Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-10-03

and many feet of cement wall protec-
ton. are vulnerable to modern artil-
lery once their exact location is es-
tablished.
Titanic Devastation.
Each fort visited showed scenes of
titanic devastation and destruction.
Great gaping holes were opened in the
earth wherever the shells from the
big siege mortars landed, debris OF
stone and cement fragments Uttered
the surface within the fort enclosure
TO q depth Of a foot or more, the ce-
ment walls Of the revolving gun
turfets We're battered, cracked and
smashed and their armor plate roofs
showed great dents where shells had
landed but with few exceptions the
turrets We're still intact despite the
heavy hombardment The guns were
put out Of action not by shells pence
tratng the turrets hut because the
turrets themselves damned. making
the aiming OF the cannon impossible
The German shells, even those of the
dreaded l6 l-2-inch surprise" NOR
tar. had bounded off the armored
roofs, leaving deep cuts and splashes
where they had exploded, but with
out penetrating. but those striking the
concrete easing had cracked off frag-
ments which filled up the space be-
tween the turret and casing. effective
ly iamming the turning machinery.
German Forts Vulnerable.
German artillery experts say that
have the same general construction
and the Same weakness but point out
that in case Of attack much time must
be spent in locating the turrets. for
which hidden positions are skilfully
chosen At Liege the forts were To-
Gated on the SUBMITS on ridges with
the gun position in plain view for
miles. so that the German artillery
even without the assistance of their
maps Of the fortress, could drop their
shells upon the turrets as upon the
Of gigantic target.
The German experts pointed out as
another serious defect the absence OF
posts from which the fire
Of the forts could be directed and
In each fort was a spe
cics OF coming tower. serving also
ms searehlight turret, but so low
lying as to be useless in directing the
fire
The forts themselves. in the opinion
Of the German officers, were well laid
out and well designed for forts Of
heir age-twenty-fo -four to twenty-six
years-but the Belgians since then
had done little to keep them up to
date only of late had they awakened
to the necessity of undermining the
forts by putting in a better system Of
fire control. more telephones, etc, |
and had placed orders with German
firms for the necessary electric wiz
ng and plant and for additional can
non. These are now being installed I
lut by the Germans with the aid of
he original fortress plans captured /
when Liege fell.
A most Interested spectator during /
he inspection trip was pr. Earl Lieb- \
lneet, the socialist deputy whom the /
'orcign press reported executed early 1
n the war. He enjoyed the special ia
tor of the army officers in charge of /
he party. Their explanations were adj
lressed to him. the governor Of the
ortress Of Liege General Goleve,
anne to welcome him. After his in
pection of Liege Dr. Liebknecht de-
parted for Louvain and Brussels,
where he was received with the same
avor. DR. Ilebknecht will not hear
# the annexation of Belgium or any i
,art of it, condition Of peace upon
which the superpatriots have already
et their hearts.
The minute that an attempt is made
o incorporate Belgium or any part of
{ in Germany, that minute the boast
Vi unity of the German parties will
disappear. he said to the representa-
ives Of the general staff who accom-
'anied him in the automobile ride
round the fort grdle