New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-20
Work of Infantry at the
Front Now Largely
Subterranean.
NOTHING TO WATCH
BUT THE ARTILLERY
French Army Cook Almost Feeds
Germans, and Barely
Escapes with Life.
by G. INMAN BARNARD.
tParis Correspondent Of Tho Tribune.

Paris Correspondent OF The tribune
Paris, Oct. 19.-The following mes
sage from Scottish friend, Gordon
Smith, written on Saturday at Cham
feury, between Rheims and Epemay,
gives an idea of the situation there:
"The German Plevna fort still holds
out When ] left Rheims three weeks
ago the battle was raging all along the
line. The batteries opposite Montchenet
were bombarding the fort of Nogent
lAbbesse, which was keeping up a
heavy fire on a redOUbt where British
guns were intrenched, not forgetting
from time TO time 10 drop shell or
two into Rheims itself This still con-
tinues. The German army, which had
gone to the ground in miles Of trenches
Of the most formidable nature, had an
almost impregnable position. A terrier
cannot follow mole, and the battle,
therefore, continued 20 be one OF long
range guns.
"All along the heights to the east
of Rheims, right up to the horizon,
cannon thunder night and day. With
powerful glass it is possible. TO distin-
guish the long lIcs of German
trenches, but not colder, French or
/ German, is visible. The Germans still
hold Fort Nogent pAbbesse and Fort
| Becru.
What is incomprehensible to the lay
mind is that these works werc not de-
/ stroyed when some years ago the
| French military authorities decided
that these forts had ceased to have a
military value. IL is true that since
/ they were constructed the force OF ex-
/ plosives has so increased that their de-
struction by modern siege guns is GER
/ tain. The intrenched camp at Rheims,
/ therefore, was abolished and the town
/ declared an open one, and as such, ac-
cording to the laws of civilized war
fare, exempt from bombardmenr. But
this paragraph in the Hague conven-
/ tions is a mere scrap of waste paper
/ for the German artillerymen. The re-
suit is that as l write | can see Fort
Nogent PAbbesse pouring shells into
/ Rheims.
Further Progress Forbidden.
"My safe conduct was good as far as
! Ormes, village two miles from
Rheims, but at Champheury, two miles
south Of Ormes, | came up against the
infiexible "consigne" of Lieutenant G.,
an officer in command of the field gen
Garmerie, who refused to allow any
further progress. Il am sorry to re-
fuse ANYTHING to an American news
paper correspondent he said, but my
orders are explicit to allow nobody to
pass into the firing zone He explained
that German shells had fallen in the
village during the night. Nothing re
NAMED but to watch the progress of
the engagement from Champheury. OF
course, nothing can be seen OF the
work of the infantry, which is now sub
terranean. The pick and spade are
more important than the rifle. The
French have pushed their trenches in
some instances within 300 yards of the
! German lines.
ain regard 70 this Lieutenant B,
of - regiment of infantry, holding
Champfeury, told me a few days ago
that a cook of his company had only
finished cooking dinner late at night.
The regimental wagons had gone
astray and only joined the column
after 8 o'clock. When the meat aad
been prepared the cook started off,
carrying it on a large grill q yard
square. The cook lost his way in the
darkness ard after wandering about
came across a trench. IS this the
9th Company ne asked. TO mis- as
constituent the soldier he addressed
rose to mis- feet, and the cook saw that
he wore a spiked helmet. The cook
turned and ran for his life, followed
by a storm of bullets. Strange 10 say,
out of ore hundred shots fred only
one hit him, inflicting a slight wound
on the left arm; but the cook brought
back his grilled beef dinner intact, al
though cold.
Battle at Night Becomes Grandiose.
Especially at night the battle around
Rheims becomes grandiOse. had
night after night heard the thunder Of
guns. but could not understand how
the heavy artillery could do efficient
work in the darkness. but shortly after
dusk | found an explanation Of the
mystery. Two miles away, across the
plain, a searchlight blazed out for
thirty seconds and then disappeared.
An instant later came the fash of a
big German gun. | watched the point
on which the searchlight had been
turned and then saw the fash of a
bursting shell. Five minutes later the
searchlght flashed from a new posi-
ton. This maneuyre was repeated
time and again all along the horizon,
searchlghts flashing in every direction
and the thunder of guns rolling down
to Champfeury.