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

were being extended TO discover the
various positions preparatory to the big
hattie which was expected on the NOR
row. October !, along the line of Gam
brai- Doua -Nalenciennes.
Germans Massed in Force.
at was understood the Germans had
massed in force at Cambria and that
strong wings were thrown out on both
sides. The outposts OF one wing, as we
have already seen. were coming into
touch with the French at Nitry. From
reports Of auto mitrailleuse men, who
cover great distances in day, similar
skirmishng had been taking place at
Etaing, where some farmhouses were
burned; Eterpigny, Croisllles, BolsleuX
and Boyelles, these places ranging
from ten to twenty kilometres from
Arras There was general exodus
from Ntry. and | obtained standing
room in a car of the last train LEAVING
for ArraS. II was loaded with lug
tives. -.... y
"Arras had changed completely On
my return. lis calmness was gone.
The station was empty OF civilians.
There were no trains running ana the
Station entrance was in charge %
strong picket Of soldiers. whlie inc
road outside echoed to the tread OF IN
fantry. stood still in amazemnt Waile
my papers were being closely exam
ined and watched regiment alter regl-
ment of foot. with transport trains
complete. marching out on the road 10
Douai. This was a part of the prepaia-
ton for the big battle which ] vas tod
was going to begin TIE ne%- day
in the town itself the transiorma-
ton was still more amazing. soldiers
we're i'm every street, cavalry, lnIaC'Ig
lancers. engineers. pIctu-
rescue MorOccans. in ones and twos. ~
parties of twenty or thirty. | never
saw such medley of cOlors or express
sions. There was material for one
army corps at least.
81 installed myself i'm quarters at the
Hotel de L'Univers. with the Intention
Of getting away the first thing ia me
if possible, but il was not pos
sible. | was informed that Arras vas
now under military CONTROL and no
permits were being issued. The lcU-
tenant who told me this smiled as
shrugged my shoulders. You will Dear
monsieur. that tried my best
TO get out said /.
"But why 20 away he asked with
a smile. 'Arras is a very pretty Town.
You have good hotel. a good bed and
good food. Why should you so obt'
And so ! stayed at Arras.
Meets Battle Chaperon.
THAT was September 80. The next
day could hear the guns. They
started at about O'Clock in the morn
ing. the French guns being IN position
about five kilometres outside Arras.
To the south-southeast and east were
sixteen batteries of French 75-centl-
metre artillery. All day long the guns
Numbered and reared and all day long
! sat outside the cafe of the Hotel des
Voyageurs, on the railroad station
plaza. The station building was right IN
front of me. longed for position that
would enable me to see over the tail
buildings to the battlefield beyond.
Even the roof of the station would
have suited. There was a little crowd
of officials already there with their
field glasses, and they could discern
what was going on, for ! noticed sew
eral pointing here and there whenever
q particularly loud explosion was
heard.
1.-TWO men in civilian clothes sat
down beside me and gave me good day.
Evidently they were curious as to my
| invited them to join me
in coffee and cognac. During the en-
suing conversation we all became very
friendly and ! was given to under
stand that one of them was volun-
teer driver of an to-mitrailleuse who
had Just come off duty. | remarked
that it would be very interesting TO
get sight of what was going on be-
hind the station.
us it very near, the battle" ]
asked. About five kilometres, mon
sieur. The German guns are ten ki'o-
metres distant. One of the German
shells exploded behind the station this
morning. Would monsieur like TO walk
out a little way?
"'But surely the pckets will not let
me pass beyond the barrier said !. Ny
good friend Of the -mitrallleuse
smiled. rose and buttoned up his coat.
Come with me-. he invited.
"At the barrier we were stopped, but
luck had not deserted me. for in tho
sergeant in charge of the rickets |
recognized another cafe acquaintance
OF the previous night. We shook hands,
exchanged cigarettes and proceeded Up
and down the numerous streets. bear
ing always southwark. in the direction
OF the firing, until the open country
was reached. My companion suddenly
caught hold Of my arm. and we both
jumped up a bank at the side OF the
road to let long string OF artiller"
drivers trot past on their way back for
more ammunition. A cloud of dust
coming up behind us was a fresh lot
OF shells on the way out to the firing
line.
Right up in the sky ahead sudden
~ appeared a ball of yellow-green
smoke. which grew bigger and bigger.
and then came the boom of a gun
about three seconds afterward. A
shell had burst in the air about three
hundred yards away. Another and
another appeared about the same
place. They seemed to come from
the direction of Bapaume.
every bad. very bad!' commented
my companion. and so it appeared 10
me. for the Germans were dropping
their shells from the southeast, at
least one kilo overrange. We were
standing beside the Strawstack and
looking due north, watching Just
discernible line of French guns, when
we heard the ominous whistling
screech of an approaching shell. Down
on our faces behind the stack we went
like lightning. Over TO the left, not
two hundred yards away, rose a huge
column of black smoke and earth, and
just afterward very loud report. A
big German gun had come into action,
slightly nearer this time, Just be
hind a wood | could plainly see the
smoke Of the gun Itself rising above