ne could tell, it might have
mistaken the general's underground quarters for a storage station where
it could assuage its thirst for gasoline or a blacksmith's shop where it
could have a bent steel claw straightened. When, finally, it stopped at
his threshold, the general expressed his relief that it had not tried to
come down the steps. A door like that of a battleship turret opened, and
out of the cramped interior where space for crew and machinery is so
nicely calculated came the skipper, who saluted and reported that his
ship awaited orders for the next cruise.

Soon the sight of tanks became part of the routine of existence, and
interest in watching an advance centered on the infantry which they
supported in a charge; for only by its action could you judge whether or
not machine gun fire had developed and, later, whether or not the tanks
were silencing it. The human element was still supreme, its movement and
its losses in life the criterion of success and failure, with an eternal
thrill that no machine can arouse. If the tanks had accomplished nothing
more than they did in the two great September attacks they would have
been well worth while. I think that they saved twenty-five thousand
casualties, which would have been the additional cost of gaining the
ground won by unassisted infantry action. When machines manned by a few
men can take the place of many battalions in this fashion they exemplify
the essential principle of doing the enemy a maximum of damage with a
minimum to your own forces.

XXVIII

CANADA IS QUICK

Canada's first offensive--The "surprise party"--Over nasty
ground--Canada's hour--Germans amazed--Business of the Canadians to
"get there"--Two difficult villages--Canadians make new
rules--Canada's green soldiers accomplish an unheard of
feat--Attacking on their nerve--The last burst--Fewer Canadians than
Germans, but--"Mopping up"--Rounding up the captives--An aristocratic
German and a democratic Canadian--French-Canadians--Thirteen
counter-attacks beaten--Quickness and adaptability--Canada's soldiers
make good.

The tanks having received their theatric due, we come to other results
of Sept. 14th when the resistance of the right was stiff and Canada had
her turn of fortune in sharing in the brilliant success on the left.

It was the Canadians' first offensive. They knew that the eyes of the
army were upon them. Not only for themselves, after parrying blows