The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-06
ARMIES ON MOVE,
Decisive Battles Arc Not Ex-
pected Before Ten Days.
British Military Expert Writes
Of Present Situation.

10y COlOneI fSeQ108tOus HuAlAtoEy ga
pert Of the London Times.)
London, Aug. s.-Russia's FIRST line
of march Of two million mon will take
several weeks to reach the Austro-
German frontiers, which have q good
defensive organization. Mobilization
and concentration Of vast armies take
time. To advance before the whole
operating forces are in line and avail
al lie il not usually advantageous.
1t will take Germany nine days
more to place upon tho French from
tier forces adequate to challenge the
French masses. It will take about the
same time to assemble all her army
organizations. The advance on one
side or the other or both can hardly
begin before August II. ana the de-
cisive battles OF the war are expected
to take place between August 16 and
%.
SkiFmishes= Come First.
During the next week or ten days
combats and battles OF which we shall
probably read will not be a shock OF
the decisive, but covering troops or
ganized on the frontier, Their work
is to cover and protect from hostile
incursions the zone OF concentration
OF the main armies. The duties OF the
covering armies will be defensive.
They will act in cooperation with the
frontier fortresses. II during the next
ten days they prevent the enemy from
breaking into the concentration zone,
their mission will be successful.
There are six German army corps in
the covering army against France.
These are the Fourteenth at Karls-
ruhe, the Fifteenth at Strassburg, the
Sixteenth at Metz. the Twenty-first at
Saarbruclke. the eighth at Cobletz and
the Second Bavarian, partly in Lor-
raine. II, as the French report. there
are two other army corps employed
upon covering duties. they may be the
Thirteenth at Stuttgart and the
troops may be added eleven cavalry d.
visions which, II we count six army
corps and ten cavalry divisions win
give Germany about 3O0.Csv men on the
frontier for covering duties In addi-
ton to the garrisons.
162. 900 rifles. 1900 sabers and 1.044
guns.
Had 1t not been for the three years
law. which has filled the French
ranks. the French force would have
been unduly weak.
French Prepared.
There are five French army corps
available for covering duties. These
are the Seventh at Amiens. covering
the border from Given to Audunlero-
man, the Sixth at ChalOns. acting be-
tween Brey and Ponkmousson. the
Twentieth at Nancy. from Ponkmous-
son to Blamont, the Seventy-first at
Epinal, tand lastly the Seventh a
Besaconad. We must Judge that the
French covering army, about 100000
strong, il adequate to make itself re-
spected and to prevent the enemy'a
concentration Of his forces
Armies cannot emerge out OF space
and all this preliminary stage OF
grand operations has been very fully
thought out in France. There has
been nothing at present which has
not been quits normal and expected
except. only. the total disregard by
states. A frontal attack upon the
| troops and fortresses on the eastern
frontier Of France II very uninviting
Use Of the Belgian territory within
the triangle formed by Namur. ArloF
and Aix-la-Chappe1le for the purposes
of q German attack upon. France. tt
turn the left Of the French defenses
| has been expected. 1t would be nor
NAL for such action to be taken. A
the same time 1t must be remarked
that the direction Of the main German
and that we need authentic report,
and definite information before W,
! can be sure that Belgium Is to b,
used or not.
| AS it now appears, the air craft viii
soon bring u definite information.
If the German troops cross tn,
frontier in such numbers that tn
| Belgians cannot resist them, sh,
should unite her army with the troop
on the left of the French line. A re
tirement on Antwerp would be preJu
army might be cooped up there an.
would exercise no aerioua inf7uence