OCR Text |
Show DETROIT Gil CMS CONQUERM DESERT Studebaker Gun Motors Make 25 Miles an Hour in Sand. On the international boundary line that marks the division between this country and -Mexico, where the United States government is schooling the national na-tional guard in the intricacies of modern mod-ern -warfare, the motor vehicle is plav-ing plav-ing a most important role. Hundreds of cars of various makes and description- driven by khaki-clad citizen-soldiers may be seen in the vicinity of the various military camps in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and lower California. Cali-fornia. The cars are being tried and tested under every conceivable condition with a view of determining which of the many are more fitted to meet the needs and requirements of the government. An average speed of twenty-five miles an hour was maintained by the new Studebaker machine gun cars in their initial drive a few days ago over the 250 miles of country between El Paso and Deming, N. M., the first of a- series of tests that will surely revolutionize this branch of the service. The first lap of the trip from El Paso ' to Mesilla Park, N. M was over fairly good roads, but from that point to Deming, seventy miles of desert "sea" was encountered. Despite this handicap and the fact that upward slope places Deming 8000 feet above sea level, the heavy motors plowed steadily on over the ruts and cactus to the summit of Magpie Flats, now in deep arroyos with sand half way to wheel hubs and again on the wind-swept summits on to Deming. Dem-ing. The rigors of a mountain snowstorm snow-storm raging throughout most of the day, had little or no affect upon either men or cars. Each car contained two machine guns and their equipment, 20,000 rounds of ammunition, tools, water, gas and oil, field rations and seven passengers beside be-side the driver, a total weight of two and one-half tons. The seats are so arranged that they afford the greatest protection to the crew and driver. r |