The Washington herald., 1917-11-30
BRITISH TANKS
sLo0KLREBUGs
Holland Says New War En-
gines Resemble Strange
Antediluvian Monsters.


Some there were In the United
states who were not astonished
when they read the reports that
told of the operations Of the Brit
Ish tanks in the recent battle for
the success of which Gen. Byng has
been promoted. For few manu-
facturers In the United States were
approached about a year ago by
representatives Of Great Britain
who sought to place an order for
certain essential parts or apparatus
used In the building or operation
of these tanks. The place where
II was sought to secure the manu-
facture Of this apparatus and the
time when the approach was made
are facts which IL has been deemed
advisable not to make public 1t
is sufficient to say that the manu-
featuring plant Is not far from New
York.
The representatives of Great
Britain amazed those who controlled
the Industrial plant by saying that
Great Britain desired to secure the
construction as speedily as possible
of from four thousand to five thou
sand Of these parts. As each part
represented q tank or the neces-
stiles of a tank 1t was easy to in
fer that Great Britain contemplated
ths construction Of from four thou
sand to i've thousand of these parts
Later information confirmed this
view. So that It Il now the BELIEF
among military men and perhaps
at Washington. that Great Britain
now has or speedily will have as
many a. 1000, perhaps even 6,OoO'
of these tanks ready for operation
in Flanders or wherever they may
be made of avail.
Tanks Part In War.
For the construction Of these parts
Great Britain was prepared to pay
s3o.oo0,0oo. and would gladly have paid
that amount could the American
manufacturers have suspended Inn
perative work and occupied themselves
exclusively for time in the manu-
facture Of this apparatus.
The opinion appears to prevail
among military men that Great Brit
ain and her allies are persuaded that
these modern machines Of war will
play an important II not the chief
part in military operations in the
west, especially in Flanders
Excellent military authority has
estimated that IL Cen Byng and Field
Marshal Haig had used enough Of the
large guns to accomplish the purpose
which was made successful through
the use Of the tanks there would have
been entailed an expenditure Of at
least $50, 700 for the explosives. The
great guns use up enormous guam
titles of explosives fo- each discharge
and the powder costs high up in the
thousands Of dollars. But 1t Is also
estimated that the operation Of these
tanks in the recent battle entailed a
cost not greater than 100000 for the
explosives that were used.
Many have been the attempts to
convey an idea to those who have
never seen the tanks Of their appear
ance and their operations by COM
pairing them with something else.
But there Is no comparison possible
excepting one which calls to mind the
highly peaceful purpose which inspir-
ed an inventor Of the West some
years ago to construct q gigantic bug
so that it would be able to haul forty,
fifty, perhaps sixty plows. The in
ventor was successful and the appara-
tus which he made and which was
delivered to the farmers explains why
IL has been possible for the farmers
who cultivate farms OF many thou
sand acres to raise enormous crops
The gifted Englishmap who took the
hint from this American apparatus
50 that, following It along logical
lines, he at last perfected the newest,
queerest and most awe-inspiring war
machine since Ericson's Monitor,
which was called "A Cheese Box on a
Raft" appeared at Hampton Roads
and revolutionized the navies Of the
world. IL likely hereafter to be ranked
with Ericsson as a genius who per
fected a war apparatus which reyolu-
tionized modern warfare.
Looks Like . Bug.
Some of. those who have seen a real
tank as It crawled up Fifth avenue
a few days ago and Is now on exhi-
bition and in mimic operation at the
Grand Central Palace in New York
could think Of nothing to compare 1t
with excepting some one of those
strange. unearthly. antediluvian fos-
sils, which reflect the life Of prehis-
&. toric times, gigantic animals now ex-
tinct but whose stony bones have been
rebuilt or recast so that duplicates or
models of the original are to be seen in
the Museum Of Natural History. The
tank may more properly be called an
antedfluVian bug OF stupendous d.
msnsions, dug from the bowels Of the
earth, handled by men Of science pro-