Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-04
USE OF MOTORS IN
RED CROSS WORK
Army Officer Discusses Value
of Auto Truck in Time
of War.
TO TRANSPORT WOUNDED
FROM BATTLEFIELDS
Other Uses for Motor Driven We
hicles in Campaigns of Future.
Army Mule Still Factor.

The Use of Motor Vehicles in Trans
porting the Wounded is the title of an
extensive article that appears in the
March issue of the Journal of the United
States Military Service Institution the
service magazine published on Govern
ors Island by officers of the army. Cap;.
Louis G. Duncan. Medical Corps, is the
author Of the article. which has attract
ed wide attention throughout the army.
Transportation. writes Capt Dun
can. lis one If the most difficult prob
lens of war. and grows to be more and
more Of problem yearly with the IN
creased wants Of highly civilized men
and the progress of ammunition-ea
guns. Time was when each soldier car
ried his own supplies, the armies oil
Genghis Khan and Timur the Lame were
not troubled with supply columns
Those good old days are long past.
never TO return. Even the light baggage
of the Confederate armies will be seen
no more An army from the south to-
day would require as much trdnsporta-
ton as one from any other part OF the
country. or of Europe The impedimenta
tends to increase steadily. while animals
can draw no more than in the past.
Man is equal to every demand-the
motor vehicle is the solution, That TINS
vehicle will be useful in war there can
he doubt. So powerful and speedy a
means of transportation cannot possibly
10 ignored. 1t will be used. and sue
cessfully. But this general proposition
should not lead to the hasty conclusion
that motor cars may be used in any and
every place and for any and every pur-
pose
Selection of Types.
\ careful study of the possibilities and
durements of the various zones of the
field Of operations. from the firing line
hack 10 the base. must be made Also
study of the different types of vehicle
is necessary in order to determine which
type is best adapted To each particular
case. such a study will include the eX-
perience of our army in various past
wars, the prospective field of operations
iii the future. the use OF motor Nehlcies
in other armies, and the general subject
of the field of action. use and upkeep or
motor vehicles. 1t will presume a knowl-
edge Of the different parts of the line OF
operations, the echelonS of the medical
department in each and their functions
In considering the whole subject the fact
must not he lost sight of that the medl-
cal department is but a part of the army,
and its transportation but a part OF the
general transportation. Any scheme of
transportation for this department which
is not subordinate to the general scheme
will fall
In British Army.
Capt Duncan proceeds to tell of the
ten years of experimentation with motor
vehicles, which has resulted in the def
mite conclusion by the British war Office
to adopt motor cars for transportation
and 10 work out scheme for their man
agement The British motor cars in
question carry about 5000 pounds each.
The author is officer who still be-
lieyes in the mule-drawn ambulance. and
he considers it settled beyond all doubt
that this vehicle is here to stay. although
a he points out. its use can be supple
mented by the motor propelled vehicle
He argues for the use of the motor car
for handling the wounded in the rear.
leaving the work on the firing line to
mule-drawn vehicles
In the work of transport columns the
Red Cross, Society. he adds. could be
% much assistance, not by furnishing
separate transport columns. with the
Russians. but by furnishing additional
motor vehicles. say. sufficient to carry
sixty reclining patients. TO each regular
column. A train of twelve motor ambu
lances such as | shall describe could
handle the wounded in the rear i'm the
majority of cases. Other motors or We
hicles could he hired or impressed after
an exceptionally great battle.
I'm some recent English maneuvers
two motor trucks We're assigned for this
purpose. and they proved extremely use
full The English army has standard
truck with "A platform bed six by
twelve feet in size and weight capacity
of three tonss The whole subject is well
considered in an article appearing in the
January number of the Journal of the
r. A. NJ. e. In the discussion which
followed the original reading of iris
paper il was generally agreed that the
ambulance companies should send no
transport 10 the rear. but that each
clearing hospital should have small
mobile section.
Efficiency of Motors.