The sabre which is the best known form of broadsword is single edged. Its blade, which is usually somewhat curved, is thickest at the back, from whence it becomes gradually thinner toward the edge. Its guard consists of a strong knuckle bow often terminating in a solid piece, which amply protects the hand. The scimetar, a light form of sabre having a very pronouncedly curved blade is the favorite weapon of the East. Damascus was formerly noted for the ex cellence of her scimetar blades. The cutlass is a short heavy broadsword which is in use in most of the navies of the world. The machete, a weapon much used in Cuba, is shorter than the cutlass and lacks the protecting guard for the hand. The claymore, which may be called the national weapon of Scotland, is a heavy straight broadsword having a very elaborate basket hilt.
The schlaeger, the weapon used by the Ger man students in their university duels, is a long straight sword with a very sharp edge, having a solid metal guard which completely encases the hand. The sword bayonet is a short sword
adapted for use either with or without the rifle.
The long sword of the Japanese is a weapon some two and a half to three feet in length, with a heavily backed blade, a sharp cutting edge, a long handle and a small round guard. Their short sword is like the other but only about half as long. In olden times both of these swords were worn together thrust through the girdle by the samurai, a privileged fighting class corresponding to the knights of the Middle Ages. It was with the short sword that hara kiri (self dispatch) was committed in order to avoid the disgrace of dying at the hands of the public executioner, the samurai being ac corded this right. When fighting, the short sword served as an extra weapon in case the long sword became lost out of the hand, or broken. (See FENCING). Consult Lacombe's and Armour); Castle's (Schools and Masters of Hutton's The Sword and the Centuries.'