New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-11
FRENCH MINERS DIG
UNDER FOES GUN
Continued from page J

and n half miles from our front. We
sent n party out to bury them, but IL
was fred upon and had 20 withdraw.
"On Tuesday, tho 9th, the enemys
guns were active in the afternoon. IL
Ia believed that tho bombardment was
duo 10 anger because two OF our how
itzer shells had dctonated right in ore
Of the enemy's trenches which wa,
full Of men. Three horses were kiliec
by tho German fire.
"Wedntsday, the 7th, was uneventful.
On Thursday, the 9th, the Smelling by
tho enemy Of locality on our front
which has so far been The scene OF
their greatest efforts was again con-
tinuous.
"Opposite one or two points the Ger
mans have attempted TO gaS ground
by sapping in some places with The
view of secretly pushing forward ma
chine guns in advance OF their
trenches, so that they can suddenly
sweep with cross fire the space be-
tween our line and theirs, and SO take
any advance Of ours on the flank.
Miners Blow Up Foes Gun.
ct is reported that at one point
where the French were much annoyed
by the fire of German machine gun
which was otherwise inaccessible they
drove mine gallery nifty metres
(about ffty-fve YARDS long up to ana
under the emplacement and pew up
the gun. The men who drove the gar
lery belonged TO corps when was
recruited in one of the coal mining
districts of France.
"The German machine guns are
La nd NJ
spicuous and evidently easily moved.
THE fighting now consists mostly
of Smelling by the artillery of both
sides and in front line OF flre from
the machine guns as an occasional tar
get offers. Our Maxims have been do.
ing excellent work and have proved
most efficient weapons for the sort Of
fighting in which we are now engaged.
"At times there are so many out
bursts Of their fire in different direc-
tions that it is impossible for an ex-
pert to tell by comparison which OF
our guns have their springs adjusted
and are we'll tuned up for the day.
The amount Of practice that our Off
GERS are now getting in the use OF tins
weapon is proving most valuable in
teaching them how to maintain 1t at
concert pitch as an instrument ana
how to derive the best tactical results
from its employment.
Against us the Germans now are
not expanding so much gun ammuni-
ton as they have been, but they con-
tinue to fire at Insignificant targets
They have the habit of suddenly drop
ping heavy shells without warning IN
| localities or villages far behind our
front line, possibly on the chance OF
catching some Of our troops in bivouac
or billets. They also fire few rounds
at night
"The artillery has, up to now, played
so great a part in the war that rev
general remarks descriptive Of the
methods of its employment by the en-
| envy are justified. Their field artillery
armament consists of fifteen FOUNDER
quick firing guns for horse and field
/ batteries Of divisions, and there are
IN addition, with each corps three 70
six batteries Of 4.3-inch field howit'
zers and about two batteries OF 5.9'
/ inch howitzers. With an army there
are some s2-inch heavy howitzers.
"The accuracy Of their fire is APT
at first to cause some alarm, more
especially as the guns are usually
we'll concealed and the position and
/ the direction from which the fire 1:
proceeding are difficult OF detection
| But. accurate as is taeir shooting, the
/ German gunners have, on the whole
/ had little luck, and during the last
| three weeks an astonishingly small
proportion Of the number Of shells
! fired by them have been really effec
| tive.
Germans Concentrate Fire.
"Ouite the most striking feature OF
tbeir handling Of the artillery is the
speed with which they concentrate the
/ fire upon any selected point. They dis
pense to a great extent with themetho c
| of ranging known by US as bracketlng
especially when acting on the defen
sive. and direct their fire by means
Of squared maps and the telephone
! Thus, when the target is found, its po-
| sition on the map is telephoned to such
batteries as it is desired to employ
against that particular square.
"In addition to the guns employed
TO fire on the targets as they are picked
ND others are told off to watch par
ticular roads and to deal with any OF
the enemy using them.
"Both for the location of targets and
| the communication of the effect Of the
/ fire reliance is placed on observation
| from aeroplanes and balloons and on
/ information supplied by special obser-
ers and secret agents, who are sent out
ahead or left behind in the enemy's
| lines to communicate by telephone or
signal. These observers have been
found in haystacks. barns and other
buildings we'll in advance Of the Ger
man lines.
Balloons of the so-called sausage
pattern remain in the air for long pc.
RODS for the purpose OF discovering
} targets, and until our aviators made
their influence felt By chasing all hos.
/ tile aeroplanes on sight the latter were
continually lowering over our troops TO
! register their positions and to note
where the headquarters, reserves and
gun teams were located.
"lf suitable targets are discovered
| the airman drops a smokeball directly
over it or lets fall some STRIPS OF
tinsel, which glitter in the sun as
they slowly descend to the earth. The
range to the target is apparently as
certained by those near the guns by
means of a large telemetre, or other
range finder, which is kept trained on
/ the aeroplane, so that when the signal
| is made the distance to the target YER
| tcally below is at once obtained. A
! few rounds are then fired and the re-
suit is signalled back by the aviator
according to some prearrspged code"