The Daily News WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1926. WAR MACHINERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 8

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1926. WAR MACHINERY.

The remarkable exhibition of the latest developments in the utilisation of the tank type of war machines, as witnessed last week by the Empire Premiers attending the London Conference, could not fail to impress them with the fact that, though every effort is being made to- promote peace throughout the world, yet the old Roman maxim, which proclaims that those nations which desire peace must prepare for war, still holds good. The graphic summary of the operations carried out conveys sufficient detail to enable the people of the Empire to realise the existence of new machinery for defence that should add to the feeling of security in the future, should an occasion necessitate resort to engines of destrffetion. It will be noticed that, in the case of the “hush hush” wonder—a twenty-mile an hour tank with five gun turrets — journalists were not allowed to approach this much discussed marvel closer than twenty yards away. In the present era of motoring people are better able to realise speed rates, so that the movements of a monster tank “swishing and slithering” over inequalities of ground at twenty miles an hour would be somewhat of an awesome spectacle. Even more striking must have been the one-man tank, moving at thirty miles an hour on small scooter wheels, but by moving levers can drop on to a eaterpillar belt, turn in its own length, and cut a swathe with machine-gun bullets. It may surely be claimed that no such sight was ever witnessed by the overseas visitors as when the whole array of war machines took part in intricate manoeuvres over a twenty-five acre plot, blurting shells from ground level to antiaircraft angle, field guns taking part in the rapid movements, unlimbering and firing salvoes over the heads of the spectators, who can now lay claim to have been under fire. The bewildering evolutions and dumbfounding roar of munitions brought the exhibition to a climax. The vortex of movement and sound had been reached, making way for the final curtain in the form of a smoke screen made by the tanks when speeding by, at ten miles an hour, and enveloping the countryside so completely that all the mechanical wonders disappeared like magic, and there was peace where the terrors of war had thundered only a few moments previously. Although the scene was one the memory of which can never fade, it was only one phase of the Mother Country’s military power—a new and important phase calculated to impress all present with the conviction that ritain has taken to heart some of the striking lessons of the war. It is satisfactory to learn that the

fruit of these lessons is to be participated in by the Dominions. Four of the light tanks will be sent to Australia, and used for field training, while Major Jennings, who accompanied Mr. Coates, will shortly be commissioned to mechanise New Zealand’s artillery as exemplified at tffe Camberley demonstration. Evidently Mr. Coates was greatly impressed with the idea, that military tanks and tractors may be usefully adapted to development works in new countries like that which he represents. He takes the view that the British Army’s experiments in mechanical transport are thus most important to the whole Empire. The capacity of the tanks for hopping over great, log obstructions, for pushing over walls and great trees, for climbing hills and negotiating dense mud is marvellous. They may be expensive, but utilised for civil purposes they would do great work, besides building up a force of men for military duties in the event of a crisis.