AN ENGINE THAT WALKS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 108, 25 April 1908, Page 3

AN ENGINE THAT WALKS

Ihimg the South Afrean war a \oung colonial engineer how very unsuitable traction engines were for pulling guns up kopjes. Many had to be abandoned on. the liillsides. The young engineer set to-work to invent an engine that would travel quickly over rough country, and after six years' experimenting lias constructed a strange machine which has been recently under trial -at Aklershot, If the Daily Mail's account is to be believed, the engine is a L'rcal success. In the final tests it dimliUl hills which would have proved too much for the irdinary traction engine, crossed a deep ditch live feet wide, ■ and manoeuvred in its own length. This weird contrivance travels at nearly -10 miles an hour over rough ground, which causes it to behave like a vessel in a big sea. It can turn on one of its wheels as on a pivot while going at top spe ■- and the spectacle of the monster careering aci'oss country and suddenly turning at an angle of HO degrees is'.said to be terrifying. The machine weights SO tons, and is driven by an oil engine do velopiug 400 horse-power. The secret of the invention is the special gear which transmits the power of the pistons to'.Uie wheels with less loss tlton in the ordinary traction engine, railway engine, or motor ear. Its eight wheeli run endless bands studded with ;!2 loot, this lieing the reason of its ability to climb hills ami cross ditches. A ride in the cab of the, engine is described as exciting, and we can well believe it. On level ground the machine moves with, deliberate ease, each great I foot, 18 inches square, pressing down on the -oil. lint when the driver puts it at a grass-covered hill the swaying motion becomes violent, and when the crest is reached the monster is balanced on | I wo hind feet, and (he passenger is per- | haps considering the advisability ot I jumping for his life, when the part puisI ed in the air comes down again, and ihe huge bulk of ihe machine steps swiftly down- the id her side. Men who ride in if descend with alacrity; but the inventor regards his machine as exceedingly -table and docile, and is always ready to display its power of turning on one wheel. "Caterpillar Xo. 1," as the soldiers ,-i.ll il. has cost its maker a fortune, but if il pleases the War Oliice be should be well repaid. An armovplatod monster careering across country at 40 miles an hour adds a now terror In warfare.