Evening star., 1914-12-28
Austrians Dig Deeper Tunnels.

But the Austrian sappers and pio-
neers dug deeper tunnels at right an
giles to the Servian trenches, and par
aaels through which their infantry
would advance under cover of night.
In this manner ground was gained one
day. to be lost again, perhaps, the fol-
lowing day by similar maneuver Of
the Serbs.
For about six weeks this really sub
terranean war continued. 4twas ended
by the bringing up of heavy mortar
batteries by. the Austrtaus. The re-
sistance of the Serbs continued; how
ever. AS heretofore. their trenches had
artillery rendered futile their brave de-
fense. Many of the Austrian shells fell
into the Servian trenches and killed or
MANNED every soldier in them. But a
dash for the position by the Austrian
infantry brought the usual hail of small
arms and machine-gun bullets and
added hundreds to the population of
the vast metropolis that Parasnica is
today.
The determination of the Austro-
Hungarians to take the Parasnica was
no less fixed than the realization .of
the Serbs that with this position gone
the fate of the Macva, Servia's richest
district, would be sealed. The struggle,
therefore, continued with una bated
bitterness, and finally was carried into
the open country beyond the penin-
sula. The resistance of the Serbs COL
lapsed after their positions near the
doned. BY the time valjevo had been
taken by the Austrians the Serbs are
said to have been completely de-
moralized.
Cover Distance of Three Miles,.
Parasnica peninsula start on the banks
50 III,
there a distance of about three miles.
the trenches around Czarnabara not
included. Owing to swamps, the ter
rain on which the battle ragged is in
some places not more than three quar-
ters of q mile wide. The Servian
works in the opposite direction, and
most of thetrenches show they have
been used by Serbs and Austrians in
turn. This is indicated by transfer
of the parapet from one side to an
other, some of the bricks-the material
used generally-having been left where
| they were first placed by the Serbs.
Bomb proofs were constructed by
digging a deep hole or trench and plac-
ing heavy beams and boards over them
Over these earth was then thrown. the
| whole providing a shelter against which
the Austrian field artillery was impo-
tent Concrete was not used, as has been
| claimed, but brick was employed in
| lining and retaining the walls of the
| deeper trenches and covered passage
ways. All trenches and redofbts had
| connecting bitches and tunnels and by
| means of them the Serbs. and later the
Austrians, were able to take troops
| from one part of the terrain to another
without their being seen. Everywhere
| the men adopted efforts to make them
selves comfortable. Adjoining the
| trenches one finds small caves whose
| floors are still Uttered with straw and
/ hay upon which the men silent while
during the day it was fatal to show
| the location of a trench by the smoke
| of a fire over which food might he
cooked, the men seem to have managed
| to get a warm meal at night. MANY OF
| the caves in the trenches show fire.
! places. Usually small hole. to the
surface provided chimney. To pre-
| vent sparks being seen a piece of tin
| resting on four bricks was used as q
| chimney top.
This large underground city had at
| least four barber shops and three
baths-used, it is supposed, by the
! SerVian officers. ..
Inhabitants Back in Ruined Homes.
Gradually the Serb Inhabitants of the
| Macva are returning to their ruined
homes. Timidly they await the Ap-
| proach of a stranger and then 20 their
way. Little Is left OF their stock. Here
and there one sees a few porkers on
the point of starvation-hundreds OF
hungry dogs waiting for the porkers
end. In Czarnabara a lonely hen stood
ther on few geese honked in terror
| Even the prune trees. whose fruit is
| said to be famous all over Europe,
have not escaped the horrors of war.
| Some of the orchards were plOwed up
| hy artillery fire, while others supplied
1 nd MI