New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-19
BRITISH TANKS
U.S.. FARM TRUCKS
Peaceful Peoria Supplies
Deadly Machines
for Front.

Washington. Sept. 1s-The British
tanks" the armored motor cars used
in recent assaults on German trenches
in Northern France so successfully as
TO attract worldwide attention, were
built for the most part in Peoria, Ill,
in the form of caterpillar tractors de-
signed many years before the war be-
gan TO meet some Of the difficult prob
lens Of modern farming. Except for
their armor. their machine guns and
their crews, thousands like them are IN
use to-day in the United states IN
ploughing, digging bitches and otner
iabors less heroic than those of war.
VI. VI. Baker, vice-president of the
Holt Manufacturing Company, explained
here to-day that they were machlnes
made by his company in Peoria that
had hurdled German trenches, walked
through forests and crawled over shell
craters in the face of intense gunhre:
"We have sold about 1000 caterpillar
tractors 10 the British government
said Mr.. Baker. Eve have had nothing
10 do with putting armor on them or
placing machine guns. but some oi our
men at Aldershot. England, recently
were informed the British government
intended to arm some Of the tractors
and use them for work other than the
usual towing Of big guns.
"Germanv had some of these trac-
tors before the war began, and al
though | do not understand just how
il happened ! believe she may have
got others since then. We have sent
some to France and some 20 Russia.
80 far as | know, until the recent
appearance OF the armored cars, the
tractors were used only 10 tow blg
guns. I understand that Germany
used about forty of them in this work
before Liege early in the war, and re-
cent photographs show that the Brlt-
ish are using some Of them. now for
the same purpose.
Mr.. Baker said he did not know how
many Of the 1000 tractors sent to
England had been armored and put IN
service as land battleships
at is true" said Mr.. Baker, that
these tractors can 20 ahead over al
most anything or through almost any
thing. They can straddle trench,
20 through a swamp, roll over logs, or
climb through she'll craters like car
Of Juggernaut. 1t looks uncanny TO see
them crawl along the ground, just like
a huge caterpillar.
ain a thick forest. if they encoun-
tered trees which they could not brush
out Of their way, they could easily be
used to uproot them and clear their
own paths"
Mr. Baker said the tractors sent TO
England weigh about $4,000 pounds
each. develop 12O horsepower and are
built Of steel. The caterpillar feature,
he explained. is OF the utmost impor-
tance. Speaking broadly. the tractor
erav.ls on two belts, with corrugated
surfaces. one on each side Of the body.
The corrugated surface is on the
ground. On the inside Of the belts,
on each side Of the body, are two lines
Of steel rails, making four lines IN all
These rails are in short sections,
jointed, and operate over coggeo
mechanism that actually lays them
down with their belt attachment as
the tractor moves ahead and PICKS
them up again, so the car runs on its
ogn self-m track continuously. Inc
short Joints in the rails make 1t easy
10 turn 20 right or left.
The body is supported by trucks with
FIVE wheels, something like small rail-
road trucks. These wheels never touch
the ground, but run upon the steer
rails. In INC ordinary tractor apV"'
seven feet Of belt and rails are on the
ground at one time.
Mr.. Baker said that the machine
would bridge any trench that was not
wider than The length Of track IT LAID
on the ground at one time. The bow
might hit the far side Of the trench
far below the top and the stern
would undoubtedly sink little, but
the tenacty Of the tractor, he de
elared, would enable il 20 80 ahead and
climb out.
London. Sept. ~. The British war
Minister, David Lloyd George, IN an
Interview to-day said:
"Tt IL really Winston Churchill.
former First Lord Of the Admiralty.
more than any one else 70 whom
credit for the new armored carr rs
due. He TOOK up with enthusiasm
the idea Of making them long time
ago and met with many difficulties
NE converted me. and at the Ministry
Of Munitions We went ahead and made
them.