ‘second life’ as a civilian weapon in North America. Finally, it uses recent archaeological evidence to show that the weapon be…
The Slight Effect of Little Bullets’
This article discusses developments in military rifle ammunition at the end of the nineteenth century. It extends and challenges existing scholarship by showing how claims about the efficiency and humanity of ‘modern’ bullets were quickly challenged by soldiers and doctors in many nations. It shows why some imperial powers believed they faced particular challenges that required bullets designed to cause huge damage to supposedly ‘uncivilised’ bod…
Testing times
This article concerns Swiss weapons procurement at the end of the nineteenth century and attempts to explain how and why a small number of officers and politicians made consequential decisions about the arms that would defend their nation. People and processes are described and selection criteria are illuminated by looking at some weapons proposals that were rejected. The article concludes by explaining why the rigorous and logical procedures pre…
World Wars: History, Literature, and Impact (3 works) · History (2 works) · American History and Culture (1 work) · Ancient history (1 work) · Anxiety (1 work) · Archaeology (1 work) · Australian History and Society (1 work) · Big business (1 work) · Biology (1 work) · Business (1 work)