New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-16
BATTLES IN AIR GO ON AS
ARMIES LIE INTRENCHED
Eyewitness Attached to General French staff Supple
ments Official Reports-Smokeless Powder
DESTROYS Aeroplanes Usefulness.

, one place they ran east and west along
one side of a valley. at another almost
north and south up some subsidiary
valley.
Here they line the edge OF woods
and there they are on the reverse 81 ope
of a hill, or, possibly, along sunken
road, and at different points both the
German and the British trenches jet
out like promontories into what might
be regarded as the opponents territory
Though both sides have moved for
ward at certain points and withdrawn
at others, no very important change
has been effected in their dispositions,
in spite of the enemy's repeated coun-
ter attacks. These have been directed
principally against one portion of the
position won by us, but. in spite OF
the lavish expenditure Of life, so far
they have not succeeded in driving us
back.
"The situation of the works in the
German front line as whole has been
q matter Of deliberate selection, for
they have had the advantage of prevl e
Gus reconnaissance. being first in the
field.
Germans Prepare for Retreat.
Behind the front they now have
several lines prepared for step-by-
step defence. Another point which
might cause astOnishment TO visitor
to our intrenchments is the evident in
difference displayed 10 the provision
Of an extended field of frontal rife fire,
which is generally accepted rs being
one of the great requirements OF n de-
fensive position.
at is still desirable. il II can be
obtained without the usually accom-
panying drawback OF exposure to the
direct FIRE Of hostile artillery, but eX-
perience has shown that short field
Of FIRE is sufficient TO beat back the
infantry assaults .of the enemy, and,
by giving up direct fire at long or
medium ranges and placing our
trenches or the reverse slope OF hill
or behind the crest, il is in many
places possible TO gain shelter from
the frontal fire of the German guns,
Tor the men are well trained in mus
kerry and under good fire control, and
The dead ground beyond the short
range from their position has com
paratively small terrors.
"Many Of the front trenches of the
Germans equally lack a distant field
Of fire, but if lost they would be rem
dered untenable by us by the fact that
they would be exposed to a fire from
the German guns in the rear and TO
rife cross-fre from neignboring works
"The extent TO which cross-tire of al.
kinds is employed is also remarkable.
Many localities and areas along the
Aisne are not swept from the works
directly i'm front of them. but are rem
dered untenable by rifle fire from
neighboring features or by that Of
guns that are out Of sight. SO much
is this the case that among these hills
and valleys il is a difficult matter for
troops 10 find out whence they are
being shot at.
"There is a perpetual triangular duel.
As infantry can see nothing to shoot
at, but is under fire from BIS guns.
The action OF BIS guns then brings
upon these the attention Of some of
AS artillery waiting for target, the
latter being in their turn assailed by
other batteries.
"And so it goes on. In a wooded
country, in spite Of aeroplanes and
balloons. smokeless powder has made
the localization and identif ,cation Of
targets matter of supreme difficulty"