New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-19
BERLIN SEES CRISIS
AT HAND IN FRANCE
Strengthened Invading
Forces Preparing for AS
Sault at Some Point.
CAREFULLY CONCEAL
PLACE OF ATTACK
Cheers Following Fall Of Ant
werp Brighten Allies Into
Making a Charge.

Berlin (via The Hague and London.
Oct. 1S.-All the signs indicate that
change is impending in the protracted
struggle in Northern France, where for
weeks the hostile armies have faced
each other in such strongly intrenched
positions that neither has been able
TO advance except ut enormous cost.
The principal effect of the mutual
thanking operations has been to extend
the battle lines without either side
/ iinding weak spot
The German army which bcslcgcd
Antwerp is now free and the invading
forces have been strengthened other
wise for an assault against some point
in the extended battle front. The point
chosen for this offensive movement Is
being guarded jealousy. The bullee-
tins given out by the German head
quarters throw no light on the nature
of the stroke which Enthusiastically IL
impending. America q perhaps better
informed concerning this than is Ger
many. The latest bulletin reports this
stereotype, THE situation is I'M
changed"
Reports from the front say that the
irtrenched positions in the centre have
become full-hedged fortresses. The in
fantry is lodged in such deliberately
protected shelter pits that damage IL
done only when 4 heavy she'll strikes
squarely. Shrapncl or shell fragments
do not penetrate. The soldiers have
introduced mattresses, tables and other
comforts into these underground
rooms, IN which they live in compare
tive comfort except when IL is neces-
sary to man the trenches against in
fantry attacks. Heavy artillery is
PLANTED in masses near the line. These
guns include the twenty-five which
we're captured from the fortresses at
Givet, France.
Demonstrations and false alarms are
frequent. The fall of Antwerp caused
a sudden outhare of activity, the
cheers of the German troops causing
the French TO believe that a general
attack was impending, and drawing a
general fire from the French forces.
Near Rheims the Allies even launched
a counter attack TO anticipate an OK
pected German charge. German head
quarters state that the French report
OF repulse by the French Of night
attack near Ssint-Die, in the French
Department of Vosges, on October II,
had no other foundation than the Ger
man cheering, to which the French an
swered with d half hours heavy artil-
lcry and rifle fire along the seventeen
mile front.
The French still hold the eastern
frontier fortress line, although a num-
Der Of barrier forts have fallen. A
letter from German officer who was
before Toul describes the art with
- 4 Il. LIZ al
before and between the fortresses. The
French infantry is sheltered in three
story trenches. The bombproofs, even
in the infantry positions, are rooted
with concrete. against which all except
the heaviest shells are ineffective. Can
non in disappearing armored turrets
answer the continual German fire. Gel
lar telephones have been found in
houses outside the French lines, by
means Of which the position of the
German batteries has been betrayed.
Dogs carried letters and carrier pigeons
we're used, until the dogs were shot
and the pigeons were eaten.
The German officer in his letter eX-
pressed high praise of the French
aviators. Where the German earth
works were not concealed from aeris!
reconnaissance the appearance OF q
French aviator was invariably followed
by an artillery attack upon the posi-
ton.
"How tensely We watch our shrapnel
bursting around those acceptance, and
how seldom is one brought down. says
the writer "The German aviators arc
equally as good
The Swiss newspapers report severe
fighting and frequent artillery duels IN
the vicinity of Belfort, France. The
German papers are without direct news
regarding operations in this section.
Prince Joachim, youngest son Of En-
peror William. has been promoted TO
be a captain. and has been reassigned
AS staff officer in the 18th Army
Corps.