New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-22

vices 10 our troops. VI n MASSIVE appe"t
ance, it looks as If II we're crouching back
on its gun carriage, and its resemblance 70
the family OF batraciens has earned 1t the
name of "crapouillo" little toad :
There is also a smaller species which can
only be employed in subterranesn warfare
and has therefore been surnamed the mole
by our soldiers. This last can be manu-.
featured by the soldiers themselves out OF
part Of German II shell, which has not
exploded.
But the engines that produce the most
havoc are the "aerial mines" They have
cylindrical form, weigh some sixty to eighty
kilos and are thrown by the eighty MILL
metre field guns. The most commonly used
species. however. arc those weighing ABOUT
thirty-seven klos and making funnel at
the point where they discharge nine metres
wide and three deep.
Then there is the winged torpedo, which
il thrown by a trench mortar, weighs about
seventeen kilos and falls obliquely, causing
much damage.
The Tanks"
/ want also to say a word about the
new British armored cars, or tanks as they
are called Their unexpected appearance mas
caused delighted surprise or CONSERVATION
as the case may be, over the whole worlo,
and above all | find great curiosity every
where "a to what sort of things they really
are. They have not only been most effective
flom our military point Of view, but also
seem to have created panic among the
enemy. A French laison officer, who acts
as link between the French and British ar
mics, told friend of mine with huge glee
of the CONSERVATION which spread down the
German lines when these sinister, hat-footed
monsters advanced, spouting flames from
every side and, careless alike OF rifle or
machine gun fire, advanced right up to ana
over the enemy's barbed wire defences,
crushing everything before them, seeking
out hidden machine guns, silencing them and
making the advance of German reinforce
ments impossible by pouring an enfladlng
fire down their communication trenches.
These monsters run on caterpillar wheels
that go the whole length of their bodies on
either side, are about thirty feet long and
their front is shaped like ram and smashes
down every obstacle. They bound across
overturned and uneven ground, leap over
trenches, cut up houses and climb walls
four feet high. Trees go down ike
match sticks before them. Nothing but a
direct hit from fair sized she'll can do
them any harm They are, however, so
comical to look at that when the soldiers
first saw them come lolloping along they
shouted and cheered and roared with laughter.
Their first appearance in the early hours OF
September is was that of huge toads emery
ing from the primeval slime in the twilight
of the worlds dawn but in spite Of their
heavy, numbering aspect they perform feats
which are past belief.
Smashing Sugar Factory
For instance. on the first day these tanks
we're used the British troops in the assault
on Courcelette were held up by sugar
factory, which the enemy had made into a
redoubt with machine gun emplacements.
II was one of those deadly places which have
cost the lives Of so many men. There was
a pause then suddenly across the
British trenches one Of these huge monsters
came lurching forward to the rescue. Il
was cheered and encouraged by the assault
ing troops, who, however, could not help
roaring with laughter at the aspect OF their
friend. This particular one was called
Serene de Menthe," which title added to
the humor of the situation, as it waddled on,
right over the old German trenches, entirely
unconcerned, straight onward, making for
the sugar factory.
There was an instant Of silence on the part
of the enemy this time. Then suddenly their
and splashed the sides of Creme de Menthe.
But the tank did not care bit; the bullets
fell harmlessly from off its sides. 1t adj
vanced straight up to the broken wall of the
factory building, and leaned against it heavi-
ly till it fell in with a crash. 1t then rose
on to the remains, passed over them and
walked right into the midst of the factory
ruins.
From its sides came splashes Of fire and a
hose of bullets, and it trampled around over
machine emplacements, "having grand
time" as the men said, with enthusiasm.
II crushed the machine guns under its heavy
ribs and killed machine gun teams with a
deadly fire. The infantry followed In and
took the place after this timely help, and
then advanced again round the tanks Of the
monster. The tank then went along into
Courcelette, ploughing about searching for
German machine guns, thrusting over bits Of
wall, nosing here and there and sitting on
heaps Of ruin while it fred down the streets.
German Amusement
When the town was taken the Germans held
up their hands, crying: Scott i'm Hmmell"
and asked how they could be expected to fight
against such monstrous things. And their
papers now echo their words, and maintain
it is not playing the game to use things of
that sort In warfare, that it is an unfair ad-
vantage. . And how about their as
phyxiating gas, their poison bombs, their
fame throwers and other implements Of the
sort. OF course, they are perfectly fair. i
The story of these tanks proves, however,
more clearly than any words that the Allies
are not backward in putting the inventions
of modern science to the best of uses-that
Ct saving the lives of men by the substitu- /
ton of machines. That this is fact is
proved by the latest reports from the front, /
in which one constantly finds the cheering
sentence: We took X with the minimum
of losses. In one Of the reports Of ono Of our
big attacks a short while ago it was even
said that our total losses were only double
the number Of prisoners alone lost by the
enemy on that day.
The Belgian Soldiers Tobacco Fund