ECHOES OF A BIG WAR

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 295, 7 September 1908, Page 7

ECHOES OF A BIG WAR

A DELICATE SITUATION. . FRENCH AND GERMAN MANOEUVRES. MILITARY PREPAREDNESS. (BT IELEGEAFH —PRESS*-ASSOCIATION —COFYBIGQT.) (Rec. September 6, 4.30 p.m.) Fans, September 5. In conncction with tho Gorman military manoeuvres, which arc this year being held for tho first time in Alsace-Lorraine (tho provinces conquered from France in tho FrancoGerman War), Franco resents tho action of Germany in concentrating 80,000 troops in Alsace-Lorraine, and declines to send the customary military mission. It is understood that the German authorities are working out tho problem of what would have happened had the Battle of Spicheren been a French victory. It is considered conceivable that Germany might be obliged to act on tho defensive in AlsaceLorraine in tho event of war, and it is a fundamental principle of defensive tactics that tho troops should bo familiar with the country they may be called on to defend.

The French, on their sido, have summoned 125,000 men for manoeuvres in tho region round tho Loire, lying between Le Mans (on the River Sarthe), Nevers (on tho right bank of the Loire), Orleans (on tho right bank of tho Loire, 69 miles south-south-west of Paris), and Chateaurons, on the Indre. The French Army authorities are working out a scheme which is somewhat an analogy with the situation of the French and German armies in November, 1870. FRONTIER MANOEUVRES. PAST EVENTS ON THE SAAB AND THE LOIRE. The Battle of Spicheren is also known as the Battle of Forbach. Forbach, which was a French town in Lorraine before the war of 1870, wascapturod by tho Germans after they had, on August G, 1870, beaten the French on the neighbouring heights of Spicheren. The French were under General Frossard, and tho Germans -were under Prince Frederick Charles. After tho war Forbach, along with Alsace-Lor-raine, was annexed by Germany. Of the German tactics, as pursued by Moltke in this the opening stage of the war, it has been written that Mollke's plan was to attack tho principal French army in such a direction as to drive it north and cut its communications with Paris. "The Battle of Woerth was brought on prematurely, and- therefore led, not to tho capture of ll'Mahon's army, which was intended, but only to its total defeat and hasty retreat as far as Chalons. The Battlq of Spicheren was not intended by Moltke, who wished to keep Bazaine's army on the River Saar till ho could attack it with the second anny in front, and tho first army on the loft ilank, while the third anny was closing towards its rear. But these unintended or unexpected victories did not disconcert Moltke, who carried out his intended advance to Pont-a-Mousson, there crossed tlio Jloselle' with the first and second armies, then faced north and wheeled round, so that the effect of the Battle of Gravelotto was to drive Bazaine into the fortress of Metz and cut him oft' from Paris."

It is in the country of the Saar that Germany now proposes to carry , out her experiment in tho defenco of fortified field positions, and "fighting" is to take place within 31 miles of tho French frontier. In basing their, schemes on the position of tho French and German armies in the west of Franco, round the Loire, in November, 1870, the Frencli army authorities are dealing with a much more advanced stage of the war. The upshot of tho manoeuvres of November, IS7O, in that part of Franco was that towards the ond of the month it was clear that tho efforts to unite tho army in Paris and the army of tho Loire, had failed. On November 12 the Loire army numbered 150,000 men, but onlv 12,000 were regulars. On November 17 "it was repulsed by the Prussians under tho Grand Duke of Mecklenburg near Dreux; which Von 'l'reskow captured. One ofsfhe most notable engagements of tho month took place at Beauno •la Rolando (Loiret) on November 28, between part of the army of tho Loire under d'Aurello de Paladines and the Germans under Voigts Rhetz. . Prince Frederick Charles's German army arrived and turned the day, the Fronch retiring. Thero. were heavy losses on both sides.