Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-05-12
CHURCH Towers !.
!. FOR USE: J. IN ! WAR n 4
Books Purporting to Be British
|f3'sF Secret Instructions Found
H. i. by Germans. .., +.
ALL BELGIUM is COVERED
Journal Cathedral and Other EdIfiees
Noted-AFieId Of Vision and Fire"
r. From Top Glven-Routes Care
-. 3 {,.. fully Indicated.
a. \, OSWALD | 3 e. scHUETTE.

~ Correspondent Chicago Daily News.)
Berlin, Germany Ffty.six churches
In Belgium were officially designated
rs military observation points" by thu
British war Office in printed instruc
tons for officers that have fallen inte
the hands OF the German army. &; II,
& The designations are contained II
the Road, River and Billeting Repor
for Belgium, <, issued in four paper
bound volumes Sot / 100 to 200 pages
each. have seen the volumes at the
general stan and have made my notes
direct from them. They are marked
Secret and Confidential" with this
specific warning printed across the
title page: \. !,
Confidential. This book is the prop
;erty OF H. b. NJ. government and ii
intended for the personal information
OF --:. who is personally responsible
for It's safe custody. The contents ART
to be disclosed only to authorized per
sons" =. Z, (: - Y X: ,ys
Reconnaissance Cover Four Years.
The imprint bears the date 1914
and the contents declare them the re
suit of 1913. They contain interesting
and exhaustive details Of the roads ant
rivers Of Belgium, with full tables o.
the number OF houses in each village
and the number OF troops that can b
quartered among the inhabitants. in
Guiding Information concerning shell
ter for horses and water supplies
The tactical and strategical possibili
ties are treated to the last detail. f.
On each route the Observation
points, are particularly emphasized
and it is here that the Belgian
churches suddenly receive significan,
military Importance. More than hall
the observation points recorded art
churches. s.. fs5s sss...s
View From Z Journal Cathedral.
For instance. we find special atten
Hon to the cathedral towers OF Journal
with the remark that its four spires
afford extensive view OF country II
all directions" These spires are 26(
feet high and the cathedral is one
Of the finest IN Belgium. It IL almost
1000 years old. the nave having beer
built in 1910. s 3@2; u T,
This cathedral u noted az an obser
vation point on several routes. bu,
appears first On the route from
'fournai to Renaix.H On the same route
lis found listed the famous little church
OF Ste. Trieste, which crowns the hill
Mont ST.. Aubert, north Of Journal
From the emphasis laid ON this lattel
church it seems to be a prize from {
military observers point Of view. n Al
its first mentibn. the record says:
Mont st. Z Aubert 4 church, tire,
miles north Of Journal; good sigma
station in fine weather for communi
cation with Journal, Celles, Avel
Chem, Audenarde, Roubaix. Lille
Leuze and other places" :: 4 =t':5s !,
~ It is interesting to find French cite,
In this list. .. d 1, ,
Wide "Fleid Of Vision and Fire"
In detailing the route from Pecq Il
Avelghem the report says Of this same
church: q.
mont st. Aubert. From the blacl
and white colored church este. Tri
este) at western summit OF ridge (45(
feet high field of vision and fire ex
tends in all directions for many miles.
The details Of this route also give
as t'observation points" the, cathedra
at Journal and the church at Mont d.
,l'Enclus as good signal stations al
right bank Of Scheldt, all giving ranges
of several miles" ,ss =, - IS: -. y
The churches are listed under the
caption Of observation points" in thu
detailed information for each army
route, contained in the war Office
booklets. Here are some Of the othel
excerpts: e 4 49,
Route from Zeebrugge to Brussels
by way Of Bruges and Client. Lessee