Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-09-22
NEW BRITISH TANKS"
EXPECTED SOON To BE
USED BY ALL ARMIES
Farm Tractors, Turned Into
Death Engines, viii Now
Down Troops of All Europe,
Is Prediction

WASHINGTON. Sept. 21.-A new ter
ror of war, the land juggernaut, has
been introduced on the battlefields Of
Europe, spreading destruction where
neither rifle, gun nor cannon was eftec-
tive, and army men here predict this
new engine Of death will play as i'm
portant q part in the world conflict as
have the submarine and the aeroplane
This land juggernaut chambers across
trenches and shell holes, splitting bullets
into the lines of the enemy; smashes its
way through forests, crosses swamps
with ease along roads that have been
called impossible.
So far only the British have used the
tanks" as they are being called in the
war zone, but army experts predict that
on account of their wonderful effective
ness they will soon be in general use,
moving down the armies Of all Euro
pean nations at war.
Army men hail the coming OF the
tanks as they hailed first reports Of
the successful use of the aeroplane for
scouting duty and for directing infantry
advances, and as they hailed the first
successful use of submarines
A THOUSAND NOW IN FIELD.
An army Of more than a thousand Of
these steel armored caterpillar-wheeled
German lines, moving down men by the
hundreds and terrorizing well-trained
soldiers into disorganiZed retreat
Many a Somme battle has been won
for the allies by charge of these death
chariots.
The new engines are made in the
United States-at Peoria, Ill. Before
they reach Europe they are simple farm
tractors. At first they were used to
pull munitions carts, but the British
have rugged them up with guns and sent
them crashing right into the lines Of
the enemy.
Plants in Peoria are busy day and
night turning out the machines-ordi-
nary tractor engines the farmers are
using in this country.
Big, clumsy caterpillars they are
crawling along the ground on two wide
corrugated belts. one on each side. run
ming over the forward and hind wheels
Along the sides of the belts are short
rails which clutch the cogged wheels
and form the driving mechanism.
The rails, in short sections, are. laid
down with the belt attachment. grip
ping the ground firmly and pushing the
1S,O0O-pound engine along under 12O-
horsepower
TRUCKS ON FIVE WHEELS.
The body Of the tractor is supported
on the steel rails. About seven feet of
belt and rails is on the ground at once
The length and width of the belts
and rails allows the tractor to run
smoothly over swamps, straddle
trenches, roll over logs, or climb across
shell craters.
As ordinary farm tractors the engines
are shipped to Aldersot, England, where
they are covered with heavy steel armor
plate and armed with cannon.
What the Germans see is a monstrous
machine, with a triangular front crawl
ing upon them, crashing through woods
and other obstacles with its pointed
front coming straight on over trench
and shell hole, over mound and embank-
ment. As II advances it splits fire from
its heavy guns, while its peculiar shape
makes it possible for it's steel armor to
glance off any shells that happen to
hit it.
Zeppelins are oyershadowed by this
juggernaut. for it has moved down more
men than the Zepps have killed and has
scattered enemy lines 20 the four winds.