BELGIAN FRONTIER

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 3

BELGIAN FRONTIER

FRENCH INTENTIONS

M. Daladier, Defence Minister, who recently inspected the fortifications of the Franco-Belgian frontier, stated that he intended to reinforce them, reports the "Daily .Telegraph." Speaking at Valenciennes, he declared, "I have just made a trip along the frontier district between Charleville and Valenciennes, and I have gained a highly satisfactory impression of the results achieved in the building of the fortified works. "I intend to perfect these works by powerful means. France has every reason to have confidence in the means of defence at her disposal." M. Daladier added that he was considering, in particular, the best method of defending the vast industrial region embraced by Lille, Roubaix, and Tourcoing. He stated that he' already had the necessary credits to carry out these defence works. ,' The Franco-Belgian frontier district between Valenciennes and the sea has hitherto remained practically unfortified. The General Staffs of the two countries had previously planned the defence of Lille from Ghent, in Belgium, which was to be fortified for this purpose. Since King Leopold's declaration of, neutrality it is believed, however, that the French General Staff has been reconsidering the defence of the area. FLOODING FROBLEM. ' M. Daladier, who was accompanied by General Gamelin, Chief of the General Staff: M. Vincent, chairman of the Senate Army Committee; and a number of high army officers,- visited the area. The party afterwards passed along to Mont Cassel, which overlooks the whole Flanders plain, and was an important strategical point during the war. Since then, however, it has remained unfortified, but it is now-likely to be the site of important defence works. Similarly, other hills between tha Lille area and ' Mont Cassel will doubtless be considerably fortified. Another problem facing M. Daladier and the French General Staff is th*» flooding of the frontier area and the Flanders plain between Mont Cassel and the sea. Most of the water for the flooding of this land during the war came from Belgium.