Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-04-01
GREAT INVENTION
OF WAR TANK.
All Annapolis Keen To Witness
The Test Of Formidable
Weapon.
GUARDED SECRET.
Reported Demonstration Of
Wonderful Invention This
Evening On Spa Road
Farm.

To "A resident of Annapolis viii
probably fall the credit of ihyenting
the most formidable weapon OF offense
that has yet been produced since the
beginning of the war. So jealously
has the secret been guarded that the
facts only became known today and
what little has been learned of the
new weapon stamps the inventor a
genius
The new weapon is. in sense, a
tank similar to those now in use by
the British, but so far superior in all
respects that the two can scarcely be
compared Whereas the British tanks
are propelled by immense caterpillar
endless belts, the new device is pro-
PEELED by its entire hulk revolving.
In shape the two tanks are entire
ly different The latest invention being
spherical in shape and rolls over the
ground like an immense ball. Its
walls are built 20 Withstand enormous
pressure and even direct hits by large
calibre guns would have no effect on
il, as, because of its shape, projec-
tiles would be detected
Inside of the outer shell is another
wall Of steel which reyolyes in a di-
rection opposite 70 that of the outer
shell. each sheel of wall, being
pierced by large openings for ma
chine gun fire and SO synchronized in
movement that the operators of the
machine guns can see. by means of
a synchr0nizcd telescope through
either the machine gun opening or one
i'm juXtaposition. il being impossible to
lire the gun unless its port is in line.
Four platforms are suspended. by
means of gintals. inside of the enor-
nous ball SO that the latter may re-
INolve many directions but sill per-
UNIT the platforms TO remain in a hor-
izontal position On these platforms
are mounted the engine for propelling
| thc "tauk" and also the machine guns
and their operators
in addition to the driver the ma
chine viii have n crew of IA men. and
Z machine guns viii be installed. Long
keen knives. that fold up when touch
ing the ground. but spring into action
when ON top, are provided for cut
/ ing harbod wire entanglcments and
riding down opposing troops. SO
great is the centrifugal force yield
I'd by the movement of the rapidly re-
yolvinC sphere that il has been made
use of to hurl bombs. There are
placed i'm a long spout like arrange
ment that hurls them toward the
enemy at terrific speed, the arc in
which they fall being determined by
The point at which they are released
from the "thrower"
To prevent capture. in case the ma
chine should become stalled from any
cause the entire outer she'll is heav-
ily charged with electricity of. such
high voltage that any one touching it
would be instantly killed Long
streamors, hundreds of feet in length,
and made of heavy wire charged
with electricity will be tralied behind
The machine, and trailing over and
around the trenches would finish
the work OF destruction left undone
by the machine and machine guns. 1t
is said that the tank" has many
other features of a revolutionary ma
ture, but just what they are has not
been made public.
A brother of the inventor. who is
said to hold a very prominent posi-
tion. is 10 give demonstration
OF the apparatus at Z o'clock tonight
As foreseeing many of the features to
be found on the battlefield q farm on
Spa road just of of West street, has
been selected as the place of trial
The machine viii be put through all
of its PAGES and to test its ability to
overthrow obstacles q Is foot concrete
wall has been constructed through, or
over. which the mg ne is expected
10 make its way.
Should the machine do what is ex-
pocted Of it they viii be made in large
quantities as their simple construction
viii permit the manufacture of 500 a
month after two weeks preparation
cor TSJON ATTTDnAV