The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-28
The Second Battle OF Ypres.

The Second Battle Of Ypres.
The conflict now raging between
ipres and the sea is likely to he
known as the second battle Of Ypres.
and Dunkirk, on the coast, seems to
be the German objective. as before.
The first battle Of Ypres lasted al
most month. from October 10 to
November II, and General JoFFRE de-
scribed II as the greatest battle OF
the world" From the sea at Nieu.
port-Bains through Dixmude, Ypres,
Armentieres, and to La Bassee. south
west Of Lille, the firing line or front
extended. Locally the conflict In the
north was called the battle Of the
User, but General JorFRE speaks com
prehensively Of the entire operations
as the battle OF Ypres.
Ypres was once the capital Of
Western Flanders AS the crow flies
/. is thirteen miles from that place
TO DiXmude. and from there TO the
coast ten while the distance from
Ypres almost due south to Armen-
there's Is twelve miles and about the
same TO La Bassee. The Lys runs
through the billy southern part OF the
region and the User winds through
the north. which becomes fiat and
marshy as the stream approaches the
sea. Before the war Ypres had
population Of about 5000. Between
the ancient town and Dlxmudc is the
rather extensive forest of Houthuls,.
Five miles southwest Of the forest Is
BiXschoote and n less distance to the
southwest Is Lizerne, on the left bank
OF the Ypres canal. Roth these small
towns figure In the latest dispatches
from the battle line. The strategical
Importance Of the coast towns which
the Germans were fighting to reach
last October and November was thus
illustrated by General Baron Won
ARpENNE In an article that appeared
In the Sdchsischer Stddts-Anecigcr:
TT the English watch on our naval
position. Rorkum- -Helgo-
| land Brunsbiittel. IL almost impossible
in the present circumstances--up to now
II has not been at all successful--it Will
become quite impossible when Belgium
and tho north coast Of France right
down TO the mouth OF the Seine are in
/
Of time We shall be in possession Of
! Calais thirty miles west OF Dunkirb.
probably also OF Dieppe and Havre. At
Calais the Channel narrows down 10 a
howitzers have range OF fourteen
miles. The range OF our II inch
how!tzers Is still greater. England can
expect still further artillery surprises
Even II We cannot shoot from the French
coast to the English, a safety zone can
be made for German ships which will
| cover more than half the naviga BILE
water In the French harbors bases
can be made for torpedo boats and
| submarines. cruisers, scouts, &c. and.
|
pelins. These bases on the French coast
can be made absolutely impregnable
from the sea by double or triple rows
of mines. especially anchored mines"
Baron Won ARDENNE concluded BY
saying that with the French north
coast in our hands" an invasion of
England would be feasible. The is.
sue OF the second battle of Yprcs is
| likely to be in doubt for some time.
although the Germans have made
tremendous preparations to break
through the French-BritiSL- Bel gian
| line and reach the coast in force. II
the Allies are not entirely ready
with careful dispositions Of their re-
enforced army and an adequate sup
| ply Of ammunition, there has GER
tainly been time enough to meet the
emergency. seasoning from the sue
cess OF the Allies In checking the
swift advance of the Germans and
foiling their strategy in the first bat
tie OF Npres, II may well he doubted
whether the sea can he reached in
this second great drive, unless with
vastly superior force.
The Allies were not prepa red for
the first battle Of Ypres; then the
brunt of the early fighting was borne