The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-09-04
World Surprised by the Remark
able Defense Of the Republic.
Capturing the Labyrinth-Llfe
OF French Soldier at the Front
Is Full of Comradeship-Scoff
at Talk Of Heroism.

French troops in the great Eu-
ropean war has made the
world sit up and take notice.
1t has been the remarkable defense Of
the republic which has kept the Ger
man back. In every arm of defense
France has shown wonderful inge-
nuity.
When the full history of the war In
the north Of France comes to be writ
ten an entire chapter may well be CIV
en- to the Homeric struggle which gave
land north of Arras known as the
Labyrinth" This combination Of forts
and trenches had been prepared by the
Germans during seven months after
the retreat from the Marine, and when
the French reached the outskirts of
Souchez, to the north, and the railroad
embankment almost to Givenchy from
Arras. the Labyrinth" became a sa-
llent Of the first importance, the worst
thorn In the side Of the French in the
advance on Lens.
Labyrinth Had to Be Taken.
The sector north Of Arras" has been
for the last month the opening para
graph in almost every communique Is
sued by the French war Office. 1t Is
here that the French and British forces
join, and the general objective Is Lille,
toward which the French are moving
In an easterly drive, the British adj
vancing south and east.
The Labyrinth" had to be taken at
any cost. Before victory crowned the
arms of France her soldiers had fought
for eighteen days without a moments
respite day OF night, hammered by I'M
ceasing shell fire, in many places en-
gaging In ~ferocious hand to hand con-
dicts in underground tunnels and con
crete trenches.
The losses on both sides were enor-
mou The French lost 1900 men. OF
the picked German troops ordered to
hold the position to the death one reg
iment was annihilated. 1--WE took 1000
prisoners. All the rest were killed." is
the laconic manner In which this is
told by the French official observer.
Ingenious Defenses.
The ground where this most terrible
of all the infantry engagements in the
western theater Of war vas fought is
situated just north Of Ecurie and south
Of Melville Saint Vast. 1t is about
two square miles in extent. The Ger
mans had toiled with infinite pains for
months, adding trench to trench and
digging deep into the earth to provide
bombproof shelters for the defenders.
In intricacy Of plan and In detail
of arrangement the Labyrinth" which
name was given to the position by the
French "poilus," has been compared to
the historic Hampton Court maze.
Hinged by an outer circle Of loop
holed parapets and barbed wire entan-
elements, the whole arenc was stud
ded with entrenched s~trongholds. each
village and farmhouse within the cir
Gle being Independently fortified and
connected by zigzags and trenches
lined with concrete and made extra
deep as shelter from shell fire. Under
ground galleries and tunnels ran cross
wise everywhere, bristling with can
non. trench mortars and machine guns.
Pitfalls, barricades, blind alleys. death
traps of every kind. barred the way
against the French assailants.
The actual storming of the "laby-
rinth" was begun by the French on
May 80. For days before this. how
there was rained on the French
positions a little to the north of Arras
such an awful fire of shell as had new
Or before, perhaps, been directed
against an army.
Terrific Struggle.
Everywhere, except on the right"
,ays the report Of the observer. made J