FRITZ'S STURMWAGEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1918, Page 8

FRITZ'S STURMWAGEN.

ALL OUR EARLY MISTAKES. WITH GERMAN ERRORS ADDED. (Reuter's Telegrams.) London, May 6. Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters says that there is little doubt that the new German tanks are proving a disappointment, developing various defects in actual service. Their ponderous weight makes manoeuvring on bad ground difficult, and they are generally much inferior to Ours. They more resemble the French heavy pattern than ours. They weigh 45 tons, and the highest speed attainable is ten miles an hour, but only for a short time, as the motors beeome overheated. The protective qualities are poor, despite the weight. The armoring varies between two-thirds of an inch and one and one-eighth inches, and armor-piercing ammunition will perforate the hull anywhere. They are 23ft long, and the little conning tower in which the driver sits is hinged, being so high that when the tank i -illrained for transport it will not. r" 'vid'ies. Observation is very poor ' the weight. The armor the for some distance ahead. Tli • armament consists of one 2J-inch gun, :md six heavy machine-guns, mounted on each side and astern, but the gun ports are vulnerable. The crew consists of one officer and 18 other ranks, so that the interior is packed like a sardine-tin. The Germans seem to be repeating all our initial mistakes, with a few of their own added.