New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-18

"@HE important part that the topography Of
the country is playing in the present
war was outlined by Douglas W. john
son, professor of photography at CO.
lumbia University, one of the most prominent
physiographists in the United States. Professor
Johnson has lectured on the same subject before
the Academy of Science in this city. On several
occasions he has visited what is now the war dis
triet, studying the photographic features of the
country and including in his researches the Paris
Basin and the plateau of Western Germany. In
his interview he demonstrated that the invasion
Of Belgium as carried out by the Germans was
not resorted to the spur of the moment, but
was long and carefully planned.
For the last two months in following the course
of the war Professor johnson has indicated the
position of the contending forces by coored pins
on Photographed maps. In tie headquarters
of the commanding general and his staff are maps
Sery similar to those that the professor has made
ase Of, and the strategists keep these maps up
30 the minute by shifting the pins in accordance
with telephone messages that keep them i'm
formed of the most recent movements of The
armies. AS an emergency arises the general gives
directions to meet it from study of his map
He knows every road and every deviation of the
country All irregularities are on the map be
fore him. All maneuvres directed from this
printed record. The men themselves often do
not know their own position. At times even the
officers are kept in partial ignorance Of the role
they are enactng under the brd's-eye view OF
headquarters all such man@uvres are in
stantly recorded, and all other things being equal
the general who makes the best of his know!-
edge of topography must inevitably win.
GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF EUROPE A FAC
TOR IN PRESENT WAR.
Before he discussed the actual conditions of the
campaign Professor Johnson described briefly the
top graphical features of the country where 1t
is being fought Topography, he said, is deter
mined by geologic structure and therefore the
events in the geologic history of Western Europe
are directly responsible for the course Of the
present war.
According to the professor, the present theatre
of war is formed from series of completely
Folded crystalline rocks of mountainous charac-
ter. These rocks were once reduced by long
erosion to a vast plain level with the sea.
The plain was flooded and submerged, the sur
face Of the rocks meanwhile having become bey-
elled Layers Of chalk, limestone and sandstone
we're deposited by the action Of the water and
later the surface was raised above the ocean ana
subjected again TO the eroding action Of wind and
weather The plain, however, raised or
warped from the sea uneNehlyi us DOfuefs DeCaho
higher than its centre; great basin or saucer
was for ed and this basin, whose rim runs across
the Channel into the British Isles, was again
worn down until in many places the softer chalEs
and limestones were washed away, 70 expose the
original crystalline rocks. Thus cliffs escarp-
ments were formed facing away from Paris tow
ard the north and east. Hence has come the
name of the Paris Basin Around its margin
h.
rise above the softer stones. The slope leading
from Paris rises gently and then drops from
fifty to several hundred feet 1t begins once