The Monticellonian., 1906-01-04


 i MEN FRENCH 4SRM0RED WAR AUTO even shrapael. firing its hidden battery at the rate of t00 rounds in G0 seconds, moving down battalion of infantry
 in two minutes, and wipng out q l squadron of drasoons al a hundred l yards range. This terrible fort on wheels is 70 become q distinct arm of the French army, and here is the de 5eription which NJ. George LefeHre gives of the war auto in La Nie Au l Grand Ai:
 An order for 20 of these ar ehariots the first ID he delivered ill about a fortnight h1s been placed by the 1 French government with the factory of i Gharron-Girardot=N Noight. This order follows q series of experiments con ducted with great secrecy on field of military maaenyers and of which NJ. LefeYra ytas q witness. To these eNperi= ments all he heads of he milit3"y de parlments were invited by card, and by them the most eXaetins conditions were imposed on the eXperimenters.
 Ii was insisted that in a state of war the automobile artillery would net be able 10 use the public highways and that il must be able 10 come to the front across any sort of country. that il must he fmpervieas 10 infantry fire; that it's inferior organs must be effect l lively protected; that it's crew driving and fring=must he @out Of hit, nat it's running period must De long and that is wheels must not be al the mercy of any destructive agent All of the conditions were met in the most remarkable fashion.
 The war automobile. which is of 3e- horsepower. was seen 10 be completely encased in armor. yet il ran as lightly as road machine. Neither the driver nor the mechanism was visible. while l the crew of the mitrailleuse were ike wise invisible. being concealed i'll q revolving turret.
 | The first test was one of speed over 1 every class of country. the result be ing an average rate of % kilometers an l hour. Next came the test of ditches. 1 and Girardgt. one of the constructors. accomphsAed the feat of leaping into and out of an excavation Ten meters i deep and 20 meters wide without break l 9f speed
 i Next came maneuyer diree ed against battalion of infantry. A ] Hotch!.9@ was installed in the turrat and ehe machine. dashing mo the in- langry with is turret swinging to e4- cry quar.er succeeded i'll firms fS6a rounds Fl three minutes Ii Was tAe unanimous opinion of the military l judges hat not 8 soldier would hate rpma ned 10 light atter this terrific dis charge.
 Ne.1 "a reeiment of dragons was ! sent charging salo the plain. neither 1 the rev of tAe war chariot nor the com4anaer of the draeoan5 ha5iug i 1eer informed of the foe 10 be meL 1 The War chariot did not see the Ira soons uattl they were about &u- mo ters .iisfaat 5ben. crashing out hail 1 of .ojeetiles that Woul@ have swept i half the saddies clear, il fled across country ani was cat ot- danger ill 6 min.lte
 NsXt came the test of tAe war aa5a- mc5iles armer \ company of inlau- try was drawn up. the motor car re- manins ' stationary target. At 2o ta i ao meters the LebeI bullets penetrated tha armor. which is light, supple and wonderfully resisting; al 5u meters they remained i1nhedded in the plates: al loo and f50 meters the bullets pro ddcel depression and were thrown of
 Lastly the tires were attacked aad + Was tound that even when pierced w.th fen bullets they were seryieeaa.e fer 2a minutes or time enoush t3 st oIt Of danger.
 Such is the new arm-an artillerv If great swiftness in attack and flight. practically invulneraDle. anu caraA'p in the hands Of clever handler of deiir- ering terrific attacks in various rar# of a field of battle ill an exceedingly short time, i is hoped that these new internal machines will SO add to he horrible prospects of combat that war will soon become an impossibility.