The morning times., 1897-01-10
REAL WAR ON WHEELS NOW
Battery of Rapid Firing Guns
Easily Carried Around.
.1a-.i .er.-
MEN AND THEIR AMMUNITION
Military Autocar Is Likely, to, sta rtle
Easements This Strange Machine
Can Dash Over the Battlefield
at WiIl-Run by Electricity.

Here is an invention Just made public
which the foremost military authorities
of the world say is likely TO change the
entire war problem. 1t is called the auto
car, and is an invention which transports
a battery of two rapid-fir guns, two
over ground at a speed not exceeding forty
five mile an hour.
This remarkaile invention, which 10
shown in the accompanying Illustration,
ispractically the latest war machine which
the brain of man has conceived. 1t is de-
signed by E. j. Pennington, OF Coventry,
England, and a practical trial has proved
it a distinct success The vehicle, rests
upon four wheels of solid steel with solid
rubber tires, four inches III diameter. It's
heavily armored, and warranted to with
stand any sort of fire except that of ar
tillery.
The motive power OF the autocar is a
16 horse power electric motor, whichis very
compact, and located III the safest part of
the car. The car is shaped in font som e
thing after the fashion of the bow Of he
Monitor, and really looks NOT unlike a hugh
turtle. The rapid-fire guns, which are
| dischareedby machinery, ar9tl ounted front
and rear, although they can be swung from
side TO side if necessary. 1t is the in
| tentiou OF the originator of the car,
however to have the battery work just is
the guns are pointed in the illustration.
The car is easily managed, and can be
| steered in any direction desired by means
| of wheel that looks something like a
brake of an ordinary freight car. The
wheels and the running gear of the inven-
| tion are so constructed that turns at acute
| angles can be made without danger of
upsetting, and thus crippling the powers
| OF the car. Not only is this true, but the
| maneuvres can be accomplished while the
| car is running at speed close to forty
| miles an hour. though the inventor thinks
that careful management might enable
them to be made at the speed limit, which
| is forty-five miles an hour.
Az stated, the guns of the car are both
| of the rapid-fire variety, and are capable
| of causing tremendous execution, as they
are regulated TO fire the ammunition at
the rate of fifty to seven hundred rounds
per minute. The possibilities of the auto
car are almost limitless. In the first place,
the rapidity of locomotion is such that 1T
could almost enfade an entire regiment
of itself before a single battery could be
brought into action against it. The ordi-
nary infantry fire would be like go much
bird shot, so far as crippling the machine
Or its crew are concerned. 1t would be
as impregnahle to anything as the most
modern fort.
Again, a half dozen of these machines
sent through the streets of city, after
the besieging troops had gained entrance,
would do more damage than as many regi-
ments of the finest infantry or cavalry
that ever wore uniform 1t is more like the
constant discharge from heavy batteries
going at keen gallop than anything else,
and there is no veteran of any war who
does not realize how often the wish has
been expressed that the artillery could
go into action without having to stop every
time to timber up.
Perhaps, however, the most important
fact OF all regarding the autocar is that it
opens the way to a class of Invention
which is likely to entirely revolutionlze
modern methods of war on land. No less
authority than Major Flood Page, one of
the greatest military geniuses OF today, is
quoted as saying that with the coming of
the autooar the class of engines of war
known as automotives has come into ex-
istence. For many years there nave beeh
all sorts of theories as to, the tFansporta-
ton of engines of war on the field OF battle.
Past experience has shown, that IN every
battle at least 33 Is per cent of the ar
tillery has become practically useless soon
after gong into action. ....-......,.,
Another thing is the need of rapid move
| ment of batteries from one, point TO an
other. Rarely does it happen that battle
| is fought wherethe face OF the country Is not
| absolutely mountainous; that quick trans
! portation of artillery does not, or would
not, often save the day which seems ire
| trievably lost With the aptomotlves the
| problem of rapid Transportation would be
! solved No longer would it be necessary
for the impatient commdnders to await the
approach of artillery drawn by plungins