Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-03
ARMY MULE SOON
TO Be BANISHED
Motors Will Replace Animals for
Movement of Battlefield
Equipment
TRAINS NOW USED IN AUSTRIA
Motorcycles Suggested for Con-
veying Messages S-WirelesS
TeIegraphy for Phones
RAINS NOW USED IN AUSTRIA

Charles F. leonard, first lieutenant
in the seventh U. S. infantry, believes
that the army mule must go.
I'VE have improved our guns and
field artillery almost beyond the recog-
rition of those old, Civil War days."
he said yesterday, "but we are still
blundering along with the same old
army mules"
Mr. Leonard passed through Los
Angeles yesterday en- route to San
Francisco, where he will embark Tues
day for Manila to rejoin his regiment.
He had been at the signal school at
Fort Leavenworth a year and while
there made a thorough study of the
transportation problem for the army.
In thesis recently submitted to the
war department he advocates the in
PRODUCTION of motor service in the
army 1.-THE transporting of ammuni-
ton to the field is one of the big prob
lens of modern warfare" he said, for
the rapid fire guns use many times
more powder and shot than the old
fashioned ones required"
The Austrian army has perfectly
equipped system of motor trains, and
the objection hitherto urged against
more modern equipment here is that
th9 condition of American roads would
prevent the utility Of the motor SER
vice. Mr. Leonard, in his paper, has
submitted the idea of sending a prop
erly constructed wagon from Maine to
California, and from Canada to Mex
leo, timing the trip so that the worst
weather of each country would be
encountered He believes that manu-
facturers would build cars so ar
ranged that every difficulty OF Ice.
mud, snow and rain would be over
come.
TO USE MOTORCYCLES
The advisability Of using motorcy-
cles for conveying messages is another
Improvement incorporated in this sug-
gestion by Mr.. Leonard, and he proved
the practicability of his plan at the
Chickamauga maneuvers this summer
when a message sent by motorcycle
was delivered in eight minutes while
it took a horse and rider one hour and
ten minutes to reach the same point.
An example of the value of motor
trains was to be found In the recent
Japanese war when the Japanese had
but one railway running from their
base of supplies up to Mukden. Thls
caused constant delay in receiving
food supplies for the field and the hos
pital. and in various ways impeded TIE
army while motor trains would prac-
tically have relieved all these diff
culties.
The installation of wireless teleg-
raphy car to substitute for the tele-
phone and telegraph service now used
is another scheme which Mr.. Leonard
has recommended and which is now
under advisement by the war depart
ment.
"By the use of high power engines
to generate electricity it would be
possible to overcome the static cleo
tricity which interferes now with the
use of wireless. Storage batteries
give only a low note but with high
power generator it will be easy to
strike the high distinct note which will
make wireless eminently practicable
on the Battlefield"
The advent of airships into military
use has not escaped Mr.. Leonard's at
tention and he is much interested in
them. "They will prove of wonder
full value for reconnaissance but will
not be used for transporting equip
ment or supplies in our time." said
the officer, although 1 believe that
eventually they will prove remark
a. le force in the adjustment OF all
affairs" It seems a far cry from the
army mule to the aeroplane, and 1t
is probable that the war department
will wait some time before making
many aerial adventures.