Evening journal., 1914-12-23
british FEAR NEW
German ATTACK
Building Trenches About
London to Balk Feared
Invasion
MILLION SOLDIERS
DEFEND THE COAST
By The United Press.

NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-Trenches are
being dug about London and extraor-
binary precautions arc being taken
throughout the English coast region
in anticipation of - further German
raid or invasion. This information
reached the United Press today from
a reliable private source in England.
The trench digging around London
began two months ago. It was an
nounced at the time that this was
mere practice work for recruits. This
pretense has now been abandoned.
Any traveller by road out Of London,
especially to the north and northeast
has ample opportunities to observe
lines of trenches that would do credit
to seasoned sappers in Flanders.
These extend in an almost unbroken
line from Hendon. on the northeast
and thence southwark as far as the
Thames.
For two months the German inva-
sion has been expected next week
The German cruisers made their raid
on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whit
by. but that the actual invasion Is
overdue is cauCing no relaxation Of
vigilance or preparation on the part
of General Sir Ian Hamilton com
maLder-in-chief of the German forces.
It is known in ondon that Lord
Kitchener recently made a personal
tour of inspection CT the points on the
east coast where il is considered most
likely the Germans may attempt ianu
ing.
Altogether there are now modified
along the coast from Dover TO Lelth APP
proximately half a million men.
large part of these are Territorials, but
at important points are a number oil
regiments OF seasoned regular troops.
All the cast coast harbors, inlets and
waterways have been mined. day and
night patrol of sea planes, steam
yachts. motorboats and armed steam
trawlcrs is maintained. Tho navy has
provided some 500 trawlers, manned by
navy gunnors. Altogether, there are
about ] 600 small vessels armed an'
unarmed, now on this patrol service be
tween Dover and Leith.
Their vigilance is chiefly directed q
such stretches of coast as offer oppor
tunity for the landing of troops II
small boats. For the most part thes'
places arc located remote from fortified
ports, lying low almost on level will
the sea. Such stretch is the kentisl
coast line near Sandwich and in Essex
Suffolk and Norfolk
Many of the east coast towns hav
been converted practically into milhar,
camps and from most of them the CT
william population has already left. j
others, the townspcople are under order
to be prepared to leave at moment
notice.
Thirty thousand troops are billete'
at Felixstowe, in Suffolk. Simila
conditions obtain at Cromer. in Nor
folk. Concealed trenches and barbe
wire entanglements have been con
structed near the shore wherever tn
military strategists have figure
there is the slightest chance OF th
Germans attempting 10 get foot
hold. Artillery has also been place
and further inland successive lines o
trenches have been dug along posi-
bic routes Of invasion in the even
the shore guards should be reruiset
Along the shore the patrols OF SINAI
craft are supplemented by cychs
scouts. Day and night these militar
riders. reinforced by some $4,000 q
General Baden-P owell's Boy Scout
cover the boats.
A new system Of telegraph and tele
phone service for the exclusive ser'
ice Of military has been installe
along the cast coast, the existin
wires having been found inadequate
The rest of England's coast ha
not been neglected. but patrols az
not so thick or troops so numerou
as in the cast. Parts of the Scottis
coast are being closely watched.
we'll as the coasts OF Ireland. In vie
Of the fact that It is quite possib
for German troop ships TO sli
throug the Straits Of Dover runnin
the risk of mines in fog, the low
lying portions of the south coast al
also being guarded, especial preca'
ions being taken in the vicinity
Pevensey, where William the Coz
lueror landed in 1866.