6 DECEMBER 1919, Page 3

first used on the Somme. The Commission, however, deter mined

that these defects were only brought out by conditiont of use " much more stringent and protracted than those stipu• lated for by the Government when ordering them." This de cision was unquestionably a very proper one. The condition of the ground during the latter part of the Somme Battle was exceptionally bad owing to prolonged shelling by both sides. The Mark I. Tank was designed, it must be remembered, just before the system of intensive artillery preparation was adopted.