DEFENSIVE COUNTRY LIES BEFORE THE ENEMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 10867, 4 June 1918, Page 5

DEFENSIVE COUNTRY LIES BEFORE THE ENEMY.

WEALTH OF WOODLANDS AJfD SMALL COPSES. WHOLE ARMIES CAN BE HIDDEN FROM AVIATORS. Australian and N.Z. (Received 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, June 2. Latest telegTams from Paris show that the strain has relaxed, although the public are still most anxious. The people have faith in General Foch and the quality of the French reserves, although the enemy's thrust for Paris is obvious. The scenes recall the earliest days of the war. People crowd the newspaper kiosks and gather round those in the streets fortunate enough to secure a late edition. The general belief is that the German advance on the Marne is less serious than the drive westwards between Soissons and Chateau Thierry towards the Oise. The ground between the Oise, the Marne, and the Ourcq is characterised by a wealth of woodland and innumerable small copses, offering the most excellent camouflage for troops. Whole armies can easily be hidden from aviators by trees. Therefore, the battleground offers fine opportunities for surprise resistance.

The battlefield now forms a vast triangle, with the apex pointing towards Chateau Thierry and Dormans, the east sida running 30 miles to Rheima and tho west side 50 miles from the Oise, near Noyon, tc- the Marne.