The Washington times., 1914-09-26
QUARRY A FORTRESS
FOR GERMAN ARMY
Bought in Advance and Pre-
pared in Secret, Says Lon-
don Correspondent.

LONDON. Sept. &.-The London
Morning Post correspondent. in dis
patch from Compiesne dated Tuesday,
SAYS:
The defense of the River Aisne by
the Germans was merely another of
their clever masking movements to
cover their real objective. and owing
TO the Typographical conditions, it is
tolerahly certain that comparatively few
troops were required. The river once
taken by the French, the Germans lost
no time in falling back to their real
positions, which proved Of extraordinary
strength.
The key to this position is a natural
horseshoe of quarires extending around
the Disc from Giraumont and Anthsul
to Machemok. The whole position is
piegne, the quarries. situated on the
face of a steep declivity forming tn ,
boundary of the plateau. consisting Of
galleries. They are ordinary stone
quarries. and the galleries extend. I IN
derstand, for miles in some places. COM
municating with each other undet-
ground.
Most Powerful Fortress.
About five years ago they were ac-
quired bv German interests. since when
considerable work has been done secret
ly in them in the way of REINFORCED
concrete traverses and possibly gun
emplacements. The result was that the
extensive plateau constituted a most
powerful fortress capable Of containing
large numbers of troops.
BY a curious chance, the population
of the neighborhood. in endeavoring to
save their stock from the invaders had
driven herds of cattle. sheep. and pigs
into the galleries for concealment, con-
sequentlv the defenders could not lack
provisions.
Further protecting the German
right wing, as the position did. with
means of communication open to
Noyon and all along the rear of the
German lines eastward, its base
strongly established upon the Disc
with the forest of fAigle on the other
side of the river. it faced any turning
movement by the allied left wing.
Consequently. in the taking of it, the
essential bombardment began serious
ly on the 18th. when the heavy French
guns began to come up. but the Ger
mans-also having big artillery-were
able to reply on equal terms.
knowledge of Ground.
AT this period the German troops
were not yet entirely thrown back on
their fortified position. and heavy in
fantry fighting took place at some lit
tie distance in broken wooded country
The French artillery stuck to it's work.
and after a night of continuous can
nonading had the mastery. The Ger
mans apparently were leaving the
auarries even toward the northern limit
and falling back eastward.
1T may be said that the efficient
work of the quarry position was largely
due to the fact that the approaches
were clear of trees and gave little cover
to attacking infantry. This also applies
to the line of retreat of their heavy
guns, which ] judge has taken place via
CoUcy toward Anizy. This line leaves
fairly open plain country between high
ground and the River Aisne.
''In fact, the whole of the German
maneuvers. so far as / have recently
followed them. shows evidence of re-
markable ability in seizing the best pos
sible strategic position. either for offense
or defense, thus demonstrating their
thorough knowledge OF the ground"