THE FATE OF FORTRESSES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 102, 27 October 1914, Page 8

THE FATE OF FORTRESSES

NEWS THAT HAS NOT COME. One of the most mysterious of all the events shrouded in the fog of war which covered much of the German advance through France at the end of August was the fate of tho French northern fortresses of Lille, Laon, La Fere, and Reims. These were known to be strong places and were supposed to be capable of prolonged .resistance. Yet they appear to have fallen with one swoop. Not a word about this extraordinary phase of the war ever reahced us in the cable news, nor does it seem to have been reported even in the English papers. The Times military correspondent on Bth September said :¦— "We need explanation of the surrenders of Lille, La Fore, Laon, and Reims. . . The loss of all these places is a serious disadvantage to the Allied cause, as it enables the Germans to use the railways." The only authentic news appears to be that of the Berlin Lokal Anzeiger, winch, on the 4th September, observed that the French Government assured tho public and tho English newspapers that Laon and La Fere would hold out for a considerable time against the Germans, but these positions were captured almost without a blow being struck. "It may now bo disclosed," says tho German newspaper* "that Austrian motor batteries, which consist of two 12-inch guns mounted on automobiles, have been co-operating with the German heavy artillery in the work of reducing the northern fortresses. The, mobility and accuracy of these guns have ' been highly praised by the Headquarters Staff." ' h

Bombardier A. E. Smith, who wag f wounded by a bomb dropped from a German aeroplane, in a letter to a friend says :— "These bombs have proved a great success in the war as they find the enemy's range very accurately. Tho bomb when dropped leaves a thick, blafck, smoky line to enable their gunners to take the exact range. We were in a good position but suffered loss. The enemy could not find us until the aeroplane cattle on the scene. Then wo liad it rather hot. Th* gunners had to leave thn guns, but later saved them all after being reinforced by other guns. The Hermans have a fanny way in fighting. Their infantry when advancing fire from the hip and come on in masses, splendid targets for our guns. As soon as on« lot get* mowed down, the ga.ps are as soon filled with fresh men. They are in terrible numbers— about 10 to 1 in. some places. Nearly all tho men's wounds arc shrapnel and he^l wonder* fully. Men almost crippleu a daj| or two ago are going on splondidly sine© being treated m hospital " There is irony in the fact that tho nucleus of the German fleet was pro« vided by Great Britain in the shape> of a small vessel which the Government presented to the King of Prussia in 1814. The gift was made during the visit of the allied sovereigns to Portsmouth, and Lord Broughton records in his diary that the King pointed out the vessel to Tsar Alexander, who had not concealed his displeasure at the superiority of the British Navy, and remarked, " You will not be jealous of my fleet. In later times the German navy was largely recruited from the British. The miniature frigate in which the present Kaiser learnt seamanship was a prosed from William IV. to the King of Prussia, ahd the Niobe and Renown, still used as training vessels at WUnehnshaven, are survivors of a number of' - transfers from the British fleet.