The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-31

sits, Va with the latest developments In tanks
and armored cars. This was in line with the
War departments desire TO maintain the cavalry
in its role as the fastest-moying fighting force
and il was believed that it could best be done by
replacing horses with high-speed cars.
This does not necessarily mean, however, that
the cavalry charger will be entirely eliminated
from our military establishment of the future.
In fact, il would appear from study of past e1-
perience that there will always be special sit
uations in which the mounted soldier will be
needed. Man and horse get through and
gain information when other means are blocked
The airplane is helpless in fog. for instance.
Nor can thoroughly effective reconnaissance be
accomplished without the aid Of the horse In
exceedingly mountainous terrain All this would
indicate the retention of the horse for some
military purposes and that mounted troops, in
smaller numbers, viii be available for scouting,
at any rate.
In the broader field of tactical usefulness,
however the horse cannot compete with the
newer mechanical weapons. The speeding
unored car for ground reconnaissance can cover
much greater distances in quicker time.
With the development of more effective weap-
ons. the horse has lost its "shock power" in
operating against either mounted or dismounted
enemies There are too many machine guns, auto
permit such close contact, and the horse offers
a larger target than the man on foot. Gas,
too is potent weapon against the horse. It is
too expensive TO completely cover an animal
with gas-proof cloth and there are gases now
which infiict deep burns at the slightest exposure
Ever since the British launched the first land
ships or tanks tas they were originally named
to mislead spies) many military experts have
been looking toward mechanical cavalry,
mounted on mechanical steeds, still carrying
on its traditional roles of distant reconnaissance,
pursuit surprise attack and last-minute reserve
but covering more ground In less time striking
with more force and power and with fewer risks
and greater protection than the horse offered.
But the World war tanks were incapable of
carrying out such assignments. Some power they
enjoyed but mobility, the prime essential of
cavalry, they lacked. The light tank for in
stance Unanswered across country at the rate
of three to four miles an hour. After ten miles
il ran out Of gasoline and, what even worse
II usually had to go back to the shop for over
haul after a comparatively short trip. The heavy
tank carrying the tremendous weight Of A
tons numbered along at a maximum rate of
five and a half miles an hour and often begged
down in its own tracks.
Today, however, the ordnance department has
given the American fighting forces light ex-
perimental tank capable OF operating on the
miles an hour; 60 miles on one filing Of gaso-
lire. and more than 1000 miles before major
overhaul becomes necessary. And all this has
been accomplished without increasing the light
tank of seven and a half tons by a single pound
In the heavier tank field, the ordnance de-
partment has introduced the Medium To mod
ell not only superior to the Mark VIII OF war
construction but only one-third heavy. Still
equipped with the same 340-horsepower Liberty
NJ . ;-1ur Of
miles per hour instead of 81 and delivers 1s2
pounds of projectiles per minute instead Of 1914.
In addition il offers protection against heav-
Ter bullet The arnor on the Mark VIII protects
only against the 30-caliber bullet of the ordi-
nary rife or machine gun. while the Medium
To is covered with armor TO Withstand the as
sauIt of 50-caliber bullets.
The Medium To has other notable features
which the Mark VIII lacked II viii run continu-
ously for eight hours. II is well ventilated and
its weight has been reduced from A 70 Is tons
During maneuvers with the mechanical forces
Il was the common practice to mount the tanks
on fast moving trucks. capable Of covering 80
TO 300 miles a day without special effort. NOV
ing them along roads to the point of rendezvous
and there drop the taflgates. roll of the mocha
nized vehicles and send them into action But
meantime place had to be found for the trucks
They could not remain on the roads. for In
would be hard to camoufiage or put under COW
err The army. therefore has asked for con-
yertible vehicle. capable of moving along roads
at 20 miles an hour and across country at 90
q machine which could roll along as a truck on
the road and lay down track as tank to
move over rough terrain. Today it has such
vehicle for further experiment in the Christie
convertible medium T-3 tank
This vehicle. weighing 10 tons operates on
the road on four pairs Of independently sprung
wheels equipped with dual solid rubber tires !;
the rear pair of wheels only is driven by a
conventional chain drive. while steering Is &C
complished by the front wheels as In an ordf-
nary automobile When operating as a full track
laying vehicle drop-forged steel rack weigh
ing $40 pounds per side is applied over the
wheels. small idler in front and a track-driv-
ing sprocket In rear. The tank is powered with
a Liberty 12-cyiinder v-type water-cooIed tank
engine Of $50 horsepower
Besides tanks and vehicles of its tvue n
mechanical force calls for armored cars wheeled
vehicles armored and armed with machine guns
only. For longdistance reconnaissance. pa
trols and raids. such vehicles are held indispen-
sable and the time may not be far distant when
they win replace entirely that faithful compan-
ion Of our troopers. the cavalry charger. who
he'7ed push back the frontier in the conquest OF
America