* THE 'CLOUDS WITH SILVER LININGS.
By Sgt. G. 0,Russell.
The question has come up (not once but many times), why men
who were supposedly well balanced in the states, lose their minds
in Alaska? I believe its the condition of the mind to begin
with in a way. Taking for granted the grandeur of the Alaskan
scenery, lets look at Alaska as it is and not through rose colored
glasses. This is a big lonesome country, rightly called ’’The
Great Alone”. There are few people here, and you have lots of
time to think, (if you have anything to think with), and if your
thoughts are not pleasant they are poor companions.
During my long stay in Alaska it has been my painful lot to see
a number of men become unbalanced and sent out for treatment.
In almost every case, they were men who were always brooding over
some sorrow or imaginary trouble. You can’t have dark and
gloomy thoughts always and go out as good mentally as you were,
but looking at the bright side of everything, and Alaska certainly
has a bright side, (also a Morningside), you will be able to keep
your mental equilibrium properly adjusted.
Alaska has long been in need of a good slogan, and I offer
this one for what it is worth, if it is worth anything:HBe Light
Hearted or You Will Become Lightheaded”.
You can always find something to laugh at if you just look
around. Sometimes it is pretty hard to find, but it is here just
the same. I don’t suppose you can see anything funny about a big
bear chasing you up a tree, but if you saw it happen in the movies
you would get a good laugh out of it.
Look at the”bright side” or you will perhaps land in ’’Morning
side ”,
THE NEW MARK VIII TANK,
The Mark VIII Tank was developed by the Ordnance Department
after the successful use of Tanks in the World War.
This tank is of the rigid type; that is, the belt or track
runs on rollers fixed positively in the hull. The overall length
of the machine is thirty five feet, width for tracks is eight
feet, the overall distance across the sponsons or extreme width,
is twelve feet approximately and the overall height is ten feet’
and three inches.
It is designed to carry two sixpounders,or 3" guns, one mount
ed on each side and seven machine guns on ball mounts; two of the
machine guns are in the forepart of the turret, one on each side
oT the turret and one at the rear of the turret, A machine gun
is also mounted in both doors which open on either side of the
tank amidship. The tank carries approximately 200 rounds of 6
pounder ammunition stowed in ammunition racks accessible to the
guns, ten per cent of this being smoke shells. For the machine guns
about 20,000 rounds. The tank carries ten men and one officer.
The power of this tank is supplied by a 12 cylinder Liberty
tank engine, and is transmitted through a two speed epicyclic
transmission at the rear. Control of the tank by the commanding
officer is accomplished by speaking tubes which lead to the driver
and to the 6 pounder gun sponsons.
Summary:- To sum up the Mark Tank VIII is a thirty five feet
long machine of the rigid hull type, weighing approximately thirty
six tons, carrying two 6 pannder guns and seven machine guns.
It is driven by a three hundred horse power engine and a two
speed epicyclic transmission, giving a speed maximum of 6 miles
per hour on level terrain and 4 miles on averaging going.