An interesting article from a copy of the Illustrated London
News of October 1856 that I recently acquired – on a mobile
elevating platform that would have been used to peer over the
walls of a city being besieged by an army. However, I am still
somewhat at a loss as to why the besiegers were unable to put up
a ladder that was just below line-of-sight and climb up that to
peer over the walls of the city. Anyhow, as with many
inventions, the initial motivation was military with civilian
uses a later potential benefit, and although we see mechanical
lifting platforms used in some situations, the enthusiasm that
the invention would effectively render the humble ladder
redundant proved hopelessly optimistic. THE PATENT ELEVATOR AND
OBSERVATORY Illustrated London News, October 11, 1856 During the
siege of Sebastopol a good deal of natural anxiety was felt to
obtain a view of the interior of the enemy’s works, and several
plans to this effect were suggested, none of which were
feasible. Two or three months before t