New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-25

every summons 70 surrender. Hano
grenades were brought up. bound 20 z
backing of boards and exploded against
the openings into the casemates, filling
these with showers OF steel splintcrs.
Pioneers, creeping up to the dead ang le
of the classmates, where the fire OF the
defenders could not reach them, di-
rected smoke tubes and stink-pots
against apertures into the citadel. fill
ing the rooms with suffocating smoke
and gases.
"Have you had enough? >" they were
asked after the first smoke treatment.
NO." was the defiant answer.
The treatment was rencated second
| ana third time, the response TO the de-
mand FOR surrender each time growing
weaker. until finally the defenders were
no longer able TO raise their rifles. and
the fort was taken. When TIE sur
vivors Of the plucky garrison were able
TO march out, revived by the fresh air,
thew found their late opponents pre-
senting arms before them in recoeni-
ton of their gallant stand. They were
granted the most honorable terms IF
surrender. Their officers were allowed
70 retain their swords, and on their
march toward an honorable captivity
:hey were everywhere greeted with OK
prcssions of respect and admiration.
"Goulash Cannon" in Operation.
Headquarters guard here WAS COM
posed of company of infantry. The
company's field kitchen, the soup boiler
and oven on wheels, which the German
army copied from the Russians, and
which the soldiers facetiously and af
fectiouately name their "goulash can
non" had that day, the captain said,
fed go men, soldiers of his own and
passing companies, headquarters ct
taoh6s, wounded and the detachment Of
French prisoners.
Experienced German officers rank
the field kitchens with the sturdy legs
OF the infantry, the German heavy ar
tillery and the aviation corps as four
Of the most important factors in tie
showing made by the German armies.
Beyond st. Benoit and Cote Lorraine
range OF wooded hills running north
and south along the east bank Of the
Meuse rises in steeply terraced slopes
several hundred feet from the frontier
plain, interposing q natural rampant
between Germany and the French line
of fortresses beyond the Meuse. The
French had fortified these slopes with
successive rows of trenches, permitting
line above line of infantry to fire
against an advancing enemy. For days
a desperate struggle was waged for the
possession of the heights. which was
imperative for the German campaign
against the line of fortresses.
Germans do not mention the extent
of their losses in any particular action,
but it was admitted and evident that
it had cost high price to storm those
steep slopes and win a position in the
woods browning the range from which
their batteries could be directed
against the French forts. Vigneullles.
a village at the foot of the hillside
shot into ruins by artillery and with
every standing bit OF house wall
SCARED with bullet marks from the
hand-to-hand conflicts which had
swayed to and fro in its streets, was
typical of all the little stone-built
towns serving as outposts TO this nat
ural fortress which had been the scene
of embittered attacks and counter at
tacks before the German troops could
fight their way up the hillsides.
Guns Surprise of War.
The combat is still raging on this day
lLOUl llOILI anu SOuiu dkdluSl INC StE-
ment Of this range captured by the
Germans. The French, massing their
troops by forest paths from Verdun
and Toul, throw them against the Ger
mans in desperate endeavors to break
the lines which protect the sites for the
German siege artillery, heavy mortars
Of 8l4 and 1612 calibre and an inter
mediate sized type and Austrian auto
mobile batteries of twelve-inch siege
guns.
The correspondent had no opportu-
nifty to inspect at close range the l6ie-
inch guns, the GROWERS" of Liegc,
Namur and other fortresses, which
Krupp and the German army uncOv
cred as the surprise of this war. They
could he heard even from Metz speak
ing at fve-minute intervals. A battery
of them. dug into the ground so that
only the gun muzzles projected above
the pits, was observed in action at q
distance Of about half mile, the flash
of flame being visible even at that dis
lance.
Their smaller sisters were less coy.
A dismounted battery of the interme-
date calibre, details of which are not
for publication, was encountered by the
roadside, awaiting repairs to the heavy
els in sections along the country roads,
while the German SA inch (2l cent?
metre) and the Austrian 12-inch (30.5
centimetre) batteries were seen in ac-
ton.
Aviators Seek Guns in Vain.
The heavy German battery lay snug
~ hidden in a wood on the rolling
Eoi,-H+c 90 the Cote Lorraine. Better
~ Il. - L.
49,. 4our DAYS repeatedly ScrutiniZed
every acre of land in the vicinity look
mo for these guns, we had fairly accu-
rate directions how to find the battery
but even then it required some search
\ G-ublino back and forth before
languid cannonier, Longing by the
roadside, pointed with thumb over
shoulder toward the hidden guns.
These and the artillerymen were en-
loving their midday rest, pause which
sets in every day with the regularity
oil the luncheon hour in factory. The
guns--two, in this particular position
stood beneath a screen OF thlckly
branching trees, the muzzles pointing
toward round openings in this lesfy
roof. The gun carriages were screened
with branches, the shelter tents of the
men and the house for the ammunition
had also been covered with green, and
around the position hedge of boughs
kept off the prying eyes of possible
French spies wandering through the
woods.
Il was the noon pause, but the lieu
tenant in charge OF the guns, eager TO
show them off to advantage, volun-
teered 70 telephone the battery COM
mander, in his observation post, four
miles nearer the enemy, for permission
TO fire a shot or two against village
in which French troops were gathering
for the attack. This battery had just