The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-12-06
FRENCH TRENCHES
READY FOR WINTER
Horror Of Cold Weather at
Front Is LesSened.
TROOPS ARE WELL PREPARED
Duuouts Have Brick Bottoms and Are
Well Drained--No More Knee Deep
Icy Water-Paris Has Good Coal
Supply - German Generals Suggest
Christmas Gifts For Soldiers.

Supply - German Generals Suggest
Christmas Gifts For Soldiers.
Signs are plentiful that winter Is
close upon the troops in the north OF
France. The nights are cold. and the
| characteristic winter night mist from
| the marshes Is in the air.
| 1t is evident that there Is to be an
other winter campaign, robbed. how
ever. of much of the horror of last
| years ordeal in DOGGY trenches and
along impossible roads. In northern
| France, at least. winter will find the
rival armies well prepared to receive
| it. The wet mud. the ice cold water.
| knee deep in the communication
| trenches. the ooze and discomfort of
the dugouts. will be the exception rath-
er than the rule this year. The shell
| tiers. even in the advance trenches.
| will generally be fairly 1vable. thanks
| to the plentiful use CT concrete and
| tar and the skillful employment of
drainage.
Moreover. the armies will be prop
erly clad and amply fed The British
soldiers win again don their sheep
skins. supplemented by ample supplies
Of warm caps. socks and heavy boots
Of rather better type than last years.
| Brick Floors In Trenches.
Many of the trenches now have brick
floors, and practically all are drained
and protected against landslide by
timbers.
The great problem Of the winter will
be the billeting of all the new divisions
which have come out since last year.
In the villages well behind the firing
lines every outbuilding aud old barn
has been requisitioned cleaned repair
ed and made into shelter against the
wind and cold. But nearer the firing
lines most of the buildings have been
smashed into ruins. and. although they
were disable for housing purposes dur
ing the summer. they are plainly. i'm
possible now. The problem is being
dealt with to some extent by the build
ing of portable houses and huts. but
the armies grow too fast for the car
penters.
The work of the aeroplane observers
gets more difficult as winter approach
es. The fogs of the late autumn cling
to the ground in little patches well
into the day. while the evening mists
make observations difficult soon after
midafternoon.
Coal Prices High In Paris.
Paris is in no danger of shivering this
winter, though it will have to pay
u n
eel Sembat, minister of public works.
assures the public that there will be
plenty Of coal available and supports
his views with few conclusive Stats
tics.
France consumed 60O0o.000 tons Of
coal year before the war; 100000
, tons of it came from Great Britain and
100000 from Belgium and Germany.
The latter markets are closed to her
now, but her consumption has decreas-
ed from c0.0O0.000 to 4O.000000 tons by
reason of the German occupation of
the industrial regions of the north and
east. Her coal production has dimin-
ished in~ the same ratio. being 20-
100000. as against 4o00o.000 tons. so
she has to depend on Great Britain and
the United States for the 20,000,000 tons
that she LACKS. The receipts at French
ports, which were less than a million
tons month year ago. rose to 1.SOO,-
GOO tons in August. Statistics Of sub
sequent receipts are incomplete. but it
Is thought that they exceed 100000
tons per month. sufficient to meet cur
rent needs and accumulate surplus.
Coal prices have shown no response
TO the increased receipts. The best
qualities are firm at $40 ton delivered
, ut domicile. while inferior grades and
industrial coal bring $15 ton. The
Ncity gas company, profiting from these
) high prices, has supplanted coal with
gas in a great many families. furnish
ing the heaters free of rental
German Christmas Demands.
Fur muffs for soldiers are the latest
recommendation of the versatile Cen
! eral Won Buelow of the German army.
The recommendation is made in reply
to an inquiry addressed to all the Ger
man army commanders asking for sug-
gestions as to the most appropriate
Christmas gifts for soldiers at the
| liohC- NOn DueIUW TepIleu LudL U1uuS
would be very useful on the eastern
fronts. to be used by men on duty in
the trenches. Old and WORKOUT muffs,
he adds. would be just as useful as
brand new ones. There must be a
cord attached" he explains, so that
we can hang the muffs round our
necks"
Mackensen. from Servia, asks for CO.
Goa. chocolate. fat and butter. Gall
WITT replies only: I'VE don't want any
wool. We are richly provided with
that Admiral Won Rooster urges
. against the sending of spirits or, in
fact. any alcoholic beverages. In fact
no spirits are asked for by any troops
except the guards regiments, which
want rum The crown prince suggests
hght red wine and smoking materials
| other commanders mention slippers