Rock Island Argus., 1914-11-16
SIDELIGHTS
--ON--
European War

London.-(Correspo of the
Associated Press).-Modern fighting
! strategy. at first rather helpless be-
fore the aerial and artillery factors,
is beginning to adapt itself to the new
| conditions and along the great Aisrt,
been busy devising schemes to meet
these problems. Probably the most
useful work of the aeroplane has been
the location of positions and conse-
quent direction of artillery fire often
resulting in terrible losses to the at
tackled army.
According to a distinguished Lon
don surgeon, now serving as a volun-
teer in the Army Medical Corps, the
British troops have become adopts at
building dummy trenches to attract
the enemy's fire. These trenches are
| thrown up with great fidelity and
dummy figures and guns are left in
them patiently awaiting the German
aeroplane scouts. Believing he h.
discovered a new position the aviator
signals to the nearest German bat
terry, and a storm of shells fall upon
the unoccupied trenches. 1t is usu-
ally only after a great waste of valu-
able ammunition that the trick is dis
covered.
Another favorite device is the in
vention of a British signaller whereby
a heliograph can be operated at a dis
tance of two miles by means of a tel
egraph wire. This heliograph begins
to send out messages purporting to
emanate from headquarters staff, and
believing they have located the brains
of the British army the German artil-
lery devotes its attention to the spot
masked by the flashes from the hello.
graph. Sometimes the heliograph is
destroyed, but usually the operator
ceases work when the fire becomes
so heavy that no staff in its senses
would remain in the vicinity. A new
apparatus is set up in some position
where the staff would be likely to re-
move should it be driven from the
first selected place.
Along the front where the oppos-
ing trenches are within a few hun
dred yards of each other the allies
have devised a system of tormenting
the enemy by keeping them awake at
night. Regular skirmish details are
selected each night, and in a thin
skirmish line they advance as close
as possible and pour in a rattling fire.
The response is almost instant and in
such volume as to indicate that the
Germans believe general attack is
beginning. Several times during the
night these tactics are repeated.
The surgeon who has just returned
from the front reports that contrary
to the usual belief the trenches are
not very wet, but he believes that with /
the coming of the heavy winter rains |
conditions along the Aisne will be- |
come terrible. The tension is already |
so great that many have reached the |
swapping point until the insane ward |
at Netley is filled with officers and sol |
diers who have lost their reason when !
disease is added to the terror of bat |
tie
One of the optimistic features of |
the situation is an improvement in the |
transport of the wounded from the
battle front to hospitals in England.
Two weeks ago it was often as long.
from the scene of the fighting to South
ampton, and now the same trip is
made in from three to four days. This
speeding up has resulted in a great
acceleration in the recovery of the
wounded. for they reach
the hospitals within the period of in
lection.