FRENCH REPLY TO GERMANY'S GAS BOMBS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13701, 3 June 1915, Page 3

FRENCH REPLY TO GERMANY'S GAS BOMBS.

CHALON&-SUR-MARNE, May 5. ( The Germans succeeded, - a few days ago, m scoring, to a- certain extent, by the use of asphyxiating bombs. The French have not been long m finding a reply to these weapons. If the Germans mean to use poisonous gases m warfare, the French are ready to retaliate with a weapon which v should ppove very effective, though it m no way. contravenes the rules accepted by civilised nations. This consists of a hand grenade iilled with certain chemicals which, when released, produce a gaß that has no deadly effects, but is powerful enough to paralyse the men breathing it for several minutes.

As an experiment, two of these grenades were thrown into a- narrow lane between two' walls, that may be fairly taken to represent a trench. When the gases had been released a company of infantry were ordered to advance up the lane. When the first ranks came within the zone of the fumes they stopped suddenly and beat a hasty retreat, fighting their way through the men behind them, absolutely blinded by the tears running down their cheeks. The smell of the fumes is not unpleasant, but it produces such a violent smarting of the eyes and nose that it would be hopeless to try and use a weapon while under its influence. These bombs have not yet been used and will only v© employed if the 1 Germans make use of a.ny further asphyiatine gases. Besides the newly invented gas bombs., the French have various forms of bombs and bomb throwers for use m the trenches.

Speaking m. the House of Lords Lord Kitchener said, that the Anglo-French forces were utterly unprepared for this diabolical method, of attack, which undoubtedly had been long getting carefully prepared. The enemy, had persisted m. the use of the gases, and is thus causing agonising deaths, whenever the wind was favorable and other opportunities occurred.

"His Majesty's Government and the French Government," Lord Kitchener went on, "feel that the troops nrust be adequately protected by the employment of similar methods, thus removing the enprnjous and unjustifiable disadvantage, which must exist if no steps are 'taken to meet upon his own ground the enemy' that is responsible for the introduction of this pernicious practice."