The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-30

Now York. November 29.-(Speclal.j Some there were in the United States who were not astonished when they rad the reports that told of the opera tions of the British tanks in the recent battle, for the success or Whlch Den- eral Byng has been promoted. TOT few manufacturers in the united States were approached about year ago oy representatives of Great Britain. who sought to place an order for certain es sential parts or apparatus used in the hu;,ding or operation of these tanks. The place where it was sought to se- cure the manufacture of this apparatus and the time when the approach was made are facts which 1t has been deemed advisable not to make pubic. It ist sufficient to say that the manu- featuring plant is not far from New York.
 rba representatives of Great Britain amazed those who controlled the lndus- trial plant by saying that Great Britaln desired to secure the construction as sneedily as possible of from 4ooo 10 oooo of these parts. As each part representeu , tank. or the necessities or tank' IL
 r.s aasv to infer that Great Britain oon+amnlated the construction Of from 4o00 to 5000 tanks. Later information confirmed this view. So that 1t IS now inc belief among military men and per hans at Washington, that Great Britain now has or speedily will have, as many as 4oo0, perhaps even 5000, or these tanks ready for operation in Flanders,
 haraver they may be made of avail.
 For the construction of these parts Great Britain was prepared to pay s2o' ooo mo and would gladly have paid that mount could the American manufac- +urers have suspended imperative work and occupied themselves exclusively foi time in the manufacture of this ap- paratus.
 The opinion appears to prevail among military men that Great Britain and hel a,lias are persuaded that these moderr machines of war will play an impor tant. if not the chief, part in military onerations in the west, especially II Flanders.
 WHAT THE SAVING WAS Excellent military authority has es timated that if General Byng and Fielt Marshal Haig had used enough of th' large guns to accomplish the purpose which was made successful through th' use of the tanks there would have beer entailed an expenditure of at leas $50. .o00, 900 for the explosives. The grea guns use up enormous quantities of ex plosives for each discharge and the pow der costs high up in the thousands o dollars But it is also estimated tha the operation of these tanks in the re cent battle entailed cost not greate than $1,O00,000 for the explosives tha were used.
 WHAT THEY ARE LiKENED TO Many have been the attempts to con yey an idea to those who have neve seen the talks of their appearance an ] their operations by comparing then l with something else. But there Is Il 1 comparison possible excepting on which calls to mind the highly peace l ful purpose which inspired an inven 1 tor of the west some years ago to con struct a gigantic bug so that it woul 1 be able to haul 40, 50, perhaps 60 blows l The inventor was successful and tn I apparatus which he made and whicl l was delivered to the farmers explain l why it has been possible for the farm CTS who cultivate farms of many thou
 sand acres to raise enormous crops. Tn