New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-14
What Army Transport
Preparedness Means
How the Automobile Engineer Can Help in Solving the
Problem of Efficient Army Transports-Extract from
an Address bv Major Francis H. lawton, u. S. A.

lished a few years ago worked out the
problem for the supply of division
operating scventy-ivc miles from tho
failhcad. A very pretty problem 1T was.
too Consider il took each wagon ten
days 10 reach the troops, deliver its
load and return 10 the rsilhcsd; and
during that time the animals. the driv-
crs and the train guard had TO be fed;
also that the percentage of extra wag-
ons. to replace those that broke down,
had 20 be figured. As ! remember IT.
IL took no less than 65i wagons in ad-
dition 10 the divisional trains. a total
Of $50 wagons. and that took into con-
sideration the food supply only.
Now let US see what transportation
would mean under similar conditions.
think you will ali agree with me that
We can safely estimate the days march
for motor trucks at sevcnty-iive miles.
The European armies figure upon
twelve miles per hour and 100 miles
per day.
Therefore VIC estimate that 100
motor trucks will supply a division Of
troops seventy-fve miles from a rail
road. whereas $50 animal-drawn vehi-
ccs would be required for the same
service.
We can with 2440 trucks extend that
distance 10 $50 miles. In other words,
whereas 2440 motor trucks will extend
the radius of activity of the troops 10
$50 miles, 2440 wagons will only OK
tend il thirty-six miles. On the other
hand, when distances arc short, as
when the army is stationary, the num-
Der Of trucks can be greatly reduced.
A division operating less than forty
usnf
ONLY thirty trucks for the daily food
supply. thereby releasing IS per cent
of the supply train for other work.
The question Of specifications that
will insure a type Of truck IN every
way suitable 10 army needs and yet at
the same time will not exclude other
wise acceptable trucks on account Of
minor points was and is a very import
ant one.
II has been the aim OF tho committee
in preparing these specifications TO
cmbodv three sets in one. First, and
most important. a set OF specifications
for use in emergencies where trucks
must be procured Immediately. These
are 10 be drawn broad enough to take
in every make of truck that II is be
lieved could be utilized 10 advantage
for army purposes. The second set 10
specify what is believed 10 be a more
acceptable type Of truck. The third set
10 be the idea truck for army use, Tor
the latter type preference to be given.
Every effort is being made to secure
information and to look at this ques-
ton from all angles, and it is hoped
that the result will be not only some
thing OF value to the army, but TO the
industry as whole, tending, as it
should, toward Standardization. When
these specifications are completed
they should be closely followed in the
work Of listing trucks suitable for
army use, and none that do not con-
form thereto should be considered.
There still remains the problem for
each manufacturer whose truck meets
the specifications TO compile list from
the records of mis- service stations OF
the spare parts each truck should
carry, also the designs and equipment
Of q repair car having at least twenty
trucks to look after under all sorts OF
road conditions; and lastly, but not
least. arrangements for more extensive
repairs than can be made in the field
bv the repair trucks must be made
"automobile parks" as they are now
called in Europe. As these repair
points will be constantly changing, the
equipment must be such as can be
easily and quickly transported by rail.
II will often be established at tenn
porary railroad siding, far from. any
town and perhaps any building; there
fore this equipment must be complete
in itself.
In concluding his address the major
gave sn instructive comparison between
the IL ton truck and its estimated
equivalent Of three four-mule wagons,
which showed a saving in initial cost IN
favor Of the former amounting 20 ST.
2O6.31. and a yearly saving, also IN
favor of the truck, of Sl,317.26. Truly
a concrete argument in favor Of me
chanical transport from financial
point Of view, and one which finally
proves its advantages from all points
Of view.