Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-20
A GREAT SHAM BATTLE FOR
THE CZAR'S EDIT ICAIIOH.
ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THoUs-
AND MEN IN HEAVY
ACTION.
THE NEW FRENCH FIELD GUN
TAKEN APART AND SHOWN TO THE
CZAR-FIRsT FOREIGNER
TO SEE 1T.

COMPIEGNE, September 19.-Em-
peror Nicholas passed day full of in
terest, spent witnessing the final oper-
ations of the grand western manoeu-
vres, at which the Gar for the first
time came into contact with the French
army operating under war conditions
and not merely in parade uniforms.
The troops were concentrated on the
plain around Fort Vitry in the early
morning Operations began at 10 on
the arrival of the Gar. who surround
ed by French and Russian staff Off
GERS, followed most of the movements
on horseback.
The Czarina and President Loube..,
accompanied by NJ. Waldeck-Rousseau,
the premier, followed in carriages
drawn by six artillery horses. More
than once the Russian Emperor gal
loped ahead among the soldiers and
watched their proceedings as Though
DESTROYS of satisfying himself OF their
efficiency and value as fighting units.
The skirmishing army corps early de-
veloped an attack upon Fort Fresnes'
the minor fort The Car and Carl
ma. with NJ. Loubet and others, mount
ed the earthworks inside and watched
a whole army corps advance to the as
sault. The enemy approached in heaVy
lines under cover of the shells OF their
artillery. to which the fort responded
The position was finally carried at the
point of the bayonet 1t was a highly
theatrical operation, utterly impos-
sible in war. but carried out with the
dash for which the French soldier Is
famous, and it reused the enthusiasm
OF thousands of spectators who followed
the manoeuvres on foot, on bicycles and
in every conceivable kind of vehicle.
During the attack he incessant rattle
of musketry, the grinding and crack
ling of machine guns, the sharp de-
donations of quick firing field guns and
the booming of the heavy guns of the
fort made deafening roar and with
the thick pail of smoke lowering over
head, converted the smiling plain into
a veritable inferno.
A significant incident, illustrating
the anxiety of the French not only to
insure the Cars safety but to avoid
the slightest cause for uneasiness on
his part, occurred during the assault.
The infantry had reached the edge of
the moat and we're pouring fire into
the fort when some of the attacking
party ai-ed in the direction of En-
peror Nicholas, who was a prominent
figure and stood watching the van
guard sliding down the poles into the
moat and fixing the scaling ladders.
One of the generals noticed the di-
rection in which the rifles were pointed
and fastening to the scene pushed the
muzzles aside exelaiming excitedly:
Don't fire in the direction of the
Gar"
The closing phase of the operations,
when the entire force Of 100000 men
were in action, was viewed from an
eminence near Fort Vitry. The whole
country swarmed with soldiers who,
III the distance, resembled vast army
OF ants. Red flashes burst from the
muzzles of batteries, while nearer were
stretched out lines of infantry firing
volley after volley.
Regiments of dragons and chas-
seurs in light blue charged across the
country. Brass helmets and sabres
glittered in the sunshine. The ground
vibrated with thousands of hoofs as the
cavalry dashed to the capture of the
batteries, which quickly limbered up
and retreated at full gallop. The oper-
ations concluded at o'clock.
When the Car asked to be shown
the new French field gun, which had
never before been shown to a for
eigner, one of battery of four was
taken to pieces. He examined the
mechanism. Then the gun was put to-
gether and eight shots were fired with
marvellous rapidity. In order to dem
onstrate the absence of recoil, the gun
ners sat on the carriage during the fir
ing. The Gar expressed his admira-
ton of the astonishing qualities of the
weapon.