war and the future-第24章
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filiation was indeed quite traceable。 They were my grandchildren
I felt a little like King Lear when first I read about them。 Yet
let me state at once that I was certainly not their prime
originator。 I took up an idea； manipulated it slightly； and
handed it on。 The idea was suggested to me by the contrivances
of a certain Mr。 Diplock； whose 〃ped…rail〃 notion； the notion of
a wheel that was something more than a wheel； a wheel that would
take locomotives up hill…sides and over ploughed fields； was
public property nearly twenty years ago。 Possibly there were
others before Diplock。 To the Ped…rail also Commander Murray
Sueter； one of the many experimentalists upon the early tanks；
admits his indebtedness； and it would seem that Mr。 Diplock was
actually concerned in the earlier stage of the tanks。
Since my return I have been able to see the Tank at home； through
the courtesy of the Ministry of Munitions。 They have progressed
far beyond any recognisable resemblance to the initiatives of Mr。
Diplock； they have approximated rather to the American
caterpillar。 As I suspected when first I heard of these devices；
the War Office and the old army people had practically nothing to
do with their development。 They took to it very reluctantlyas
they have taken to every novelty in this war。 One brilliant
general scrawled over an early proposal the entirely
characteristic comment that it was a pity the inventor could not
use his imagination to better purpose。 （That foolish British
trick of sneering at 〃imagination〃 has cost us hundreds of
thousands of useless casualties and may yet lose us the war。）
Tanks were first mooted at the front about a year and a half ago；
Mr。 Winston Churchill was then asking questions about their
practicability； he filled many simple souls with terror； they
thought him a most dangerous lunatic。 The actual making of the
Tanks arose as an irregular side development of the armoured…car
branch of the Royal Naval Air Service work。 The names most
closely associated with the work are （I quote a reply of Dr。
Macnamara's in the House of Commons） Mr。 d'Eyncourt； the Director
of Naval Construction； Mr。 W。 O。 Tritton； Lieut。 Wilson；
R。N。A。S。； Mr。 Bussell； Lieut。 Stern； R。N。A。S。； who is now Colonel
Stern； Captain Symes； and Mr。 F。 Skeens。 There are many other
claims too numerous to mention in detail。
But however much the Tanks may disconcert the gallant Colonel
Newcomes who throw an air of restraint over our victorious front；
there can be no doubt that they are an important as well as a
novel development of the modern offensive。 Of course neither the
Tanks nor their very obvious next developments going to wrest the
decisive pre…eminence from the aeroplane。 The aeroplane remains
now more than ever the instrument of victory upon the western
front。 Aerial ascendancy； properly utilised； is victory。 But
the mobile armoured big gun and the Tank as a machine…gun
silencer must enormously facilitate an advance against the
blinded enemy。 Neither of them can advance against properly
aimed big gun fire。 That has to be disposed of before they make
their entrance。 It remains the function of the aeroplane to
locate the hostile big guns and to direct the /tir de
demolition/ upon them before the advance begins
possibly even to bomb them out。 But hitherto； after the
destruction of driving back of the defender's big guns has been
effected； the dug…out and the machine gun have still inflicted
heavy losses upon the advancing infantry until the fight is won。
So soon as the big guns are out； the tanks will advance；
destroying machine guns； completing the destruction of the wire；
and holding prisoners immobile。 Then the infantry will follow to
gather in the sheaves。 Multitudinously produced andI write it
with a defiant eye on Colonel Newcome/properly handled/；
these land ironclads are going to do very great things in
shortening the war； in pursuit； in breaking up the retreating
enemy。 Given the air ascendancy； and I am utterly unable to
imagine any way of conclusively stopping or even greatly delaying
an offensive thus equipped。
2
The young of even the most horrible beasts have something piquant
and engaging about them； and so I suppose it is in the way of
things that the land ironclad which opens a new and more dreadful
and destructive phase in the human folly of warfare； should
appear first as if it were a joke。 Never has any such thing so
completely masked its wickedness under an appearance of genial
silliness。 The Tank is a creature to which one naturally flings
a pet name； the five or six I was shown wandering； rooting and
climbing over obstacles； round a large field near X； were as
amusing and disarming as a little of lively young pigs。
At first the War Office prevented the publication of any pictures
or descriptions of these contrivances except abroad； then
abruptly the embargo was relaxed； and the press was flooded with
photographs。 The reader will be familiar now with their
appearance。 They resemble large slugs with an underside a little
like the flattened rockers of a rocking…horse； slugs between 20
and 40 feet long。 They are like flat…sided slugs； slugs of
spirit； who raise an enquiring snout； like the snout of a
dogfish； into the air。 They crawl upon their bellies in a way
that would be tedious to describe to the general reader and
unnecessary to describe to the enquiring specialists。 They go
over the ground with the sliding speed of active snails。 Behind
them trail two wheels； supporting a flimsy tail； wheels that
strike one as incongruous as if a monster began kangaroo and
ended doll's perambulator。 （These wheels annoy me。） They are not
steely monsters； they are painted with drab and unassuming
colours that are fashionable in modern warfare； so that the
armour seems rather like the integument of a rhinoceros。 At the
sides of the head project armoured checks； and from above these
stick out guns that look like stalked eyes。 That is the general
appearance of the contemporary tank。
It slides on the ground； the silly little wheels that so detract
from the genial bestiality of its appearance dandle and bump
behind it。 It swings about its axis。 It comes to an obstacle； a
low wall let us say； or a heap of bricks； and sets to work to
climb it with its snout。 It rears over the obstacle； it raises
its straining belly； it overhangs more and more； and at last
topples forward； it sways upon the heap and then goes plunging
downwards； sticking out the weak counterpoise of its wheeled
tail。 If it comes to a house or a tree or a wall or such…like
obstruction it rams against it so as to bring all its weight to
bear upon itit weighs /some/ tonsand then climbs over
the debris。 I saw it； and incredulous soldiers of experience
watched it at the same time； cross trenches and wallow amazingly
through muddy exaggerations of small holes。 Then I repeated the
tour inside。
Again the Tank is like a slug。 The slug； as every biological
student knows； is unexpectedly complicated inside。 The Tank is
as crowded with inward parts as a battleship。 It is filled with
engines； guns and ammunition； and in the interstices men。
〃You will smash your hat；〃 said Colonel Stern。 〃No； keep it on；
or else you will smash your head。〃
Only Mr。 C。 R。 W。 Nevinson could do justice to the interior of a
Tank。 You see a hand gripping something； you see the eyes and
forehead of an engineer's face； you perceive that an overall
bluishness beyond the engine is the back of another man。 〃Don't
hold that；〃 says someone； 〃it is too hot。 Hold on to that。〃 The
engines roar； so loudly that I doubt whether one could hear guns
without； the floor begins to slope and slopes until one seems to
be at forty…five degrees or thereabouts； then the whole concern
swings up and sways and slants the other way。 You have crossed a
bank。 You heel sideways。 Through the door which has been left
open you see the little group of engineers； staff officers and
naval men receding and falling away behind you。 You straighten
up and go up hill。 You halt and begin to rotate。 Through the
open door； the green field； with its red walls； rows o
