The Washington times., 1915-05-21
British and American
Armies Are Compared
General Funston Carried No Gasolene Transports
to Vera Cruz, and English Lack Missouri
Mule'-U S. Expedition Not
Intended to Advance
By WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE BRIT
IsH ARMY. Northern France. April q
| (By maiD.-A year ago I was with the
American army at Vera Cruz, and.
though conditions there we're highly
| different from those prevailing here,
nevertheless. the opportunity for meas
uring the American army by what
see Of the British army Is too obvious
to overlook.
The first thing that strikes me Is how
we seem to have underestimated gaso-
lene transport There was not a single
automobile transport on thes boats
which brought General Frederick Fun
enough, the roads in the Vera Cruz dis.
trict were jungle paths. but miles OF
roads have been built In Europe since
the war began. solely for military
have built them II the need arose.
Move Twenty Miles An Hour.
Funston's men would have marched
Snd marched, day after day, perhaps
ten miles, perhaps. in a stretch. twen-
ty. while here with the British army
am daily seeing armies as large as
General Funston's moved in a single
convoy as great a distance as twenty
miles an hour. and put down at the end
Of their destination as fresh as when
they got up in the morning.
The thing that strikes me now Is that
General Huerta's Mexican army did
have motor transports. Their great
lorries rashed about the capital and In
the mountain roads; heir armored
suppose some of the Mexican officers
who had been trained in the military
schools Of Europe had picked up the
idea Of military motor transports.
This is not meant to say that the
American Ia without RaSnlpne
land transports. Perhaps the "ex-
perts" in Mexico who advised the War
Department as to conditions there gave
i'll advice. However, the fact remains
Cruz without gasolene transports; and
the Mexicans had automobile trans
ports that were fitted for Mexican
roads
Lack of Mules Noticeable.
Returning to the comparison between
the British and the Vera Cruz Ameri-
can army. the lack of mules is notice
able with the British. The great Mis-
souri, jacks that outlast a horse and
follow, like cows or sheep, the tinklng
bell of their, leader, are only beginning
to be enlisted in the British army.
In fact. their army affords one great
and splendid horse show of beautiful
animals that have been developed
through their system OF racing Amerl-
can horses are not an uncommon sight,
however, but they've got half brothers
at home. in Missouri, who would have
stood the journey over here just as
well as they did and would have done
half again as much work in the mud Of
Flanders.
The great Flanders horses. famous
throughout the world. are beautiful and
strong. But they haven't Nerve" said
an English army hostler. When they
get sick they give up the fight and lie
down and die. right there" This is
a complaint that has never been heard
against the American army mule, who
Is likely to kick a man to death while
he's dying. On the whole, the Mis-
souri, mule ought to be a proud pos
session Of the American army, even
though he Is not so speedy as gasolcne.
Most Efficient In Flying.
General Funston took plenty of them
to Vera Cruz together with the big
army wagons that the American army
mule fiirts around with.
The flying men with General Funston
at Vera Cruz belonged to the navy. not
to the army No one in the army flying
corps had any cnance for practice un-
der war conditions at Vera Cruz. There
were no spots around the Mexican sea-
port where a land machine could have
and, of necessity, the work was
all done by the water machines.
In the British army war flying has
heen brought to its highest efficiency.
In peace times the Britishers were not