The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-07

base. and from his base stores are
brought up 70 a point known as rail-
head THIS is the point where, for
;Ac t.mc being, military rail train"
ceases. II is evident that railhead
* a variable quantity. liable 10 move
forward or backward from day to day.
The main accumulation of stores Is at
the base. and tho stock at railhead at
any moment consists only of sufficient
to meet ono days requirements. Be
fore the Introduction OF motor trans
port the whole OF the supplies from
railhcad had to be taken by horscd
vehicle and subsequently distributed
81 a." anu way among the troops.
Under the now method motor lcrrl"4
carry the supplies up to a place called
"r,Nllin. point" which Is u movable
poiu' s]l.latoc from day 10 day In the
most convenient position possible TO
arrange. with % view 20 the distr!bu-
tlon ~ supple, 10y horsed vehicle to
tho army.
In the old system the transport
vehicles worked In echclons. The first
Of these. with ;hr baggage and sup
piles for Il daY. followed 50 closely
behind the troops a. To- be nble to
'Jlln them ev ry night. The next half,
u days march behind, carried supple
sufficient t. replenish the first column
daily. Further hack again were other
rchelons carrying on the same scheme.
This meant that The whole of the
roads for enormous distances behind
the forces were encountered by trans
pprf. Between rtiillead n the army
there were many links involving end
less possibilities OF confusion, and CON
s|cquently shortage IN supplies More
: over. food came m to the troops very
slowly from the base, and i was I'M
possible 10 suppl n regular stock Of
fresh meat ana bread.
Tn" advantage NJ the new System 10
BASED on the speed capacity Of the
motor vehicle. a supplementary point
being an enormous reduction in IN"
length of "a column carrying a gwen
quantity Of supplies. It is, however,
inc higher speed Of the motor whi"A
has the greatest effect, since it enables
many columns to he replaced by ono.
IN the words Of Col. Paul: "pn"
acl..on Of mechanical transport can
do the work NJ i've cchelons Of hors"
Transport. and one column VIII suite"
20 correc, the horse transport imne-
dla-elv behind the troops with tho
railway
Tho result is TO facilitate operations
,f troops up to a distance from ran
hcad represented bv half ~ a Gull days
work FOR nv motors. Tho simplest way
uf apprccla,.ng the result ohta' ned
Is 80 take an actual example. ndcr
ttac now system, on. lot us say. Tues
DAY evening. the soldier az the front i
urov4dcd with u not meal II fresh
meat. cooked by the regimental tray
cling kitchens on the march. This
food had been handed over 70 tho
Kitchens on Monday evening by the
distributing horsed vehicles, when mad
received f, some time during Monday
at the renlling point a few miles back
y from the motor supply QUINN Whir'
T. had loft rai,head perhaps nifty miles
from the front IN the small hour al
= Monday morning. Previously the sup
i plies hal been brought down by ray
from the haSe, and in this way the
food which the soldiers are eating or
! TUESDAY night was probably to h'
" found in the ne.ghhorhood of tn" base
. on sunday afternoon IN the shape ol
/. live animals.
Although mechanical transport "as
a employed during the South African
wa. the experiences then gained mus
not hn applied with too much r!Eidltl
- to the conditions If the conflict takint
. pace in Europe. In South Africa ;
considerable number Of traction en-
ginas we're put into service, while
~ steam motor iorries were also used
col x. Z. Crompton. Q. T.. who was il
/" Charge Of tho British transport col
umns. has Described how 'Dc Wet
knowing the country, destroyed hrldG,
=. after bridgr. until the roads and th'
=, railways were only Stands. dlscon
4 ucctcd by th.rss called 'deviationS-
horrible places, fun OF dead animals
horS" transport. animal transport q
~ all kinds. which had died there, sim
- ply because thcre was practically n
" road. Tho fact that We wer
l. ahio. even though We had broken en-
"a gine.s, TO repair them from our spares
~ 80 that the dead engines became llv
~ engines. SO impressed Lord Robert
p that he felt that we were at the brit
d Of real. practical mechanical! militar-
ts transport, with all the advantages
lie gives"
{, There can re no DOUBT that the *
n pcricncc detained during the Sout
lc African war pointed directly "a the us
IL n ~ first case Of steam tractors, an
ts later when they could he sufficient
'F perfected - ~ Internal comhust!o
Y tractors With n bigger radius nf &C
II ton. These conclusions resulted NJ
only from m" Inherent conditions ,
- military service, hut also from III
local conditions of the country (
- which this particular war took place.
-, Reviewing the possibilities Of Sout
~ Africa in times Of peace, W. w. Ho,
or IN" general manager Of the Govern
e. mont railways and harbors. while az
,d proving Of the use oi light passcng,
n, and goods vehicles up 20 two or thrc
an tons capacity, lays stress on the d,
A. STABILITY Of tho llGht paratNnc ,ractC
no for easy services on good roads. IN
IN the heavy parai'lnc tractor for C"oy,
-. country work. with trains OF trailer
e each CARRYING from twelve TO twcr.-
I'd five tons Of goods. II we admit IN,
he "a country IN which these represent n
in main norma, requirement cannot !
nd safely taken as Indicating accurate
&c even IN" wal requirements of 9th,
70 | .Attt, : Ii... M. AyA n.g,,AAI o., ....