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OUR FORTS ON WHEELS 509
BUT THE GIANT CAME TO GRIEF
The movie tank—which appeared in "Patria" and is illustrated in action on the preceding pagi—interested officers of the
United States Army. They had it taken out and put through its paces. It lumbered about the landscape clumsily, but
with a modicum of success, trundling through river beds, ditches, and trenches, and over rocks and other obstacles with
grotesque ease, A bit of loose earth on an embankment gave way beneath it, however, and after turning two somersaults,
it ended up in the heap of wreckage shown here.
bullets at it. If, at one hundred yards, it
stops the bullets, it is accepted; otherwise,
not.
A converted automobile of this description
is reinforced to some extent,
the strength of many parts being increased
to enable them to withstand
nearly double the stress of peace service.
The War Department has contracted,
also, for the quick delivery of great numbers
of armored cars, built for fighting
purposes from the ground up. These are
quite a different proposition. They are
true automobile forts, completely clad in
quarter-inch steel plate, and mounted on
the chassis of a truck.
There is—as in the other case—a revolving
turret on top. At one side is a
steel door, for entrance and exit. In
front of the driver's seat is a steel shutter,
which can be lifted to enable him
to look out. The gasoline tank is be­
neath the vehicle. The machine carries
three men, the driver, a gunner and an
assistant sjunner. A traveling; fort of
A Remodeled Touring Car
Tbe alterations (or this vehicle cost in the neighborhood of
52.000.