DAY BY DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13643, 24 November 1917, Page 4

DAY BY DAY

As the inventors of all the belligerent nations are raking New Type their brains to proof ciuce new engines of Lan:l Torpedo warfare, it is not surprising that many effective devices have been brought forth. Although the invention described below was. suggested by an Englishman, Sta fiord Talliut. of London, it has been worked out by Sir 15. A. Villar, of New Vcik. The appliance is essentially a land-torpedoes which are projected from rcsemblanee to the sea-torpedo than have the "bombs commonly designated land-torpdoes which are projected from trench-mortars or aeroplanes. According to the Scientific American in which th< now device is illustrated, it consi-ts of a *l-wheeled chassis, driven by a small steam-engine at a speed rrnging up to CO miles an hour. The ' oiler is heated by a petrol or nnraffiu burner, and all four wheels are driven 1»y M-runs irem the engine. A torpedo in a bullet-proof casing is mounted upon front of the chassis, and all the v lal parts the "mechanism are .-•rmcured. Eie-tric cables wound upon c i'!'ab!e drums. which unwind as the '•P r, es forward, are used to eon•rV 'j lo i U!c ' 10 the torpedo, i ;!c function of these torpedoes is to m:u ridly across 'No Man's Land' up i) i."e e-iemy's trenches, where they l! break through the wire enta?i?;le-m<--:its and explode among the defend- , Ihe cystem i> : said to be much 'c ; s costly than gun-fire., in view of the ••e-rdt's achieved. The" jicw weapon • :irlic!;!,irly suitable for surprise •utacks. as no noi-e need bp.made untd ' a row (.1 torpedoes is hiunched upon its deadly Tnission.