South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-10
GERMANS HAVE ssTANK"
SUPERIOR TO BRITISH.

AT GENERAL Won FALKEN-
HAYN'S HEADQUARTERS IL
ROUMANIA (via London. Dec. 3.
one of the most interesting fea-
lures of the Roumanian campaign
from a German standpoint has been
the spectacular work of the nav
armored automobiles evolved soon
after the advent OF the British
tanks" on the Somme front but
which the developments in Rouman-
ia have shown 10 be a vast improve
ment I'm efficiency over the British
machines.
Even in the brief tests it has had
since the Germans crossed the
mountains into the Roumanian
plains the new German armored car
has shown itself a valuable auxiliars
70 the cavalry in patrol work, as it
frequently can infiict infinitely more
damage than a whole squadron and
is far more difficult 20 destroy than
the English invention. It's achieve
ments so far include an attack on
Roumanian infanry in which 800
men were killed.
Cars - Feet Long.
The cars are 25 feet in length with
wheels a foot wide and encaseds in
solid rubber. They carry 4 crew Of
10 men including the machine gun
operators. the chauffeur and one
substitute and one officer. The ma
chine guns can be operated in al
most any direction through narrow
Sits At one END under the custo-
mary hood is a 100 horsepower mot
or and at the other end under a sim
liar hood is the gasoline tank. Each
man i'm the crew is an expert me-
chanic and chauffeur. 30 IL by any
chance a stray bullet flies through
the slit through which the operator
looks I'm driving there are others
ready and competent 20 take the in
jured mans place.
The automobile engine is both
air and water cooled. The car shell
is impervious to machine gun and
rifle fire. When no opponent is In
sight the top OF the turrent can be
opened so that man can get his
shoulders out and make ctserva-
tions When the turret is closed
periscopes are placed IN position,
which permits view Of the sur
rounding landscape from ali angles
There have been many odd exper-
fences with these automobiles IN
Roumania on one Of the first trips
a car entered village not get cap
tured. where the officer and his crew
we're taken for Russians because
the Germans were not supposed 20
have armored cars.
Does Deadly Work.
on another occasion an automO-
bile encountered force OF ROu-
mauian infantry and opened fire be-
fore the troops could seek shelter.
The Roumanians fed after go sec
onds Of firing from the car. leaving
800 dead and so wounded
The great usefulness Of the au-
t0mobiles has been most apparent
I'M ROumauIa. where the character
Of the warfare makes u posi- bile 20
slip behind the opponents lines. ON.
a recent exploit OF this kind the
commander worked his way 20 the
rear Of body Of Roumauian in-
fantrv which was entrenching and
almost before the EoumauIaus were
aware of the cars presence il had
swept the trenches with machine
gun fire and driven the defenders
out in disorder.
None of the German automobsics
OF this type used in Roumania has
as yet been disabled or destroyed
by opponents. The bullets thus far
encountered have hardly denied the
shells OF the machine.
The chief advantage or the new
automobile. in contrast with the
British machine. Is thar it can run
al an average speed OF - miles an
hour. as contrasted wen the SMALL
like pace OF the entente ears BE
speed frequently enables ir 20 scout
even ahead of the cavalry and IL
CONTINUED o. PAGE TwOl