DESPATCHES IN SHELLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16658, 1 October 1917, Page 6

DESPATCHES IN SHELLS.

| NEW DEVICE OF ENEMY. \ $ . v>; ' Among 'recent developments in the sci&nco of war, both far attack and defence, the following three examples are, ' perhaps, the most interesting which havo been davised by -the enemy, writes a correspondent at French headquarters. The first is concerned with the composition : and- use '6i asphyxiating gases and gas sheila ■ In . order to exploit to the utmost this branch of offensive warfare, three .special, stuffs have been formed of officers picked iroin. the artillery in the field. ; They travel from one army corps , to another, staying' a week or ten days with each, partly to give instruction m tho different ways', of fighting with gas, and;, partly to study local conditions affecting its use. : Tho second innovation is the use of srnoke-produc.inp, . machines for the concealment of batteries the position of whi 'h has been "spotted" by our airmen. To project the cans and their crewa from bombs and shells sites are prepared beforehand around the battery, not less than 270 yds from it and about ten yards apart, and when the need arises the smoke machines are placed in sites to windward so that the concealing cloud sweop3 over the guns and hides them from our airmen /The third device is an ingenious method of establishing communication during an engagement by, means of message projectiles, when telephone wires have been cut by heavy bombardment.