Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-04-01
THE COMING EUROPEAN WAR.
Belgium to be the Battle Ground of
France and GERMANY.

The Brussels correspondent of the Paris
Matin has just had an interesting interview
with Major H. Girard, the officer of the
Engineer corps in the Belgian army, who re-
Gently resigned his commission in order to
be free to write his somewhat startling
pamphlet, "La Belgique ct la Guerre Pro-
chaine"
"The collision between France and Ger
many" said he, "may be retarded, but it is
none the less inevitable. The possibility of
a peaceful retrocession of Alsaee Lorraine
by Germany is too absurd for discussion"
After stating that the interest of Belgium
In the present situation was to become the
ally of whichever one of the belli9arents
would offer the best terms, he declared that
the Belgium fortresses were worthless, and
that the entrenched camp at Antwerp could
not hold out for forty-eight hours. "The
first cannon shot would be sufficient to dis
pei all the illusions of the Belgian people.
It Is we'll known that our army, deprived as
it is of the indispensable elements for
rapid mobilization, could not be ready to
fight until long after the country could be
invaded, occupied and traversed. Our re-
eisting force consists, at the maximum, of
10000 men, including ths militia. To
hold Antwerp, with the development given
to the Notifications of that place, we need at
least &c, 600 men, without counting the gar
risons necessary at Liege, Nemur, and other
places. What, then. would remain for us to
offer battle with at any given points And
will we ever be able to dispose of that 120,-
900 mena That ia very doubtful; for at the
moment of the declaration of war, which
will be sprung upon US in short order, how
will our militiamen have time or possibility
to rejoin their cerps before being captured
by the invadersa"
"But," remarked the correspondent,
"could net France and Germany come
to blows without the necessity of fixing on
Belgium for their battle grounds"
cit is impossible" replied Major Girard,
"that the military chiefs of both countries
have not fully studied that matter; and,
from a strategic point of view, either of the
possession of the whole or a part of Belgian
territory must compromise by that omission,
the result of Interior operations. Ny pro-
found conviction is that the concentration of
the French and German armies will be af-
fected on Belgian territory. For that con-
centration the Germans have FIVE liues of
railway, capable of throwing in fen days
500. 600 men between Aerschot and Huy,
at the rate of 10000 day for each line.
"Twenty-four hours after declaration of
war, which will probably be in the evening,
tho German cavalry will be able to occupy
Hassell, Saint-Trond, Tirlenont, Eaestrecht,
etc. The French concentration can be eff
fscted In the same lapse of time on the line
between Alost and Maubeuge, and also
twenty -four hours after the declaration of
war tho French cavalry can occupy Ale
except the militia of Malines a. brussels all
the rest in the whole - -etween the
Meuse and the Escaut will be unable to
move. In a word, after careful study I
have become convinced that Belgium Is
completely at the mercy of coming events." !"