The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-03-19
TO CARRY GUNS OF
SIX AND 8 INCHES
Especial to The Times.)

NEW YORK, March 19.-Tank
against tank Is the new kind of
land warfare predicted by mill
tary observers recently back from
France.
Germany has built and mobi-
liked vast fleet of these crawl
ing fortresses to hurl against the
tank squadrons OF the allies in
her coming offensive.
A gargantuan trial of strength
will result.
1T ought to be a thrilling
show" said Captain Richard
Haigh of the British Tank Corps
today, discussing the forthcoming
tank struggle. Captain Haigh Is
In New York for the British Re-
cruiting Mission. He has taken
part In thre tank battles-two at
Arras and one at Ypres.
Thrilling Show
"Of course" he said "it is
against our regulations for me to
make any predictions concerning
the coming battle of the tanks.
But If the tank battle does come
off, you watch for a thrilling
show"
A vast fleet of caterpillar tank
fortresses advancing by thousands
in grim array; warning burst of
rocket flashes and sharp telephone
signals from the front line
trenches; a counter army of steel
monsters splitting shellfire and
machine gun bullets; the shock of
rending, crashing steel as the two
monster fleets of land battleships
crash into each other and lock in
a deadly struggle, while new lines
OF reserve monsters crawl slowly
forward; then a hand-to-hand
struggle between the crews as
they pour out of the turrets and
board each other with rifle, ma
chine gun, and bayonet, while the
air squadrons wheel overhead, and
the supporting infantrymen move
forward out of each line of
trenches to the aid of the armored
com batants---
This is the picture of the new
warfare the tank men draw.
Armed for Ramming
Dispatches from Germany re-
veal the fact that the German
high command is building thou
sands of monster turtles" -
new type of tank-larger than the
first British tanks and armed
with heavy guns-some reports
say six-inch and even eight-inch
guns.
The caterpillar treads are en-
tirely hidden by armor plate and
there is a sharp projection at the
ramming.
The allied governments are pre-
pared to meet the threat.
The British - first to develop
the tank-are building still larger
The French are devel-
oping their own types.
Our own government is turning
out q fleet Of tanks. the first of
which are now going forward to
Gen. Pershing.
When British tank goes into
battle, according to the tank men
here, 1t has certain objective and
makes drive for it. Machine gun
bullets merely patter on the hull
like steel rain and do no damage.
A shot from So, however. is
a more serious matter, because it
will penetrate the hull and ex-
plode.
When knocked out and in dan
ger Of capture, the tank COM
mander is supposed to save his
guns and destroy the tank il pos
sible. Heavier armor and heavier
guns are now being used.
The only defense against the
tanks the Germans have been able
to devise is the mining Of vast
areas in front of their trenches,
with the top crust propped up. SO
that the tanks, of enormous
will fall into the deep mine
when they pass over the seemingly
secure surface.
But with the increased number
Of tanks in operation it is impos-
sible to carry on the vast mining