Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
A

Inc D2ltIe Wflcr ilrSt one
"A side and then the other had
gained a temporary ascend
ency, the great war machine
had succeeded in cutting off portion of
the enemy's force, damned them whirling
back under the brunt of superior num-
bers until they were cornered and shut
up within the Notifications of strong
city.
Fortunately for the opposing force. the
detachment cut off was not serious
loss to the main line of battle. for it
had never effected Il junction with the
field armies. Fortunately. too, the war
machine could not advance further until
the shut-up force was taken. for with
an advance in sight, il the beleaguered
force were not held in check. it would
establish horrible menace to the line
of communications. Therefore, it had
become necessary to reduce the city by
siege operations. and large 1orce had
been set aside for the purpose.
In the meantime. as many troops
We're necessary for this purpose. the war
machine had dug itself into the. ground
the far side OF Il river 10 maintain
:. stolid defense with inferior numbers
until the fall of the city released the in
vesting force, when offensive operations
would be resumed.
The great soldier who comma nded the
other field force was perfectly willing to
wait. From afar over seas, colonial
troops were gathered to come to his aid
In the homeland, raw levies We're fever
lshiy drilling TO prepare themselves for
field service, ard the pause came as
something OF boon.
The besieging infantry hoping
against hone to take the place by sur
prise. had hurled itself against the front
Of the trenches until they and the forts,
Ehich stood like rocks at various points
along the line. opened up with a hail
81 steel and rame. and the infantry
shattered itself upou the blast And
after the shatterinS the besieged force
had launched itself i'll q powerful sorIie
against the broken troops and hurled
them back pell-mell to where they be-
lOnGed.
After the repulse the besieeine force
had suddenly Withdrawn to hastily pre-
pared trenches and calmly sGuatted
down TO await the more or less slow
process of reduction
Tine city itself stood well back within
tile ring OF forts. Twelve modern forti-
fcation encircIed the town on a line
between were filled with zigzagging
trenches which could deliver a Are in
all directions, providing for the con-
centration of cross fire from half a
dozen points upon an attack. At in
tervals the open trenches were
strengthened by redoubts ana Iunettes
small fortifications which afforded pro-
lection from shrapnel fire Where a
dip or fold in the ground occurred
caponnieres were erected. squat COW
cred blockhouses which barely pok ed
their crests above the surface and COW
cred with their fire the front of neigh
boring works. An enemy advancing
came upon them unexpectedly and
"ithered under their fire
For the purpose OF speedily inter-
tracked throughout, made complete
loop directly in rear OF the line of forts,
ana on 1t supplies. ammunition and re-
lniorcements were rushed from point
TO point as needed.
Great searchlights crouched behind
strong cover during the day. to creep
out at night on their fat-topped cars
along the railway and blaze out in IN
expected places when an attack devel-
oped under the canopy of darkness.
TheT never biazed in the same place
t%ice and the great beams of silver
which shot from them never rested long
In one place: they went out at about
the time the hostile artillery had To-
Gated them and was about to fire a
cloud of squelching shrapnel The
shrapnel always came, but rarely found
the target.
The front of the trenches and the
elacis of the permanent works were
covered with bewildering network OF
barbed wire. loosely coiling between
stakes firmly driven into the earth
Taut wire is more easily cut and does
not grasp the legs of stormers in SER
pentine curls.
The wire entanglements were aug
mented by various devices of war te
impede the enemy's advance. The en-.
tanglements themselves were. in some
places. about 800 yards deep. and il
front of them and in rear V hole field.
we're pitted with trous de ioup, vol